Meet the Team

Peter Kucher

Lead Pastor

Pastor Peter and his wife Alla were both born in Ukraine. They have been serving in ministry for over 25 years. God placed Chicagoland on Peter’s heart for ministry so he and his wife planted Christian Worship Center in April of 2005. His passion is to know Christ and make Him known to others. They have been married since 2005 and are blessed with two wonderful daughters. He is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys biking or going for a walk with his wife and two kids.

Michael Okleme​

Pastor - Discipleship

With several years of ministry experience in Ghana, Pastor Michael, and his wife Lydia bring a unique passion for the pursuit of God to our church. He loves to help people grow in their relationship with Christ and to become committed followers of His. They have been married since 2005 and are blessed with a son and a daughter. He enjoys having fun with family and friends and watching a good investigative documentary.

Franklin Ankomah

Pastor - Prayer & Prophetic Ministry

Pastor Franklin and his wife Francisca served in ministry for several years in Ghana. They are both passionate intercessors, and their life examples and testimonies prove absolute trust in God’s faithfulness. He loves to lead people into a growing relationship with the Lord, especially helping them build strong prayer lives and grow in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Franklin and Francisca have been married since 2005 and are blessed with a son and a daughter with whom he loves to bike, play soccer, and play other games in his free time.

Paul Kucher

Pastor - Missions

Pastor Paul and his wife Luda have been serving in ministry for a number of years. They are passionate about reaching the lost with the gospel of Jesus. Pastor Paul serves as our church’s mission pastor. He passionately leads missionary work from our church to various parts of the world, including Mexico, Cuba, and Ukraine. Pastor Paul and Luda have been married since 2000 and are blessed with two sons and two daughters. He enjoys fishing, beekeeping, and drinking good coffee.

Iliya and Inna Petrow

Pastors - Youth and Kids Ministry

Iliya and Inna head our youth and kids’ ministries. Iliya has been part of the CWC family since the very beginning. Inna moved to Chicago from Spokane, after which the two of them married and started serving together. They have been married since 2019 and are blessed with a daughter and a son. They enjoy traveling, gardening, and spending time with friends and family.

Joshua Nwonye

Music - Lead

Joshua leads the worship ministry at CWC and has been part of our church since his Sunday School days when he was 5 years old. He is passionate about creating an environment where people can experience the presence of God and be transformed by Him. Joshua’s heart’s desire is to see people grow in their faith and passion for the Lord. Outside of church, you might find Joshua going for a run or skating with his friends. He is also a big fan of Christian Rap.

Rita Wilmes

Office Assistant

Rita is the Office Assistant for CWC. Rita and her husband Steve and their family have lived in Downers Grove for over thirty years and joined the CWC family several years ago. They enjoy hiking, reading, cooking, and talking about food.   Rita assists the  Pastoral Team with all things administrative and strives to bring order to her work – believing that our ‘God is not a God of disorder but of peace.’

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