Leadership: Deacons
John Meskis
Email: John@mdchurch.us
History: John married his wife Leah in 2005 and currently have two children: Rachel and Sarah.
Favorites: Gospel Music, Running, and playing the guitar for his daughters.
Todd Paben
Email: Todd@mdchurch.us
Family: I am currently engaged to Amanda Geels and will be married as of August 4, 2012!
Personal History: I was born and raised in New Lenox, Illinois where I still take residence today. For 18 years of my life, I went to Catholic Church with my family, every Sunday. I would get the “Sunday Best” and just do church.
My junior year of highschool, I started dating to a girl that was in the Peace Community Church youth group (Ground Zero). It was during this dating experience that I was brought to the sex series that Paul Vroom was giving. It was at the youth group message that the Spirit tugged on my heart a little harder to surrender my life to Jesus Christ because of His work on the cross. From there I quickly got into Bible Studies and even started leading my own. I quickly grew a love for more knowledge and understanding of this “Christian Life”.
This experience then lead me to Trinity Christian College, where I spent 2 years as a Biology Major, hating it. I just barely got by in my classes and hating showing up to my classes. I would rather have been in classes with my roommate where he was learning about John Calvin, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and Church History. I had a desire to think through the sanctification process and figure our what life with God was like.
It was through this education process, and becoming more and more involved with Missio Dei Church, that I eventually switched my major to Theology and for the first time in my life I had made the Dean’s list, twice! Understanding more and more about God helped me in my relationship with God, but also helped me better serve the congregation as a member of the Road Crew and Worship Team.
Favorites: Being around my wife Amanda, reading any sort of theological book, serving, playing my acoustic guitar, helping out on Dave Schissler’s Farm (Wood Fence Farm); Making food, enjoying a good beer or whisky, and Coffee, Coffee, Coffee!
Emily Schissler
Email: Emily@mdchurch.us
History: I grew up in a Christian home, attending a Lutheran Church in Tinley Park. God laid a great foundation in my life as I was surrounded by people that loved and cared for me. From a very young age, I knew I wanted to teach. Some of my best childhood memories are playing school and starting a summer book club at my house. I was a camp counselor in Iowa for three summers where God began to chip away at what I thought it meant to be a Christian.
I went to college first in Iowa at Wartburg College and then went to Lindenwood Universiy in St. Charles, Missouri. I met my husband Dave when I was 19 and was married when I was 20. Dave is my balance, my best friend, and has taught me to be who God created me to be, regardless of what others think. After school Dave and I moved to Asheville, North Carolina where I got my first teaching job and enjoyed (almost) every moment! We decided to move home where I taught in Plainfield both third and fifth grade before getting a job as a teacher in New Lenox.
I am currently a Principal in New Lenox and consider it a huge blessing to be able to work with students and the teachers that care for them. We have an amazing little boy, Logan who was born in 2009 and a little girl Isobel who was born in 2011. I love being a Mom!
I do not have a one-time moment where God smacked me over the head, I have several moments where God has chipped away who I thought I needed to be in order to create who he needs me to be.. I’m learning to rely on Him for my strength and love others because of the love he has for me. As it says in James 1:2, “To count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
Favorites: Spending time with Dave, Logan, and Isobel, relaxing with friends, the spa and a glass of white wine, good chocolate, snow skiing, hanging out with my family at the cottage in Michigan, playing with kids, and of course being at Missio Dei Church with my church family.