Immanuel Lutheran Church sits on East Second Street in Belvidere, Illinois, a short walk east of the Kishwaukee River in Boone County. The congregation is part of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and is best known locally for its Pre-K through Grade 8 school, which shares the same campus and is described as a ministry of the church. A second location, Immanuel North, meets in Timberlane and extends the congregation's reach across the area.
Two Campuses, One Congregation
The main campus at 1225 E. 2nd Street, Belvidere, IL 61008, has been home to Immanuel Lutheran Church since 1996, when the congregation relocated from Boone Street to the East Second Street property. The same address houses Immanuel Lutheran School, with classrooms, a library, and a gymnasium serving both church and school. The second campus, Immanuel North, meets in Timberlane for a Sunday morning service. Pastors and faculty serve both locations, and the school calendar links directly to the church calendar.
Worship Times from Traditional Liturgy to Contemporary Praise
Immanuel offers a Saturday service plus four Sunday services in a range of styles. Saturday worship at 6:00 p.m. is traditional. Sunday morning begins with an 8:00 a.m. traditional service, followed at 9:15 a.m. by a service that pairs teaching with musical variety. At 10:15 a.m., children and adults split for an Education Hour that includes Christ for Kids and Biblical Studies. The 11:00 a.m. service brings a contemporary setting. Immanuel North meets Sundays at 10:30 a.m. in Timberlane. School families are warmly invited to worship at any of these services, and the church livestreams at least one service online.
A Lutheran School That Opened in 1886 and Again in 1958
Immanuel Lutheran School first opened its doors in 1886, serving families in the Belvidere area. Enrollment declined over the years and the school closed in 1920, though the commitment to Christian education stayed alive within the congregation. In 1953 the congregation voted to reopen the school, and in 1955 it purchased the current site at 1225 East Second Street. Construction began in 1957 and the new school building opened in September 1958 with five classrooms; it was formally dedicated to the Lord on October 12, 1958.
The campus has grown steadily since. Two classrooms were added to the east end in 1964, followed in 1966 by additional classrooms, a science room, a music room, and washrooms on the west end. A 1967 tornado forced reconstruction, and the school was repaired and reopened. In 1985 the church offices moved into the east end of the school building, and in 1996 the church itself relocated to the East Second Street property. A modular classroom was added in 1995, and in 2000 six classrooms and a new gymnasium were built to support continued growth. The school counts an average class size of 17.5 students and a total enrollment of 277 for the current year, with 27 teachers and staff members.
Discipleship Woven into the School Day
At Immanuel, discipleship is described as a way of life rather than an add-on program. Students participate in weekly, age-appropriate chapel services, take part in classroom visits from pastors and ministry staff, and pray together each day. Morning announcements include Scripture, and the school newsletter carries family devotions. Baptism birthdays are celebrated, and students memorize verses that they carry into chapel and church services.
The discipleship page anchors the school's purpose in the Great Commission from Matthew 28:19 - 20 and describes the faculty and staff as trained teachers of the faith. Students are guided to love others, care for God's creation, share the Gospel, and faithfully live out their God-given vocations. Service opportunities extend through the school, through church ministries, and into the local community. Faith formation is intentional and consistent across Pre-K through Grade 8, with weekly chapel, daily classroom prayer, religion classes, Scripture memory, and Baptism Birthday celebrations.
From Pre-K Half-Days to Middle School Leadership
The youngest learners begin in Pre-K, where three- and four-year-olds attend half-day sessions that mix play-based learning with early literacy, math, and Bible stories. There is one section of Pre-K for three-year-olds and three sections for four-year-olds. Pre-K classes use flannelgraph stories, object lessons, and chapel services to introduce the faith at an early age. The Big Friend / Little Friend Program pairs Pre-K students with older Immanuel students who mentor them and help them feel comfortable in the building.
Kindergarten is full-day and builds on the early childhood foundation. Students receive daily religion classes, weekly chapel services, and participate in worship services at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Optional piano lessons are available during the school day, and Prairie Pals, an after-school program, introduces children to the native prairie on campus.
Elementary school in Grades 1 through 5 strengthens reading, writing, math, science, and social studies while weaving faith into every subject. Special classes in music, art, physical education, Spanish, and technology round out the week, and students have access to the school library and gymnasium. By the end of Grade 5, students are prepared socially, academically, and spiritually for middle school.
Middle school in Grades 6 through 8 uses a departmentalized structure, with teachers specializing in subjects such as math, science, English, history, and religion. Students grow in independence and responsibility through leadership opportunities, group projects, and service experiences. Pastors and ministry staff continue to guide students as they prepare for high school. Graduates leave with strong academic foundations, a Christ-centered worldview, and habits of leadership and service.
Athletics, Music, and the Singing Knights
Athletics at Immanuel are viewed as a way to live out Christian values through effort, attitude, and teamwork. Students in Grades 3 through 8 can participate in cross country, volleyball, soccer, basketball, cheerleading, and track. Younger athletes begin in cross country, co-ed soccer, and boys' basketball in Grade 3, while varsity-level teams serve Grades 7 and 8. Coaches encourage student-athletes to balance sports with academics and faith development.
Music is a central part of school life. All students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 attend general music classes twice a week, and Grades 5 through 8 can take band lessons during the school day. Optional weekly piano lessons are available to students in Kindergarten through Grade 3. The Singing Knights, an after-school choir, meets twice weekly and leads chapel services and church services throughout the year. Middle school students choose from music electives including hand chimes, recorders, and xylophone.
Clubs, Girl Scouts, and Electives
Beyond the classroom, Immanuel offers a wide range of clubs. Prairie Pals introduces Grades 1 through 5 to the campus prairie. The Cooking Club prepares kid-friendly recipes for Grades 3 through 8. Grades 6 through 8 can join the Computer Programming Club, the Knights Honor Society for student leadership and service, and the Drama Club, which performs skits for community events, chapel, and programs. Art Club serves Grades 1 through 3, while Sewing Club welcomes Grades 4 through 8 for beginner and advanced lessons. Girl Scouts Troop #870 also meets at the school, giving students a familiar meeting place outside school hours.
Extended Care from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
For working families, Extended Care is available Monday through Friday during the school year. Morning care begins at 6:30 a.m. in the small gym, and after-school care runs until 6:00 p.m. Students can attend on selected days or every day, depending on family needs. Activities include indoor and outdoor physical play, board games, computer programs, arts and crafts, and social time. A quiet space is available for homework and reading. Extended Care is available for both morning and afternoon Pre-K classes.
Pick-up is supervised: a parent or designated adult listed on the family record card must sign the student out. If someone not listed will be picking up a child, the school office must be notified by note or phone call. Students are not permitted to sign themselves out without written parent permission. Fees are billed hourly, with the first child at $5.00 per hour and additional children at $4.50 per hour. Students picked up after 6:00 p.m. are charged $1 per minute late fee.
Tuition, the Invest in Kids Act, and the Good News Discount
Tuition is managed through TADS, with options including a lump-sum payment by June 15 (with a 2% discount), online payments, a 10-month payment plan, quarterly payments, semiannual payments, or check payments in the school office. Every family receives a tuition waiver from Immanuel Lutheran Church based on the actual cost of educating a student, a reflection of the church's commitment to the school ministry.
Financial aid is available through TADS, with both English and Spanish application forms. The Illinois Invest in Kids Act provides 50%, 75%, or 100% tuition assistance for families who qualify for free or reduced lunch under federal guidelines, expanding access to the school for K through 8 families in the region.
Current Immanuel Lutheran families who refer new families may earn tuition credits through the Good News Discount. A $300 credit is given for each family that enrolls at least one full-time student, $150 for part-time students, with a $600 maximum per family. Registration for current families begins in January and for new families in February, and the admissions process is completed online through TADS.
Pastors and Faculty
Pastor Braun Campbell serves as Senior Pastor. A graduate of Duke University (A.B. 1995) and Concordia Seminary - St. Louis (M.Div. 2006), he has served at Immanuel since 2020. His favorite verse is Isaiah 40:31.
Pastor Keith Richard is the Director of Discipleship and teaches Middle School Religion. He earned his B.A. in 1999 and M.A. in 2006 from Concordia University Chicago, and his M.Div. in 2015 from Concordia Seminary St. Louis. He has been teaching since 1998 and at Immanuel since 2007. His favorite verse is Galatians 2:20.
Mr. Todd Pehlke serves as Principal, and Mrs. Cassie Paulsen is the school secretary, a role she began in 2024. The school is staffed by 27 teachers and staff members across Pre-K through Grade 8, many of whom hold master's degrees and have taught in Lutheran schools for decades. Together, the pastors and faculty hold to the mission of connecting students to Christ through engaging faith-based education, supporting the work of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Belvidere and Timberlane.