view our team
LEADERSHIP

Our Jesus-Centered culture is anchored in Jesus where we have: nothing to prove, nothing to lose and nothing to hide

nothing to prove
Identity
  • Value and Respect
    We know our value in Christ and the value of one another. Therefore we model respect, clarity, kindness and hope with one another. We lead from our hearts and not from our hurts.
  • No capes
    There are no Superheroes. We are a team
  • Ego is the enemy
    We are open rather than defensive and don’t need to get our way
  • Autopsy without blame
    When things go wrong we will seek to understand, not blame
nothing to lose
Empowerment
  • Risk friendly
    Risk and reward are dancing partners. Without risk and constant innovation there is no reward.
  • Gold Stars
    We give away credit instead of collecting it. This is a team effort and is not about select individuals
  • Flexibility is an ability
    We do whatever it takes to accomplish our preferred future and while values remain consistent our methodology is always flexible
  • Empower & release
    We don’t use power over...we use power with, power to, and power within
nothing to hide
Transparency
  • Relational equity
    We don’t choose expediency over relationships.
  • Clean hands
    We tell the truth about ourselves and what's happening in our ministries and the church
  • Candid conversation
    We  practice and receive honest and candid dialogue without defensiveness and value diversity of perspectives with collaborative leadership
  • Fully present
    We bring our full selves with full energy to every table and space
Andrea Davis
Director of Operations/Worship
Elgin Campus Staff

1) Cats or dogs? I'd definitely say dogs! Specifically goldendoodle!

2) What's your favorite line from a movie? " I mean it was cool for what it was but it wasn't all that!" Sister Act 2

3) If you were a pasta shape, what shape would you be and why?  If I were a pasta shape I would be elbow pasta. Elbow pasta is shaped like a rainbow and rainbows are beautiful. So when I eat it, it doesn't make me feel so bad because I'm just eating a rainbow! 🌈

andrea.davis@forestcitychurch.com
Angela Lundin
Elder
Elders
Elders@forestcitychurch.com
Breah Timlick
Campus Pastor - Elgin
Elgin Campus Staff
Executive Team
breah.timlick@forestcitychurch.com
Carrington Gaines
Director of Forest City Worship
Executive Team
Central Support

1) In another life, I'm pretty sure I was the Buffalo Bills sideline reporter!

2) Cats or dogs? Dogs! BIG DOGS!

3) If you were a pasta shape, what shape would you be and why? Penne Rigate because I hold the sauce 😏

carrington.gaines@forestcitychurch.com
Chris Hankins
Director of People and Connection
Rockford Campus Staff

1) In another life, I'm pretty sure I was a ski bum.

2 )If I weren't so good at my job, I'd probably be an auto mechanic.

3) What's your favorite line from a movie? "Boy, that escalated quickly. I mean, that really got out of hand fast." -Ron Burgundy

chris.hankins@forestcitychurch.com
David Sidney
Elder Chair
Elders
Elders@forestcitychurch.com
Diane Korizon
Elder Apprentice
Elders
Elders@forestcitychurch.com
Ebony Gaines
Director of Creative
Central Support

1) What's your favorite line from a movie? YIPPEE KI YAY... I'LL LEAVE THE REST OUT😉

2) Cats or dogs? DOGS

3) When I was 5, I was pretty sure I'd be a SUPERSTAR ACTRESS SINGER DANCER COMBO when I grew up.

ebony.gaines@forestcitychurch.com
Elijah Asiso
Facilities Team
Rockford Campus Staff

1) if I won the lottery tomorrow, I’d start Agricultural Company. And, you know, keep working here.

2)The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is BE HUMBLE,AND PEACE WILL COME!

3) My favorite word in the English language is :HUMBLENESS!

facilities@forestcitychurch.com
Eric Parks
Teaching Team
Rockford Campus Staff

1) If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd start a travel planning company. And, you know, keep working here.

2) What's your favorite line from a movie? YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!  

3) My favorite word in the English language is Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. (Its the longest word in the english language...I dont even know what it means)

eric.parks@forestcitychurch.com
Gabe Zammit
Director of Programming and Operations
Rockford Campus Staff

1) The best piece of advice I've ever been given is "Know your worth, and don't settle for less".  

2) What's the most inspiring part of your job? - I love working with so many talented staff members and those who volunteer as a part of the worship team. It's a beautiful thing to see people from all walks of life coming together to make beautiful music for God.

3) What's your favorite line from a movie? "Remember, your focus determines your reality"

gabe.zammit@forestcitychurch.com
Isaias Cardenas
FC Youth Coordinator
Rockford Campus Staff

1) If I were a superhero, my superpower would be Miles Morales' spider powers.  

2) Cats or dogs? Dogs!

3) What's your favorite line from a movie? My favorite line is from the movie Spiderman Into The Spider Verse, Miles Morales says "When will I know I am ready?" Peter Parker replies, You won't, that's all it is Miles, a leap of faith".

isaias.cardenas@forestcitychhurch.com
James Durham
Director of Music
Rockford Campus Staff

1) If I weren't so good at my job, I'd probably be an archeologist or a geologist...something with an "ist" at the end.

2) What's the most inspiring part of your job? The most inspiring part of my job is that I get to speak a language that in understood by both sides of the brain, breaks the barriers of color and creed, and changes the atmosphere around others (whether they realize it or not)!!

3) The most important thing I learned before high school was that you must be able to “stand on your own two feet”! I realized early that nothing is owed to any of us, and that our comforts and leaning post can move at anytime.

james.durham@forestcitychurch.com
Janine Ellison
Elder Apprentice
Elders
Elders@forestcitychurch.com
Jeff Kopelman
CFO/COO
Central Support
Executive Team

1) If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd start a winery. And, you know, keep working here.

2) The best piece of advice I've ever been given is marriage is not a 50/50 proposition, you need to give 100% all the time

3) What's the most inspiring part of your job?  Knowing that the only way something happened the way it happened was God.

jeff.kopelman@forestcitychurch.com
Jeff Nolan
Facilities Team
Rockford Campus Staff

1) If I weren't so good at my job, I'd probably be a truck driver.  

2) Cats or dogs? Dogs!  

3) What's the most inspiring part of your job? The opportunity to serve Jesus everyday.

facilities@forestcitychurch.com
Jon Thomas
Elder Apprentice
Elders
Elders@forestcitychurch.com
Josh Irwin
Production and Creative Team
Rockford Campus Staff
Central Support

1) Cats or dogs? Dogs

2) What's your favorite line from a movie? "An idea is like a virus. Resilient. Highly contagious. And even the smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can grow to define or destroy you." - Inception - Cobb.

3) If I were a superhero, my superpower would be the ability to fly.

josh.irwin@forestcitychurch.com
Kari Shimp
Director of Kids Ministry
Rockford Campus Staff

1) When I was 5, I was pretty sure I'd be a Teacher when I grew up.  

2) If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd start a  A Cupcake Shop. And, you know, keep working here.

3) Cats or dogs?  Dogs - I have 2 of them (Koda and Vyktor)

kari.shimp@forestcitychurch.com
Ken Aspenson
Accounting
Central Support

1) Cats or dogs?  Dogs

2) What's your favorite line from a movie?  That's a peach, hon-Caddyshack.

3) When I was 5, I was pretty sure I'd be a Professional Baseball player when I grew up.

ken.aspenson@forestcitychurch.com
Leonard Davis
Associate. Campus Pastor - Elgin
Elgin Campus Staff
Executive Team

1) Cats or dogs? We have a goldendoodle named Harley.

2) If I were a superhero, my superpower would be teleportation.

3) When I was 5, I was pretty sure I'd be a trashman when I grew up.

leonard.davis@forestcitychurch.com
Mark Mienert
Elder
Elders
Elders@forestcitychurch.com
Melissa Cunningham
Director of Communications
Central Support

1) If I weren't so good at my job, I'd probably be an event planner.  

2) Cats or dogs?-both...I really do love animals!

3) What's your favorite line from a movie? "You're killing me Smalls!" or anything from The Princess Bride

melissa.cunningham@forestcitychurch.com
Mike Orvis
Facilities Team Lead
Rockford Campus Staff

1) Cats or dogs? Dogs  

2) My favorite word in the English language is forgiveness.  

3) The best piece of advice I've ever been given is to be quick to listen and slow to speak!

mike.orvis@forestcitychurch.com
Nicole DeFalco
Elder Apprentice
Elders
Elders@forestcitychurch.com
Steve Carter
Lead Pastor
Executive Team

1) What's your favorite line from a movie? Anything from top gun.

2) If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd start a restaurant. And, you know, keep working here.  

3) If you were a pasta shape, what shape would you be and why?   Farfalle - I use to work at a restaurant called “pastabilities” where you chose the noodle and sauce creating endless pastabilities. The cheesiest name; but every night I worked I got a free meal and I always asked for bow ties but the cook each night would get so fired up and call it farfalle. Fond memories.

steve.carter@forestcitychurch.com
Steven Timlick
Director of Engagement
Elgin Campus Staff

1) My favorite word in the English language is discombobulated, but if "combobulated" ever becomes a word it would definitely be my favorite.

2) The most inspiring part of my job is when I see people exchange a pursuit of perfection for a posture of Christ.

3) If I were a superhero, my name would be Captain Climate and my superpower would be making winter in the midwest last only 3 months like it's supposed to.

steven.timlick@forestcitychurch.com
Sue Scott
Elder
Elders
Elders@forestcitychurch.com
Trevor McDonald
Campus Pastor - Rockford
Rockford Campus Staff
Executive Team

1) If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd start an Independent Book Store and Cafe. And, you know, keep working here.  

2) When I was 5, I was pretty sure I'd be in the NBA when I grew up.  

3) The best piece of advice I've ever been given is that “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” -Viktor Frankl

trevor.mcdonald@forestcitychurch.com