Meet Our Staff

Pastor Craig Baldacci is the son of an Italian-American Berwyn policeman. He played football in high school and college, and became a follower of Jesus Christ in his late teenage years. He has served Long Grove Church in various capacities since 1976, from janitor to Youth Director to Associate Pastor to Senior Pastor. He is married to Marsha and has two daughters, Andrea and Carolyn. He received his Masters of Divinity from Garrett Evangelical Theology Seminary and his Doctor of Ministry from Trinity Seminary in Deerfield. Craig has served as Senior Pastor since 1988.

Sandy McManaway joined our staff as Church Administrator in 2006, and is now working as our Ministry Operations Director.   Sandy has served our church family since 1998 in many volunteer positions and most recently ended her two-years of service as our Council President. In a professional capacity, she has been the Owner/Chef of Daily Bread Personal Chef Services since 2002. Prior to opening her own company, she was employed for 25 years with Acco Brands, where she held a number of positions including the position of Vice President, National Accounts. Personally, Sandy has been married to Woody McManaway since 1987, has one stepson, Brian, and loves to read, garden, cook and scuba dive. She thanks God for the tremendous work He has done in her life over the last 20 years and is looking forward to the future He is laying before her.

Director of Worship Lyudmila Lakisova, immigrated to the United States from Minsk, Belarussia in 1995 with her young daughter, Sasha. She graduated from the Special School of Music for Gifted Children, (Belarussian State Conservatory of Music), receiving her Bachelor's Degree in 1988. She earned her Masters Degree in Piano Performance, Pedagogy and Chamber Music in 1993, followed by her Doctorate in Piano Accompaniment in 1995. She has played for the Belarussian State Philharmonic and performed with the State Symphony. Since immigrating to the U.S., Lyudmila has become well known in Chicago music circles.

Sue Adams, our Wedding and Baptism Coordinator,  has been a member of Long Grove Community Church since 1994, when she and her family moved here.  In 1998, Sue began working as assistant secretary and a year and a half later became the Wedding and Baptism Coordinator. Sue was an original member of the Honey Bears.  Sue and her husband, Butch, were married in 1976 and have two children, Samantha and Haley. Her hobbies are gardening and spending time with her dogs. Sue says that this church has inspired her to know that God is with you in everything you do. (Gen. 21:22) She feels very blessed.

Mindi Morris is our Director of Children’s Ministry.  She has been on staff, serving our children and families since November 2006.  Mindi graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 1999 with a B.A. in Christian Education and previously served at another Chicago area church as the Children and Middle School Ministries Director.  Mindi is married to Brant and they recently welcomed their first baby, Reagan Claire. She is blessed to know God is using her to have an eternal impact on young lives and in the lives of our church families.  Mindi enjoys being outdoors, spending time with her family and of course, shopping. 

Cheryl Moss has been serving the Lord as our Office Manager since January, 2008.  She has been a member of the church since December 2003.  She has held several volunteer positions throughout the church, most recently in the church nursery.  Cheryl has been married to Jim since 2005 and has a lovely daughter, Emily.  Cheryl has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Rockford College.  She was Vice President of Marketing at Citigroup, and a senior manager and project lead at Sears Holdings.  Cheryl most enjoys time with her family, and thanks God for the awesome joy and responsibility He has given her.  Working at the church is an indescribable experience where the depth and breadth of knowledge and learning have no limits.

Tracy Lawless joined our staff as Financial Manager in 2008.  Tracy has been a part of our church family since 2002.  She has a Bechelors degree from the University of WI-Madison in Accounting, and is a CPA.  She has worked for Arthur Young as an Auditor, and then with CUNA Mutual Insurance Group as an Accounting Project Supervisor.  She spent many years at home raising her three children with her husband Brian.  Since joining LGCC she has volunteered in many areas including small group leader, interim Children's Director.  God has blessed Tracy with a passion for curling as well as a love for reading, beading, and knitting. 

Sandy Merwin has been joyfully serving the Lord as our Secretary/Receptionist since August, 2001.  She was working at Long Grove Church prior to then, starting one day a week as the assistant to the Financial Manager. Sandy has been married to Jeff since 1980 and they have three children. She is a PK (Pastor's Kid).  Sandy feels truly blessed to be part of the Long Grove Church family.

Pamela Menas has been the soloist at Long Grove Church since 1991.  During and prior to that time, she has had a successful career as an opera singer in both Europe and the U.S. She has been heard regularly as a soloist in opera houses in France, Switzerland, San Diego, San Francisco, Memphis, New York, Boston and Chicago. Pamela started her career as a member of the prestigious Lyric Opera Center for American Artists, the resident training company of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She studied at Indiana University School of Music and received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from North Park University. In order to be close to family and friends, the Lord has lead Pamela to follow another career path. She graduated summa cum laude as a Doctor of Pharmacy. Dr. Menas is working on her residency at  North Chicago VA Medical Center, and Oncology at Kellogg Cancer Center, Evanston Hospital.  Pamela and her husband, Lee Mann, are long-time residents of Long Grove.