A Confessional Lutheran Church on Modaff Road
On a quiet stretch of Modaff Road in southeast Naperville, a brick and stone complex houses both a Lutheran elementary school and a Lutheran congregation that has served this part of DuPage County for nearly a century. Bethany Lutheran Church & School carries a self-description in three words: Biblical. Confessional. Liturgical. The phrase is more than a tagline. It captures the conviction that drives the parish's preaching, its Sunday liturgy, its Sunday School, and the way it has approached two large building projects now underway in its sanctuary.
Bethany belongs to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and traces its origins to 1927, when eighty-five men, women, and children chartered the congregation. They met in rented space in town, built their first sanctuary at Washington Street and 7th Avenue in 1929, and opened a school the following year. After outgrowing that campus through three building programs, the church and school relocated together to 1550 Modaff Road in 1997, where a second round of construction expanded the facilities to fit a growing enrollment. Today, families who walk the same hallways that grandparents walked now pull into a parking lot where the freshly renovated sanctuary and a half-finished pipe organ project signal that Bethany is not finished growing.
"We Preach Christ Crucified"
At the heart of everything Bethany does is the apostle Paul's declaration in 1 Corinthians 1:18: "We preach Christ, and him crucified." The congregation describes itself as a place where "sinners are called together by their Lord to hear His Word of forgiveness and life," and the teaching is rooted in the Lutheran Confessions found in the Book of Concord.
Bethany teaches that there is one God in three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that all people are born with sin and cannot save themselves; that Jesus Christ, true God and true man, lived, died, and rose again to bear the world's sin; and that the forgiveness Christ won on the cross is delivered today through the preached Word and the Sacraments. The church confesses that Holy Baptism is not merely water but a promise from God, that the Lord's Supper is the true Body and Blood of Christ received with the bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins, and that through Confession and Absolution, pastors speak the forgiving Word of Christ to repentant sinners. Good works are not the cause of salvation but the fruit of faith, lived out in loving service to neighbors.
Bethany practices closed communion, teaching that those who commune at its altar confess agreement with what it teaches. Visitors who wish to receive the Sacrament are invited to speak with a pastor first, while members of other LCMS congregations are welcome to commune because they have already pledged themselves to the same confession of faith.
Sunday at Bethany: Two Services, Bible Study, and Sunday School
Sunday is the rhythm of the week. Two identical Divine Services are held at 8:30 and 11:00 AM, with the 8:30 AM service livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel and archived for later viewing. The 8:30 service draws both in-person worshipers and a steady online congregation, and a downloadable bulletin is posted each week so that those watching from home can follow every hymn, prayer, and Scripture reading.
Between the two services, the building hums with activity. At 10:00 AM, an adult Bible class meets in the gym with coffee and refreshments on the side. Children gather for Sunday School, beginning with an opening in the sanctuary led by the pastor before dividing by age. The 10:00 hour is also when the high school youth Bible study meets in the Youth Room, making the church's entire educational life operate on a single, integrated schedule.
The liturgy itself is described by the pastors as authentically Lutheran: a Scripture-filled historic service that places the Lord's forgiveness at the center, with the reading of God's Word, congregational prayer, and the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Music in worship uses a wide range of instruments, including a pipe organ (currently being rebuilt), piano, bells, brass, and strings on festival occasions, as well as choirs, small vocal ensembles, and soloists. The congregation is intentional about making sure the music does not obstruct worshipers from lifting their own voices.
Children, Confirmation, and Early Communion
Bethany invests heavily in forming the next generation of Christians. Sunday School is offered for children ages three through sixth grade, using Concordia Publishing House's Growing in Christ curriculum for the early childhood and lower elementary levels. Third through sixth graders rotate through the top one hundred Bible stories along with a basic introduction to Luther's Small Catechism. Seventh and eighth graders meet separately for Confirmation instruction, working through the Small Catechism and preparing to receive the Lord's Supper.
Distinctive to Bethany is the practice of Early Communion. Rather than withholding the Sacrament from young Christians until they complete the rite of Confirmation, Bethany offers a catechesis class that admits children to the Lord's Table once they have memorized the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Words of Institution, and can demonstrate to a pastor that they recognize their sin, trust in Christ alone for salvation, and confess that the bread and wine in the Sacrament are the Body and Blood of Jesus. The church teaches that there is no biblical requirement to wait until 8th grade for the Sacrament, and that withholding it for years leaves children exposed to the assaults of the devil, the world, and their own flesh without the aid Christ has given.
Each summer, Vacation Bible School takes over the building for four days. The 2026 program, "Built on Christ," is built around the hymn "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less" and includes Bible stories, songs, crafts, games, and snacks for children ages four through incoming sixth grade, with a closing worship service, pizza lunch, and family fellowship on the final day.
Youth, Young Adults, and Theology on Tap
Bethany's youth ministry partners with parents to ground sixth through twelfth graders in the confession of Christ crucified. The youth typically meet twice a month, alternating between casual fellowship and Bible study in the Youth Room and outings that include barbecues, bowling nights, and trivia nights. A current youth schedule is published each year, and parents receive regular communication, sermon reports, and access to the weekly Congregation at Prayer devotion booklet to use at home.
For young adults in their late teens and twenties, Bethany offers a group called 20something, which meets on Wednesday or Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in the Youth Room. The format is conversational: Pastor Clemmer leads discussions on current issues facing Christians, with the specific night shifting to fit the group's schedules. A separate College Care Group of parents organizes care packages for students away at college, plans events for the young adults when they return home, and supports one another through the empty-nest years.
For those old enough to pull up a chair at the bar, Theology on Tap is a monthly book study, theological conversation, and beer fellowship led by Pastor Clemmer. The meeting day changes each month to accommodate busy schedules, and the readings lean theologically rigorous. A recent study worked through Adam S. Francisco's A Reasoned Defense of the Faith, a collection of essays on Christian apologetics rooted in Lutheran theology.
Men, Women, and Seniors: The Societies of Bethany
Bethany's life of faith is shaped in large part by a network of societies and small groups that meet throughout the week. The Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML), founded in 1942, gathers Bethany women of all ages on the first Tuesday of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 PM in the Board Room for Bible study, fellowship, and the planning of mission grants. The first Sunday of each month, members collect "Mites," small prayerful donations that join with other congregations to fund missions around the world. Eyeglasses and canceled postage stamps with a quarter-inch margin are collected in the narthex for distribution with the Gospel.
The Bethany Guild meets on the first Friday of each month from noon to 3:00 PM and spends most of its year preparing for the annual Crafters' Paradise in November, a craft show, luncheon, and bake sale that draws vendors and visitors from across the region. The Older Wiser Lutheran Seniors (OWLS) group offers monthly opportunities for social interaction and learning in a variety of formats, and always welcomes new members.
For men, the Saturday Men's Bible Breakfast gathers on the first and third Saturday of the month at 8:00 AM in the Multipurpose Room. The men share breakfast from 8:00 to 8:30 and then study a book of the Bible or another Christian writing, encouraging one another in faith and traditional Christian manliness. An annual Men's Retreat, held in the fall, brings the men of the congregation together for a Friday and Saturday of teaching, fellowship, and prayer, usually featuring a guest speaker from another LCMS parish.
Behind the scenes, an Altar Guild prepares the bread and wine for Holy Communion and cleans the sacred vessels afterward. Sacristans assist the pastors in distributing the Lord's Supper. Ushers welcome worshipers, hand out bulletins, and help direct the flow of the service. A Member Care Society maintains regular contact with members through visits, meals, prayer, and grief support. When a loved one dies, a baby is born, or sickness comes, a network of volunteers provides home-cooked meals for the family.
Bible Study for Every Season
Beyond Sunday morning, Bethany offers a rich menu of Bible studies. The Ladies' LifeLight meets on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 AM in the Youth Room, opening with a short prayer service, then discussing the week's homework questions, then hearing a reflection from a pastor. The Bible Reading Group gathers on Tuesday afternoons (except the first Tuesday of the month) from 1:00 to 3:00 PM in the Board Room, working its way through the Old Testament one book at a time, currently reading 1 and 2 Samuel along with applicable Psalms.
For those new to Bethany or wanting a deeper grounding, Pastor Clemmer teaches an annual New Member/Adult Instruction class in the fall, walking through the Lutheran faith with anyone considering membership or simply wanting a refresher. The class meets in the Youth Room at 9:00 AM for coffee and pastries, then moves to the sanctuary at 9:30 AM for the study, with free childcare provided.
Each winter, Bethany hosts a Lay Theology Conference, a day-long event that draws more than two hundred people from the congregation and the wider community. Recent speakers have included Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller on confession and persecution, and Rev. Jonathan Conner of Zion Lutheran in Manning, Iowa, on the effects of screens and devices on Christian families. The conference reflects Bethany's commitment to forming lay Christians who can give a reasoned defense of the faith they confess.
A Sanctuary Reborn: Renovation and the Pipe Organ Project
In 2025, Bethany's sanctuary closed for an extensive renovation that has touched nearly every surface of the worship space. Workers removed the old tile and carpet, the baptismal font and pools, the organ loft wall, and the communion rail. They repaired decades of water damage, repainted the walls and ceiling, restored the oak cross and the statue of Jesus, sanded and restained the windowsills, and installed a new gray tile floor that includes a large circle at the entry to the nave bearing the Luther Rose and seven smaller decorative squares running up the center aisle to a second circle surrounding the new octagonal baptismal font. The pews were reupholstered with new fabric and foam, the kneelers at the communion rail were replaced, and new carpet was laid in the narthex and the halls leading to the gym and offices. Even the clerestory windows, many of which had not been cleaned since the building opened, were washed inside and out.
Running alongside the renovation is the Bethany Lutheran Liturgical Music Preservation Project, a complete rebuild of the pipe organ by Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders. The project retains and enhances most of the existing tonal character and pipework, restores full functionality, reduces future maintenance, and adds new features. A fundraising goal of $500,000 has been supported generously by the congregation, and the new organ is being fabricated in phases; the windchests, console, and reservoirs are taking shape in the builder's shop, with the vast majority of the instrument scheduled to be installed by the end of November and the second phase, including the loft casework and façade pipes, expected in January.
Until the new organ is in place, Bethany's organists use the existing console connected to computer software that amplifies digitally produced organ sound through speakers, with piano and other instruments added as needed. The sanctuary renovation and the organ project together represent a generational investment in the worship life of the congregation, and the pastors have invited members to walk the space after services to see the work for themselves.
The School at 1550 Modaff Road
Bethany Lutheran School shares the campus with the church. The school was founded in 1930, the year after the first sanctuary was built, and it has been part of Bethany's identity ever since. It serves families seeking a Christ-centered, confessional Lutheran education for their children, with enrollment running from early childhood through the elementary grades. The school and church share facilities, and many of the church's youth programs are designed to integrate seamlessly with what students are learning in the classroom during the week. A separate school office and phone line (630.355.6607) handle admissions and day-to-day operations.
Pro-Life Witness and Outreach
Bethany describes its work in support of life as a central part of its identity. The church prays weekly for the elderly, the physically disabled, and the unborn, and members are encouraged to support local and national pro-life organizations such as Lutherans for Life, the Caring Network, and the annual March for Life. Coins collected for the Caring Network are gathered throughout the year, and members have traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the March.
Beyond pro-life work, Bethany has invested in disaster response. Members have received training through LERT (Lutheran Early Response Team), and the congregation has organized support for hurricane relief, including door offerings for victims and the donation of air filters and supplies. The Member Care Society coordinates ongoing care for members, including visits, meals, prayer, and grief support during times of loss. Comfort dogs from Lutheran Church Charities have been blessed at Bethany and are part of the church's ministry of presence to those who are suffering.
The Voice of Bethany: Sermons, Bulletins, and Livestream
Bethany takes seriously the call to make its preaching available beyond the sanctuary walls. Every Sunday's sermon is recorded and posted as a podcast through the Bethany Lutheran Naperville Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts and through the church's audio archive. Wednesday evening Bible studies, the annual Lay Theology Conference, the Pipe Organ Rebuild Forum, and other special presentations are also archived for listening at any time.
A weekly bulletin is posted online, with a downloadable PDF that allows worshipers in the pews and at home to follow the readings, hymns, and prayers. The Congregation at Prayer, a devotional booklet that walks families through the upcoming Sunday's readings and a daily psalm, is published each week, and a Higher Things Daily Reflections link is shared for additional devotional reading.
Worship bulletins and audio from every week are organized in a single archive, allowing visitors to scroll back through months of services. The result is a congregation that lives out its identity not only in the building on Modaff Road but in the audio and video channels that carry its preaching to anyone, anywhere, who wants to listen.
Joining Bethany
Those interested in becoming part of Bethany are encouraged to contact the church office and sign up for the next New Member/Adult Instruction class. The class meets in the fall each year and is open to anyone considering membership, anyone wanting a refresher on the Lutheran faith, or anyone who simply wants to learn more about what the congregation teaches. The pastors are happy to meet with visitors at any time, and private Confession and Absolution is available by appointment.
For a first visit, the worship services on Sunday at 8:30 and 11:00 AM are the best place to start. Parking is available all around the church and school, and the sanctuary is visible from Modaff Road. The visitor welcome center is straight ahead as you enter, the narthex hosts coffee and fellowship between services, and the entire congregation, from the youngest child in the pew to the eldest member of OWLS, will be glad to see you.