Our Family

District Emphasis

PLANTING NEW CHURCHES

A natural outgrowth of a vibrant and healthy church is to birth like-minded fellowships.

BUILDING ESTABLISHED CHURCHES

Spirit-empowered leaders and churches that are equipped and mobilized to transform churches.

DEVELOPING KINGDOM WORKERS

Knowing, cultivating, and using our skills and gifts in every context of life.

REACHING THE ENDS OF THE EARTH

We are committed to providing Gospel Access to the least reached peoples of the world.

Get to know your district team

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Committees

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District Staff

Bob Petty

District Superintendent

Bob has a tremendous sense of anticipation for the Midwest District as the churches and ministries together steward the heart of God for the 19 million men, women, and children in Illinois and Indiana. “I am convinced that God desires the Church to cooperate deeply with how He designed and purposed for her to be and do,” Bob emphasizes. “The Church does not exist for itself but rather for the lostness around it. I am giving my life and leadership to seeing every church in the district become healthy, having directional clarity and being equipped to press into its place, as well as into spaces beyond, with Gospel presence.”

Kurt Sovine

Associate Superintendent for Multiplication

Why you want to talk to him:

  • Church planting | Your heart is pulled toward starting a new work in a certain community.
  • Emerging leadership development | You recognize ministry leadership potential in someone.
  • Licensing, ordination-consecration | You (or someone you know) has a call to ministry, but needs some guidance in the next steps.

Marshall Mullinax

Associate Superintendent for Church Advance & Missions

Why you want to talk to him:

  • Church Advance | You know you’re ready to try something new in your church, but you’re not sure what to do.
  • Missions Mobilization | You have a call to missions or want to create meaningful and relevant engagement with missions in your church.
  • Organizational Leadership | Strategy and team development doesn’t sound all that exciting, but you know you need it.
  • Alliance Peacemaking | You need a Level 1 training or you would like some coaching in Biblical conflict resolution.
  • Leadership Development | You need a supportive coach to help your team decode the nuances of motivational values to function more effectively and in a healthy manner.

Mary K Petty

Director for Personal/Spiritual Development

Why you want to talk to her:

  • Assessments | You need an expert to help your team decode the nuances of their hard-wiring and motivational values to function more effectively and in a healthy manner.
  • Spiritual Disciplines | You want to pursue what it means to dwell in Him as He dwells in you, and experience the “deeper life” of knowing Him.
  • Retreat Ministry | You need a chance to unplug, have times of intimacy with the Lord, and the opportunity to connect with others as you spiritually companion together.
  • Prayer Ministry | You want clarified calling, inner healing, or deeper intimacy with Jesus and need someone to listen with you for His sweet words of life.

Scott Manke

Scott Manke

Director for City of Chicago Ministries

Why you want to talk to him:

  • Envision Chicago | You want to take a short-term mission trip domestically, or you want an experience for your church that inspires them to live on mission in their own community.
  • Alliance Chicago | You feel called to plant a church in the city of Chicago or you simply want to be involved in seeing the people of Chicago meet Jesus.

Charlie Woehr

Director para Iglesias Españolas

Why you want to talk to him:

Hoy es pastor de una congregación hispana en Chicago, y director de ministerios hispanos en el distrito Midwest de la ACyM. Con su esposa tienen un ministerio de consejería y charlas para parejas.

Babs Mullinax

Communications & Missions

Why you want to talk to her:

  • District Stories | You have a great story to share to the rest of the district family.
  • Candidate Development | You are called to missions and want to know what that could look like.
  • Alliance Missions | You are looking for ideas on how to better connect with our overseas workers safely and meaningfully.
  • Alliance Peacemaking | You need a Level 1 training or you would like some coaching in Biblical conflict resolution.

Kimberly Sovine

Administration & Guest Services

Why you want to talk to her:

  • Event Planning | You are coming to a district event and need to communicate about lodging arrangements and/or food.
  • D.S. Assistant | You need to book time with the district superintendent.

Amy Ellis

Multiplication Administrator

Why you want to talk to her:

  • Credentials | You need a guide through the pathways of accreditation or ordination-consecration.
  • Church Planting| You need an expert to keep track of the details and next steps for you.

Carol Kowalski

Office Manager

Why you want to talk to her:

  • Financial Administration | You need some guidance because preparing a budget or managing tax exempt statuses strikes fear in your soul.
  • Tax Preparation | You want to know what paperwork for your ministry you need to keep track of during the year to be ready for taxes.
  • General Support and Understanding | You would like someone to explain to your board what the DMB is and why it’s important to keep in your budget.

Missy Lidgard

Bookkeeping Assistant

Why you want to talk to her:

  • District HouseYou want to know if the District House is available for use.
  • Church Reporting | You know you need to fill out an annual report, but some how-to tips would be welcome.
  • Financial Reporting | You would love some additional explanation of your quarterly treasurer reports.
  • District Funds | You would like someone to explain to your treasurer how the DMB is different than the CM and the GCF (or you’re already wondering what all those letters even stand for).

Paul Davis

Director for Facility & Grounds

Why you want to talk to him:

  • Property Maintenance | You were visiting the district office and noticed something that should be fixed.
  • Ordinance Compliance | You are with the Town of Avon and need to contact somebody at The Alliance Midwest District.

District Committees

OFFICERS

Current Officers and Term Expiration


District Superintendent
Robert T. Petty December 2028

District Secretary
Rev. Charles Carter II December 2028

District Treasurer
David Ross (L) December 2028

DEXCOM

District Executive Committee

The District Executive Committee (DEXCOM) provides leadership to the district family.  It is a mix of credentialed official workers and lay members.

(Not pictured: Kim Shepson)

Robert Petty December 2028
Charles Carter II December 2028
David Ross (L) December 2028
Kim Shepson September 2028
Barbara Ihrke September 2028
Michael White (L) September 2028
Ken Cameron September 2028
Ben Karwoski September 2026
Leo Tian (L) September 2026
David Raynaud September 2026
Raquel Morales (L) September 2026

CREDENTIALING COMMITTEE

License, Ordination-Consecration

The Credentialing Committee (formerly LO&CC) serves the district in welcoming, vetting, and approving accredited workers ready to be placed in vocational ministry in the district. This team also leads workers through ordination-consecration pathways.

(Not pictured: Charlie Woehr)

Ted Harris September 2026
Lance Stiver September 2026
Kevin Thompson September 2026
Charlie Woehr September 2026
Ron Walker September 2026
Scott Manke September 2026
Dan Caturan September 2026
Levi Quir September 2026
Nathan Lenstra September 2026

Facts about our district from your annual reports

Baptisms

Confessions of faith

Languages represented

Attendees

Latest news

Call.

How do we recognize someone with a call to ministry and what should we do with them?

Migrant Ministry in our District

An update from Family Empower director, Scott Manke: Tengo hambre, ¿puedo comer algo? Tengo frío por la noche ¿Tienes mantas? Mi bebé necesita pañales, ¿tienes alguno? ¿Tienes ropa y zapatos? ¿Tienes trabajo para mí? This is what I hear every day as we continue to serve new arrivals in Chicago. I am hungry, can I […]

Bloomingdale Alliance Church Celebrated 45 Years of Ministry

Bloomingdale Alliance Church Celebrates 45 Years in Ministry

Alliance Bible Church Celebrates 40 Years and is Renamed

Building on a foundation of 40 years, the Alliance church in Bartlett, IL gets a new name!

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Part of the Central Region

We are part of the Central Region of The Alliance where 80 million individuals of the United States need greater access to the gospel. The 80PlusMillion movement is a gathering of believers, churches, and districts in the Christian and Missionary Alliance who are passionate about sharing Christ and creating disciples.

Part of The Alliance

The U.S. Alliance is part of a Christ-centered global movement. Our Acts 1:8 family—inspired by Jesus’ love and empowered by His Spirit—is passionate to bring the good news about Him to our neighborhoods and world.

Our Alliance family celebrates Jesus—the image of the invisible God, the Lord of all Creation!

“For in Christ, all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.” Colossians 2:9-10

Our heartbeat is to know Jesus as our Savior, Healer, Sanctifier, and Coming King. Because of who He is and what He’s done, we are compelled to “go!” Humbled by the open invitation He extends to us—what we call the Great Commission—we join Him in His work to restore and reconcile lost and broken people to Himself.

Read our statement of faith for more on what we believe.

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I feel called to ministry.

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