Pastors Jen & Don are joined by Sergeant John, a law enforcement officer specializing in SWAT, negotiations, detective work, and more. The Pastors also discuss with John the way that Faith impacts a career in law enforcement, the mental & spiritual struggles of first responders, the way his officers can impact and serve the community, …
Category Archives: Faith at Work
Episode 12: Who Knew Plants Could Be So Fun? A Discussion with Marshall Dirks
Join Pastors Jen Kelly and the debuting Don Hay as they interview special guest Marshall Dirks! Marshall is the Vice President of Marketing with Proven Winners, managing their public relation efforts and e-commerce initiatives. The pastors discuss with Marshall the horticulture industry, the Lord’s guidance and our spiritual gifts allowing us to make personal progress, …
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Special Episode: Say Hello to Don Hay
Join Pastor Jen Kelly and, for one more time, Pastor Cory Shumate as Cory passes the torch of podcast co-host to Pastor Don Hay! The pastors discuss the spiritual processes involved with transitioning work roles as Don introduces himself and Cory discusses his upcoming journey!
Episode 11: Navigating Mental Health – A Conversation with Bobby Jackson
Join Pastors Jen Kelly and Cory Shumate as they interview a familiar name from Christ Community… Bobby Jackson! Bobby is a former Army combat medic, licensed counselor & therapist, Catalyst in One Collective of Elgin, and a former Youth Pastor here at Christ Community who is now an Elder & attendee with the Streamwood Campus! …
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Episode 10: Faith in the Broadcasting Booth – A Conversation with NFL Commentator James Brown
As we approach the Super Bowl, Pastors Jen Kelly & Cory “Hall of Fame” Shumate, alongside Pastor Larry Stratton, are joined by James Brown! Host of “The NFL Today” and “Inside the NFL,” JB’s a 3-time Emmy Award winning broadcaster, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, and has hosted the Super Bowl a record 10 times! …
Episode 9: Worship, Artistry & Creativity – A Conversation with Kevin & Crystal Beckford
Pastors Jen Kelly and Cory “Choir Lead” Shumate are joined by Crystal and Kevin Beckford. Outside of their day jobs, the Beckfords are both immensely talented musicians who have been musical ministry leaders for numerous churches and performed on stages for a few decades, including at Christ Community! The four of them also discuss worshiping …
Episode 8: When School is Your Job – A Conversation with Melanie Mejdrich and Grant Blahnik
Pastors Jen Kelly and Cory Shumate are joined by Melanie Mejdrich and Grant Blahnik; two current students! Student Ministries Pastor Josh Haight also joins the group to provide unique insight & statistics found with the students of today! The pastors and students discuss their 2023 resolutions, cheese(!!!), what the high school student experience is like …
Episode 7: Law, Order, and Faith from a Judge – An Interview with Bob Spence
Join Pastors Jen Kelly & Cory “Chief Judge” Shumate as they interview Judge Bob Spence. Bob served as a Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice in Chicago & Springfield. He was a Kane County Circuit Judge who was elected as Chief Judge by his fellow judges. Bob also serves on the board of Administer Justice, …
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Episode 6: Facing Death Every Day as a Coroner – An Interview with Steve Laker
Pastors Jen and Cory welcome Steve Laker, the Deputy Coroner for the Kane County Coroner’s Office. Hear how Steve’s faith helps him stay strong within an emotionally strenuous role of working with the deceased. Jen and Cory also discuss with Steve about how important empathy & compassion are within his field, how rewarding it is …
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Episode 5: How We Image A Working God – An Interview with Pastor Tom Nelson
Pastors and hosts Jen Kelly and Cory Shumate interview pastor Tom Nelson. Tom is the president of Made to Flourish, council member for The Gospel Coalition, and has served as the senior pastor at a non-affiliated (yet, wonderfully named) Christ Community Church located in Kansas City. Tom is the author of several books, including Work …
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Episode 4: Public, Private, or Homeschool? – An interview with Kate Hertz and Michelle Keenon
One of the three top vocations at Christ Community Church is in education. On this episode, Pastors Jen Kelly and Cory Shumate sit down with two of those teachers in the congregation, Kate Hertz and Michelle Keenon. They share their biggest challenges, least favorite school subjects, and what they themselves have learned from the trials …
Episode 3: Redefining Auto Service – An Interview with Kyle Martin
Christ Community Church Pastors Jen Kelly and Cory Shumate welcome local auto-service shop owner Kyle Martin. Kyle and his wife opened their auto repair business to combine a love of serving people and knowledge in automotive repairs to provide customers with an auto-repair option that is run with integrity and a high value on customers. …
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Episode 2: Emergency Room Faith – An Interview with Dr. Lina Abujamra
Christ Community Church Pastors Jen Kelly and Cory Shumate welcome guest Lina Abujamra, a pediatric ER doctor, now practicing telemedicine, and founder of Living With Power Ministries. Her vision is to bring hope to the world by connecting biblical answers to everyday life and equipping believers to live out their faith in today’s culture. A …
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Episode 1: Your Work Matters More Than You Think – An Interview with Dr. Mark Roberts
For the first conversation about the joys and tensions of faith in our everyday work, hosts Jen Kelly and Cory Shumate welcome guest Dr. Mark Roberts, author of eight books and dozens of articles. He is the principal writer of Life for Leaders, the De Pree Center’s daily digital devotion. Mark speaks frequently in churches, …