Two Community Faith-Based Schools Extend Their Mission to Serve More Youth.

On February 5, 2010, the St. Gregory Episcopal School Board overwhelmingly voted to unite with the Holy Family Lutheran School. This follows the unanimous decision made by the Holy Family Board one week earlier. Bishops from both churches have affirmed the boards' decisions. Starting this fall, St. Gregory students will enroll at the newly named Holy Family School, which has grown significantly the past several years.

Fr. Ken Erickson, St. Gregory's principal, states of the partnership: "Together we seek to have a lasting impact on the lives of the children of North Lawndale and the surrounding neighborhoods. What we care about most is the mission that we share—that respecting the dignity of every child begins with providing an excellent education."

Holy Family President Susan Work also affirms the partnership: "It is a win-win situation that adds strength, opportunity, and a 2010 perspective to both schools. The winners are the children."

According to Work, "St. Gregory students will be immersed in the life of Holy Family—and we will be one big Holy Family!"

The partnership of St. Gregory and Holy Family underscores the Lutheran Synod's and the Episcopal Diocese's commitment to the Call to Common Mission: to bear witness to all we are called to share in the name of Jesus. This historic agreement calls both churches to a deeper understanding of what it means to be Christ's body for the world.

It's this calling that has brought the two schools together. As one, Holy Family and St. Gregory will extend this mission: to provide a low-cost, faith-based quality education to youth from the North Lawndale community—so that they flourish academically as well as in life.