Our Pastor and Staff

Christ Community Church pastors and staff

	Our Pastor came to us from Indianapolis, IN. The circumstances surrounding his becoming our Pastor seemed like a miracle to us. He and his wife, Anna, have two children: Joy and her husband Drew Bradley live near Indianapolis, Indiana and are the parents of 2 children, Ethan and Ashton; and Ben and his wife Betsy also live in Indianapolis. Pastor Mark has been in church ministry for over 30 years. You will find him to be sincere and approachable. One of Mark's signature qualities is the genuine care he gives the individual people of this church. Almost daily he makes personal, face-to-face, contact with various members and attendees. On Sundays, Pastor Mark makes even the most difficult of subjects "user-friendly". His knack is personalizing the Gospel for our application.
Pastor Mark James Senior Pastor		Email:	mark@aplacetobelong.com

Meet Daryl Reimer. Daryl and his wife Ruth, a Polk County Schools Administrator, felt God telling them to come to Winter Haven in 2001. The Reimer family relocated back to Polk County to be near Ruth’s parents (her Dad is a retired minister). Daryl is an ordained minister, who attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, obtaining a Master of Arts in Religious Education. He has served in Youth Ministry for 5 years, Family Life Ministry for 2 years, and Christian School Administration for 10 years. Daryl has also worked 14 years in Parks & Recreation administration, having developed and staged programs for children in Fort Worth, Texas; Macon, Georgia; and Haines City, Florida. Daryl has a deep love for children and a compassion for those that are seen as the ‘underdog’. He is equally comfortable organizing large numbers of paid staff or recruiting diverse volunteers. Daryl also loves to plan and organize, while making people skills a top priority with everyone he encounters.
Email: daryl@aplacetobelong.com			Daryl Reimer Administrative Pastor

	Pastor Tim Storms comes to Christ Community with over 36 years experience as a Pastor, having served churches in Florida, Oklahoma, Indiana and Illinois. A 1973 graduate of Ozark Christian College with a Bachelor of Theology degree, Tim has also taken graduate work at Bethel College. Teaching people about Jesus and helping them through the difficult times of life have been Tim’s passion. Tim and Becky, his wife of 38 years, have 3 children: Brent, Managing Director of Orchard Group—a church planting organization in New York; Andrew, a Life Groups Pastor in southern California; and Lindsay, a loving mother of three children and a member of Christ Community. Becky loves music, teaching and decorating houses. Tim and Becky love spending time with their 8 grandchildren and exploring God’s beautiful world.
Pastor Tim Storms Assistant Pastor		Email:	tim@aplacetobelong.com

Allen Hicks comes to us all the way from…Lakeland! Originally from Alabama, Allen came to Florida to attend Southeastern University, where he met Bonnie, his wife of 20 years. Allen initially felt God’s call as a teenager, and that call was reinforced later in life prompting him to leave his job as a sales manager in the automotive industry to follow God’s will. A 10 year Air Force veteran, Allen has ministered to teens in Kansas, Alabama, and Lakeland. Allen and Bonnie have 3 children: Bailey, Charley and Ryley.
Email: allen@aplacetobelong.com			Allen Hicks Youth & Young Adult Pastor

	Sarah Sheppard came to us from Lynchburg Virginia where she received her Bachelors in Worship & Music Ministry at Liberty University. Her husband D.J. has been her biggest supporter and was willing to move anywhere for her dream. Sarah’s passion in life is to use music and various creative arts to usher God’s people into His mighty presence. Sarah felt God’s calling on her life for full time music ministry her first year in college. She has volunteered for the past ten years in music ministry and traveled all over the world using music to help further the kingdom of God. Having a zest for life, friends, family, and the outdoors is what makes Sarah the energetic and bubbly person she is today.
Sarah Sheppard Worship and Creative Arts Director		Email:	sarah@aplacetobelong.com

From Pennsylvania and a graduate of Houghton College with a degree in religion and a minor in family studies, Jessica Schell has a passion for ministry—especially children's ministry. She says kids are amazing and she loves working with them—not only to teach them but to learn from them as well. Jessica felt called into ministry at 15 years old when she went on a mission trip to Africa. She brings experience in various areas of children's ministry. She especially enjoys seeing children come to know Jesus and his love for them. Jessica has a heart for God and feels the support of her family and friends who have spurred her on to follow her dreams and passion.
Email: jessica@aplacetobelong.com			Jessica Schell Children's Pastor

	Wendy Thornton joined our staff with boldness and enthusiasm in February of 2007. She encourages a well organized office and brings smiles of laughter to those around her. She graduated from Florida Southern College with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources. Wendy’s dedication for faith and family is encouraged by her supportive husband, Russell. They have two wonderful children, son Gavin and daughter Charity, who join them every other weekend.
Wendy Thornton Administrative Assistant		Email:	wendy@aplacetobelong.com