Our Staff


  • Rev. Daniel mcknight, lead PASTOR

    Pastor Dan McKnight arrived at Messiah right before Christmas 2023, convinced he “must have been on Santa's "Nice List" to get called to such a wonderful church!” Messiah is the fifth congregation Pastor Dan has served, after interning in Frankfurt, Germany, leading the youth ministry at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Lindenhurst, Illinois, and then planting and leading two churches, Lord of Life (ELCA) in the western Chicago suburbs, and Kaw Prairie Community Church (ELCA-PCUSA) in the Kansas-side suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri.  Pastor Dan is a casual on the outside, serious on the inside leader who’s thrilled to be part of such a faithful, family-focused, and community-serving church as Messiah—and eager to be part of discerning what God’s got planned for the next chapters of Messian's story. He hopes you’ll drop in for worship some Sunday and stick around long enough to introduce yourself.

     

    Pr. Dan and his wife Laura were in the same confirmation class at Epiphany Lutheran in Elmhurst, Illinois and started dating their junior year at York High School. They went to different colleges (Dan to Michigan State and Laura to Valparaiso) and got married while Dan was in seminary and Laura was in grad school at the University of Chicago. Laura currently works remotely as the Grants Manager at Donnelly College in Kansas City, KS, a Catholic college  rated the most ethnically and racially diverse college in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. Laura and Dan are the proud parents of two 20-something sons, Jeremy and Eli, and the humans of one very old-soul mutt named Tony.  Dan and Laura love to laugh, learn, travel, and read—though for Dan that means blogs and Bibles, and for Laura it’s whatever fiction book she’s got tucked in her purse. Dan's favorite food is sushi and/or French Toast, and his most beloved Jesus parable is the Prodigal Son.


    Email: pastor.dan@messiah-wauconda.org        

    Office Phone: 847-526-7161

  • LIsa kale, Office administrator

    Lisa started with Messiah Lutheran Church in the summer of 2022 and we can't imagine the office without her! She brings several years of office experience with her. When Lisa is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family and three dogs. During the warmer months she likes to be outside taking care of her lawn, gardening or enjoying her deck.


    Email: lisa.kale@messiah-wauconda.org

    Office Phone: 847-526-7161

  • Pam dadian, Music Director

    Pam Dadian is our passionate, talented, dedicated Music Director. Pam has served Messiah for over 40 years and continues to share her musical gifts with our community, Pam and her team of musicians provide the music for each of our worship services. Pam oversees our vocal choir, ensemble praise band SANS, and coordinates our strings ensemble and Gosbells handbell choir. 


    Email: pam.dadian@messiah-wauconda.org

  • Kyle Schumacher, Communications Director

    Kyle is the newest member of our pro-bono staff. After 33 years as a music teacher and school superintendent, he retired and found a new passion working with the  excellent team at Messiah. His skills are further developing the  member and guest experience at Messiah. He and his team are also updating and improving communication channels to better articulate the incredible work of the many Messiah ministries serving as Jesus' arms and legs on earth. Oh, and you often see him in the Welcome Center on Sunday mornings!


    Kyle and his wife, Kate (one of Messiah's Stephen Ministry Leaders) have recently returned to Messiah after time in other churches and work in Colorado.


    Email: kyle.schumacher@messiah-wauconda.org

  • Vicki Rohlwing, Interim Faith Development Director

    Vicki has been a member of Messiah for 42 years. Her main ministry for all these years has been Christian Education teaching, Bible School  and Sunday School Director. Her interest in Christian Education stems from a professional life of 25 years in education. She love working with children and was involved in Girl Scouting for more than 10 years and helping with her grandchildren for 15 years.


    She and her husband, John, have enjoyed traveling more in the last 10 years both in Europe and the United States. They enjoy golfing, hiking, and vacationing with family. After retiring, She has worked to support some of our benevolent groups with community meals and Good Samaritan.