Filled with living hope in Christ,
Confessing, Praising, and
Advancing His Kingdom.
| | | LCMS Northern Illinois District Email Newsletter : September 15, 2026 | | Please share this information with others | | FROM YOUR DISTRICT OFFICE | | |
2026 Regional Pastoral Conferences
Fall Pastoral Conferences are being planned.
South Region:
2026 Conference Dates: September 22-24, 2026
Location: Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center, One Lodge Ln, Oglesby, IL 61348
East Region
2026 Conference Dates: October 19-21, 2026
Location: DeKoven Center, 2000 Wisconsin Ave, Racine, WI 53403
North and West Regions
2026 Conference Dates: October 12-14, 2026
Location: 2400 E Geneva St, Delavan, WI 53115
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2026 Katie Gathering Is Nearly Here!
The official registration period ended September 11, 2026, but it's not too late. If you'd still like to join us at Walcamp on October 2-3, 2026, please register ASAP! Our theme this year will be Prayer.
If you are a pastor’s wife or widow in the LCMS Northern Illinois District and do not receive the Katie emails, please contact sue.green@nidlcms.org to be added to the list!
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The Slow Down
We invite you to step away from the routine for an evening, gather with others, and experience stories, poetry, music, and reflections on faith. And this isn't just an event for pastors and church workers—we encourage you to invite members of your congregation, friends, and others who would enjoy the evening.
Three evenings. Three locations. Choose the one that works best for you.
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Immanuel Lutheran Church, 310 E. Main St., East Dundee
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Trinity Lutheran Church, 11500 German Church Rd., Burr Ridge
Friday, October 16, 2026
St. Peter Lutheran Church, 111 W. Olive St., Arlington Heights
Dinner will be available at 5:30 p.m., with the program beginning at 6:45 p.m.
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Parish Professionals Meeting
Join us for our first Parish Pros meeting of this school year! This is where DCEs and other Parish Professionals are invited to gather! We will meet on Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 310 E Main St, East Dundee, IL 60118. Our group will spend time having lunch, catching up, and hearing from guest speaker Chris Singer!
If you plan to go, please RSVP with Alex Brice at Alex.Brice@stmarkslife.org. We hope to see you there!
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All Illinois DCE (Parish Professional Retreat)
The Central, Northern & Southern Illinois Districts invite you to a time of retreat this fall with your colleagues in ministry. The Illinois DCE Retreat will be from Sunday, November 1, 2026 through Tuesday, November 3, 2026 at Camp CILCA in Cantrall, IL (about 15 minutes north of Springfield).
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We gathered. We worshiped. We learned. We connected.
The 2026 Lay Leadership Summit brought together lay leaders from across the LCMS Northern Illinois District for a day centered in Christ and focused on growing, learning, and serving together.
Thank you to everyone who joined us, shared their experiences, encouraged one another, and brought new ideas back to their congregations and ministries.
Take a look back at some of the moments that made the day meaningful.
Thank you for your faithful service to Christ and His Church. We are stronger together!
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Shine! 2027 Dates Announced
Mark your calendars! The dates for Shine! 2027 have been set for April 9–18, 2027. We are excited to once again join with the LCMS Missouri District in this shared opportunity to serve our neighbors and communities in Christ's name. Please feel free to share these dates with your congregation, school, ministry, and volunteers as you begin planning for another impactful Shine! event.
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Caregiving Seminar
Trinity Lutheran Church, 11500 German Church Rd, Burr Ridge, IL 60527 will host a Caregiving Seminar, Saturday, October 3, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. RSVP by September 30, 2026 to csecretary@tlbr.org
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150th Anniversary
St. John’s Lutheran Church, 4939 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago, IL 60641 will celebrate its school's 150th anniversary on Sunday, October 11, 2026. It’s a Grand Reunion invitation to all alumni, teachers, pastors, parents, members, and friends. A celebratory worship service at 9:00 a.m. will be followed by an open house and a banquet at Chateau Ritz at 1:00 p.m.
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Vi Messerli Memorial Lectures in Church Music
Are you a church musician looking to deepen your ministry in music? Join us for the Vi Messerli Memorial Lectures in Church Music, October 18–20, 2026 at Concordia University Chicago—a conference offering professional workshops, inspiring music-making, and rich Christian fellowship and worship. This year's highlights include a keynote address by Rev. Dr. Dien Ashley Taylor (bishop and president of the LCMS Atlantic District); choral evening prayer with the Kantorei of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne; and a Monday hymn festival. Learn more and register at www.cuchicago.edu/events/2026/10/lectures-in-church-music/.
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We’re in week 3 of our Let’s Get Moving Challenge! It’s not too late to get started - join this week! Check out the links below for all of the details.
If you need some inspiration on how to get started moving, check out today’s article that highlights ways to make movement fun. The trick is discovering what YOU enjoy doing…and then go do that!
| | Need more inspiration? Watch the video for a little encouragement and see a few of the ways NID staff are fitting movement into their days. | | |
What if I told you there was a way you could lower your stress levels, have more energy, sleep a little better, and sharpen your memory and focus? And it’s something you can do right this very second! Sound appealing? The way to a more energized you is simply to MOVE MORE throughout your day! That’s why this month, we’re encouraging everyone in the LCMS Northern Illinois District to Get Moving!
The Challenge is simple: move your body for 10 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
Learn more about the Let’s Get Moving Challenge, along with some fun incentives and intentional support designed for ministries, by following the link below.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Those enrolled in Concordia Health Plans can participate in a Vitality challenge developed for you to earn bonus Vitality points! You can participate in this special Vitality challenge that runs at the same time as the Let’s Get Moving District-wide challenge. Follow the link below to learn how CHP members can sign up today!
| | Bells & Choir Director - Trinity Lutheran Church, 11008 N Church St., Huntley, IL. 60142 is seeking to fill a contract position for a bells & choir director. The position would be Tuesday nights for practice, and 1 Sunday per month for performance during services. If interested contacted treasurer@trinityhuntley.org | | |
The LCMS Northern Illinois District is congregations, schools, and ministries of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, spanning the northern 24 counties in Illinois. Filled with living hope in Christ, Confessing, Praising, and Advancing His Kingdom through Word, Wellness, and Witness. Our website can be found at nidlcms.org.
Contact:
Ann Ciaccio
Director of Communications
708-223-3118
ann.ciaccio@nidlcms.org
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