Our Staff
Our pastor, Steve Allison, is originally from Rockford, Illinois. After living in Arizona and Colorado, he moved to Southern California in 1988. He graduated from Pacific Christian College in 1992. He married Karen in 1990 in Northern California near her hometown of Petaluma. Steve was the Associate Minister of Youth and Education at First Christian Church in Victorville, California for five years before moving to Earlham, Iowa in 1996. He served as head minister at Earlham Church of Christ for almost 24 years. He came to Countryside in March of 2020. They have three married children and one grandchild.
Laura Schmidt
Laura serves as Worship Leader and Church Secretary. She and her husband, Ryan have six children. She has taught music for fourteen years and led music in various churches for the past 25 years. She graduated from WGU with a Master’s Degree in Educational Studies in 2022. One of her greatest blessings was the opportunity to lead music and teach sewing in villages in Uganda in 2016. Her life verses are 2 Corinthians 3:17-18: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being TRANSFORMED into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
Donald Bird, Jr.
“Junior” serves as the Sound Technician at Countryside. He has many years of experience running sound at large events in the greater QC area.
Our Elders
Wayne Lotz
Wayne serves as an elder at CCC, as well as Sunday School teacher and head of the Missions Ministry. He and his wife Cathy have four married children and ten grandchildren. Wayne and Cathy are both retired teachers from the Geneseo school district (sixth and fourth grades, respectively) and enjoy yard work, camping, and travel in their leisure time. Wayne also tries to get in a little golf on a somewhat regular basis. He also enjoys solving crossword puzzles. His favorite scripture is, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Ryan Schmidt
Ryan Schmidt serves as an elder at CCC as well as head of Worship Ministry. He, and his wife Laura, have six children. He is currently working as an industrial mechanic at Arconic. His favorite things to do when he is not working is spending time with his family, fishing, traveling, or playing bass guitar with the CCC Worship team. His favorite Scripture that guides his life is Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Jim Kaecker
Jim serves as an elder at CCC. He and his wife, Dawn, have six children and twelve grandchildren. He is currently working as a Quality Manager in the Hides department at Tyson Fresh Meats. Jim also works as a Security Supervisor at the Vibrant Arena at the Mark and Augustana College. He enjoys traveling with family, watching grandkids’ sporting events, and cruising in his antique cars. His favorite Scripture is found in the book of John 8:31-32, “If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Our Deacons
