MEET OUR AMAZING STAFF

JEFF ELLIS // SENIOR PASTOR

Pastor Jeff and his wife Denise arrived at WLCC in 1991,  when the church family met at the ‘Old White Building’ on North Shore Drive, a building with red shag carpet, and matching pews and hymnals.

Jeff’s motto has been, ‘the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing!’ And the main thing is to focus on Jesus Christ and the Cross and the empty tomb.  Let’s major on daily living out God’s Word, and seek to live our lives filled with the Holy Spirit every day.

Jeff enjoys reading and playing golf and hanging out with his family in his spare time. Jeff and Denise are blessed with 3 married adult children and 3 grandchildren.
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- Contact Pastor Jeff -

CHAD OVERBEEK // aDMINISTRATIVE PASTOR

A Michigan native and father of four, Chad and his family really enjoy the outdoors and the activities of the seasons. Chad left the commercial work place and started in full time ministry in 2016.

Known as the "Marshmallow Guy", Chad strives to keep an idea of flexibility blended with the structure and organization of the church. He sees the opportunity to serve the Lord in full time ministry both humbling and exciting.

​- Contact Pastor Chad -

andy stefanic // worship pastor

Born and raised in Michigan, Andy was brought up in church from a young age and is a Pastor's son. At the age of thirteen, he began playing music in worship services. Approximately five years later, he felt called to lead worship. In his early twenties he spent time writing and producing his own songs in a recording studio in Nashville TN. Andy formed a band and started leading worship at youth events, festivals and churches around Michigan and the mid-west. After ten years of traveling, he felt a strong desire to focus on family time together and their local church. Andy has been married to his wife Rachelle for sixteen years, have four children, and currently live in Ellsworth with their youngest son, Kyle. Andy is very passionate about seeing people connect with God through music and worship. He is excited to see what God has in store for Walloon Lake Community Church.

​- Contact Pastor Andy -

lynn groff // minister OF maintenance

Keeping order and cleanliness, and organizing and facilitating building usage, Lynn Groff has served since 1997. He and his wife, Lucy have two children. Lynn is thankful that WLCC is a welcoming, friendly church that teaches God's Word.

Jodee hissong // administrative assistant

JoDee Hissong is new to the WLCC staff, but not new to Walloon Lake Community Church as she has been attending for thirteen years. In addition to bookkeeping, scheduling, and a million other essentials, she keeps everything running smoothly - including the pastoral staff! She is married to Dave Hissong and has three growing boys.

- Contact the church office -

JASON RICHEY // EJCC CAMPUS PASTOR

Pastor Jason, his wife Kelly, and their two children joined the WLCC family in 2005. His past work experiences include everything from candy store stock boy to junkyard worker to Army paratrooper to inner-city school teacher. After graduating from Moody Bible Institute in Youth Ministry, he served as a Youth Pastor for more than 15 years, including six years at our Walloon Lake campus.

"I'm actually a bit jealous of missionaries, because my heart has always been about sharing Jesus with people who don't know Him yet. While that's still my passion, my time in youth ministry also developed a love for building, helping people through tough times, and training them for ministry. I also suspect that job made me just a little bit crazy." His family suspects "crazy" was a pre-existing condition....

Jason was surprised to see how God used all those past experiences to uniquely prepare him to go to East Jordan as the campus pastor at our new location in 2011. He's also very grateful that he's not alone. "Every week I become even more proud of the team God has assembled at East Jordan Community Church. From staff members who go above and beyond their duties, to volunteers who've joined us recently, God is doing things only He could do. And He's using His people to do it! Jason can't wait to see what God will do next!"

​- Contact Pastor Jason -

bob cook // shepherding PASTOR

Pastor Bob and his wife, Barb came to WLCC in 1978. In 2016  the Lord called him to become our Shepherding Pastor. Prior to this he was the Administrative Pastor from 1999 to summer of 2016. He has served in youth ministry, children’s ministry, adult teaching ministry and has served on the Church Board for twenty nine years. He was Board President for seventeen of those years. Before becoming Administrative Pastor his former career was held at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital as a registered Pharmacist and was the Pharmacy Manager. Bob and Barb have three children and six grandchildren.

When asked what desires he has for those attending WLCC he states, “To see God’s children grow into spiritual maturity. To help Christian’s grow up to feed themselves spiritually. To help Christian’s to mature and become productive disciples of Jesus Christ.”

​- Contact Pastor Bob -

BRANT COLE // YOUTH AND
YOUNG ADULTS PASTOR

Brant is loving life up here in Northern Michigan! Gifted in relational connections and transformational preaching, he considers it to be one of his highest privileges to do ministry with Millennials and Generation Z. To Brant, there is almost no greater calling than to join Jesus in building His church, both today and into tomorrow!

With an M.A. in Pastoral Studies and Congregational Leadership from Moody Theological Seminary and a B.A. in Pastoral Studies from Moody Bible Institute, Brant currently serve as our Youth and Young Adults Pastor (we know, it’s a mouthful…). He also speak each summer at Lake Ann Camp.

- Contact Pastor Brant -

JOSH MAYES // EJCC WORSHIP AND
YOUTH PASTOR

Josh and Kristy, his wife of 23 years, along with their two teenagers, live in Central Lake.  He grew up in a large family that was very involved with their local church in Lansing, MI.  Josh began serving the in music ministry in middle school and continues today, almost 25 years later.
 
Josh has been working with young adults and youth ministry for years and loves to teach people of God’s love. “I’ve been told over and over again that I’m a perfect fit for leading/teaching students because I’m just a ‘big kid’ myself.  I’ve also been reassured that wasn’t meant as an insult…”
 
Josh worked for the State of Michigan for almost 18 years, in management for 16 years, before following the Lord’s leading and taking on his current role leading the Worship Ministry and Youth Ministry at our East Jordan campus in 2017. “God is working here and I’m excited to be a witness to what He is doing in His church, here in East Jordan and Walloon: to see students grow a passion for Jesus and His ministry, to see people grow in relationship as believers, and to see God’s family of believers expanding!”

- Contact Pastor Josh -