Deaf Ministry
Turning Point in Deaf Ministry
In November 2024, longtime CID Missionary to the Deaf Pastor Thomas (“Tom”) Phillips preached signed sermons for the last time in Jacksonville and Normal. He has accepted a call and begins Advent as the new pastor at St. Paul and St. Matthew Lutheran Churches in Kalkaska and Mancelona, Michigan.
“Thirty-three years ago, as a candidate at the seminary, I was ready and willing to go wherever in the world the Lord would call me,” he says. “Over the years He has called me to serve in South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois.” Now, it’s off to Michigan!
Tom spent quite a while in Illinois, first as pastor at Zion, New Holland. In 2001, the centennial anniversary year for ministry to the deaf in central Illinois, the District contracted with him at first for deaf work two days a week. Talented as he is at languages, he learned American Sign Language rapidly and well. By 2003, he moved to Jacksonville and increased to half-time service with the deaf. Then in 2005, CID extended him a full-time call to Deaf Ministry, with which he ended up being engaged for almost 20 years.
The natural headquarters for him during this time has been at Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf in Jacksonville. Although deaf work had been going on in this city and at the Illinois School for the Deaf there since 1901, when the Synod had Rev. H. Hallerberg traveling from St. Louis once a month, it took until 1948 for a church for the deaf to be organized. To provide the new congregation a place to meet, central Illinois LWML gathered $20,000 from the three LCMS Illinois Districts, the national Synod contributed $80,000, and the men’s club of Salem, Jacksonville donated $3,000 for the construction of a church across the street from the deaf school. The building was dedicated in 1953.
This was the place to be. Enrollment at the state deaf school fluctuated between 500 and 550 in the 1940s, and by the ‘50s and ‘60s sometimes rose to over 700. Deaf student attendance at Christ Lutheran topped 100 at peak. By the early years of the 21st century, however, the school’s enrollment had decreased to about 300, and some 15-20 students were involved in the “Good News Club” at the church. In September, 2024, only one student from the school showed any sign of interest in activities at the church, but ended up not attending.
Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf has generally had a membership averaging 10-15 throughout its history. In 2015, it began a District-wide Deaf parish, which has been operating mainly out of two sites, conducting services at the church building in Jacksonville and less frequently at Wittenberg Lutheran Center, CID’s campus ministry in Normal. Over the years Tom Phillips has also taught Bible studies for the deaf in a number of other places, including Peoria and Springfield.
With his departure, CID Deaf Ministry is at a turning point. For the present, Missionary to the Deaf Rev. John Reinke from St. Louis has agreed to travel to central Illinois to conduct the deaf parish’s accustomed monthly workshops, including a communion service, in a central location. Service interpretation for the deaf continues to be offered weekly by interpreters at Our Redeemer, Jacksonville and Trinity, Bloomington.
The District Mission Commission is examining options for future outreach to the deaf in central Illinois. Please pray for the Lord to open another door!
For more information on missions, contact:
Dr. Ken Schurb, Missions Executive
LCMS Central Illinois District
1850 N. Grand Avenue West
Springfield, IL 62702-1626
(217) 793-1802
kschurb@cidlcms.org
Concordia Self-Study Bibles Needed!
Rev. John Reinke, who will be rendering significant service to CID in Deaf Ministry, likes to use the New International Version of the Bible when working with deaf people in sign language. In 1986, Concordia Publishing House released a revision of the NIV Study Bible called the Concordia Self-Study Bible. All the biblical book introductions and study notes were written or edited by Missouri Synod theologians.
Note that this is NOT the Lutheran Study Bible, published more recently by Concordia Publishing House. The LSB uses the English Standard Version for the biblical text.
If you would like to donate an old Concordia Self-Study Bible — even if your name or various notes are written in — the District office will gladly receive it. The address is 1850 North Grand Avenue West, Springfield, IL 62702. Thank you very much!