Charlie Pierce
Charlie loves Jesus and has a heart for people. He is passionate about helping others discover their God-given spiritual gifts and connecting them to their true purpose in Christ. Charlie oversees operations at the Minooka Campus including Human Resources, Finances, Security, and is the community pastor at the Shorewood Campus. Charlie was born and raised in Central Florida and attended Drew Park Baptist Temple. Later in his teens he accepted Christ as his Lord & Savior. He is a military veteran of the U.S. Air Force, studied Business Administration at Bellevue College, and has held various senior level positions in logistics for 30+ years in corporate America before being called into ministry. Charlie and his wife, Bev, live in Joliet with their puppy Gracie. They have 3 daughters, a son-in-law, and 2 granddaughters.
Allison Appel
Allison’s passion for ministry started as child when her parents set a strong example of helping others and using spiritual gifts to bless others at church. She has a passion for using her gifts on stage to inspire others to experience the power of the Holy Spirit through music. Allison oversees the worship ministry at the Shorewood Location. Allison was born in Naperville, and raised in Oswego, IL. She attended Community Christian Church, where she and her family attended multiple locations and helped launch their Montgomery location. After high school she attended Lincoln Christian University where she graduated with a Bachelors in Intercultural Studies and a Masters in the Art of Preaching. While attending university she interned her final year with a missionary family in Nottingham, UK. Allison worked at Starbucks for 11 years where she held multiple positions including manager of the Starbucks in Lockport, IL, before stepping away to start a family. Allison and her husband, Klint, live in Shorewood with their 2 sons.
McKenzie Pilch
McKenzie leads Kid Village for infants – grade 5 at the Shorewood Campus. After serving in Kid Village throughout her time in high school and college, she began to develop a deep-rooted joy for teaching children about God’s love. McKenzie is passionate about coming alongside parents to help raise tiny disciples of Jesus at The Village. Her goal is to create a safe, welcoming environment where children can learn who Jesus is, how much He loves us, and what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus. McKenzie was born and raised in Morris, Illinois. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. In 2018, McKenzie began attending The Village with her family, and has served in Kid Village ever since.