Ministry of Hope Awards

ELCA congregations are some of the most important partners LSSI has in providing services to those in need. Many of these congregations also provide extraordinary leadership within their communities in identifying needs and implementing solutions to address those needs. The LSSI Ministry of Hope Awards were presented for the first time in Fall 2004 to outstanding ELCA congregations that provide leadership in supporting the social ministry of LSSI and other ministries in the community. The award will be presented again in 2010 to one ELCA congregation in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, one in the Northern Illinois Synod, and one in the Central/Southern Illinois Synod.

Please download the nomination form and flyer for details:

Nomination Form
Flyer Form

Nominations for the 2010 Award close on August 31, 2010.

For more information on the Ministry of Hope Awards, contact Dan Schwick at 847/390-1418 or dan.schwick@lssi.org.

Church Relations

The Church Relations staff of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) is responsible for relating to the approximately 540 congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in Illinois, their pastors and lay leaders, along with the bishops and other leaders of the ELCA’s Central/Southern Illinois Synod, Metropolitan Chicago Synod and Northern Illinois Synod.

LSSI’s Church Relations staff has developed an extensive list of resources and offerings for congregations to help them gain a deeper understanding of and commitment to social ministry on the local, regional, synod, church and even international levels. To view the “menu” of LSSI offerings, click here.

The Church Relations functions of LSSI are part of the Office of the President and are overseen by Pastor Daniel Schwick, assistant to the President and director of the Office of Church and Government Relations, and by Jennifer DeLeon, associate director.

Book Your Date with LSSI

Is your congregation interested in having an LSSI Sunday, a presentation on Lutheran Advocacy, or information about Lutheran Disaster Response or the “Just Neighbors” educational program on poverty? The “LSSI Church Relations Menu” lists many learning opportunities for your congregation, and the “LSSI Speaker Sign-Up” helps to connect you with the appropriate resources at LSSI.

For more information, or answers to your questions, please contact Dan Schwick at 847/390-1418 or dan.schwick@lssi.org.

Ministry of Hope Awards

Each year LSSI selects a congregation in each of our three synods to be awarded the Ministry of Hope Award. The Ministry of Hope Award recognizes congregations that have shown remarkable commitment to a particular social ministry or to social ministry in general.

In 2009 LSSI is recognizing nine ELCA congregations--an individual congregation in the Northern Illinois Synod and one in the Central/Southern Illinois Synod and seven congregations in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod that jointly support the West-Northwest Suburban Counseling Center and have done so for 30+ years!

The recipients of the 2009 LSSI Ministry of Hope Awards are:

St. John’s Lutheran Church, Mendota (NIS):
The longstanding history of partnership between LSSI and St. John's Lutheran Church in Mendota is often uplifted as a guidepost for successful collaboration between a church of the ELCA and LSSI. Our collaboration has directly impacted hundreds of children, adults and families since it began in the mid 1970's. St. John's Lutheran Church provides office space for the Crossroads Counseling Center, funds for a part-time clinician at the center, and financial support to subsidize client fees. As the only general counseling facility in Mendota serving low-income families, it has been crucial for LSSI to partner with St. John's Lutheran Church to sustain the Crossroads Counseling Center through the years. Recognizing St. John's commitment to assist those in need of God's healing hand, we are grateful for their many years of partnership as together we meet this urgent and growing call to serve those in need.

Epiphany Lutheran Church, Carbondale (C/SIS):
Epiphany Lutheran Church, Carbondale IL embraces the following scripture: "For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another." (Romans 12:4-5) In that spirit, the congregation has reached out to serve many organizations including Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI).

The seven MCS congregations that collaborate with LSSI in support of the West-Northwest Suburban Counseling Center are:

Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Prospect Heights (MCS)
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Downers Grove (MCS)
Grace Lutheran Church, La Grange (MCS)
Epiphany Lutheran Church, Elmhurst (MCS)
Trinity Lutheran Church, Des Plaines (MCS)
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Villa Park (MCS)

In the weeks ahead, we will be contacting the award-winning congregations to arrange times—preferably during a Sunday morning worship service—to make formal award presentations.

Information about the nomination process for the 2010 Ministry of Hope Awards will be distributed this fall.

For more information on the Ministry of Hope Awards, call Dan Schwick at 847/390-1418.

Justice Forum Opportunities

The Associate Director for Church and Government Relations at LSSI, Jennifer DeLeon, offers Justice Forum opportunities for your congregation.

These forums can be for a general audience or specially focused for youth or confirmation groups.

Jennifer (who may be joined by an LSSI staff person specialist) brings expertise and experience in matters of advocacy and community outreach and organization.

These presentations can include:

• Advocacy Training for Adults
• Advocacy Training for Teens and Confirmation students
• Training in the “Just Neighbors” program
• Sunday School presentations on Justice
• Forums covering all the services of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
• Poverty and Justice Forum
• Adoption and Community Child Care Forum
• Senior Services Forum
• Prison Inmates and their Families Outreach

If you would like Jennifer to bring an LSSI forum to your congregation, please contact Dan Schwick at 847/390-1418 or dan.schwick@lssi.org.

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