Our Team
Rev. Dr. Daniel Diss
Directing Pastor
Daniel Diss joined the Asbury team in Summer, 2025 as the Directing Pastor. He and his husband,
Andrew, along with their dog moved from Los Gatos (San Jose) California to serve here in Kankakee.
They are no strangers to Illinois. Dr. Diss grew-up in south central Illinois on a dairy farm outside
Taylorville, Illinois and has served congregations and ministries in Illinois for over 30 years prior to
accepting an appointment in California. Andrew grew-up in the Chicago suburbs where much of his
family still resides.
Pastor Daniel was educated at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, earned his Master of Divinity at Yale
University in New Haven, Connecticut, and his Doctor of Ministry from Seabury-Western Theological
Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. He has further training in clinical (hospital) ministry, crisis management,
and conflict management and resolution.
Pastor Daniel is a gifted teacher and preacher having spoken at both national and regional gatherings
within The United Methodist Church. He has served in regional leadership with the Order of St. Luke, an
ecumenical order of lay and clergy within The United Methodist Church devoted to prayer, scholarship,
and the promotion of our sacramental ministry. He served in various roles in the Northern Illinois
Conference of The United Methodist Church including leading the daily procedures of the annual
conference for many years; leading a review of our doctrine and governance concerning Holy
Communion at the start of the pandemic in 2020; and as chair the Conference Board of Pensions.
Helping to develop leaders for all levels of service in the church and the community is one of his greatest
joys.
Dr. Diss was deeply involved with the establishment of HIV/AIDS care in downstate Illinois. In the early
1990s, he was a Ryan White Case Manager/Patient Advocate at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.
During his time doing this work, his passion for advocating for the least among us grew deeply
particularly those with addiction illness, mental illness, and mental health concerns. His passion led to a
wider interest and passion for disability advocacy. He continues to advocate for ministries for, with, and
among persons will all types of disabilities.
Pastor Daniel is an avid photographer, dog dad, painter, writer, hiker, camper, and fisherman. He writes
the hashtag devotional #MorningsOnTheFrontPorch found on Facebook and Instagram. He is the author
of the on-going photo-essay, The Poverty Project, which can be found on his Flickr page as well as
Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.
Cherish Nelson
Director of Discipleship
Kavin Sampson
Director of music ministries
Anthony Grubb (Tony)
Outreach coordinator
Anthony Grubb serves as Asbury’s Outreach Coordinator, where he oversees the church’s social media presence, leads the media team, and guides community engagement efforts. His work includes organizing events, fostering meaningful connections, and ensuring that Asbury remains a welcoming presence in the wider community.
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Anthony has attended Asbury since 2019 and joined the staff in 2021. During that time, he played a key role in establishing the church’s media team, has volunteered with the youth ministry, and continues to support children’s ministry when needed. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Christian Studies at Olivet Nazarene University, is a certified Candidate for Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, and plans to begin seminary in the fall of 2026.
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With a heart for people, Anthony is passionate about meeting others in their struggles and using his own life experiences to encourage healing, hope, and transformation. His gifts of empathy and compassion fuel his vision to help change the world through Christ’s love.
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Outside of ministry, Anthony enjoys driving, writing, and playing video games. He is adopted, with four adopted siblings, and can often be found studying or spending time with friends.
Kavin Sampson serves as Asbury’s Music Director and Maintenance Supervisor. In his role, he directs the Chancel Choir, Asbury Ringers, Instruments of Praise, and the recorder ensemble, while also overseeing the church’s facilities, including plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and general maintenance. His leadership ensures that both the worship life and the physical space of Asbury flourish.
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Kavin is beginning his 21st year of service at Asbury UMC and brings with him a wealth of experience from over 50 years of involvement in music throughout the greater Kankakee community. His deep love of music is grounded in faith, echoing the words of Johann Sebastian Bach, who signed his compositions “soli deo gloria”—to God alone be the glory. He also embraces the truth of St. Augustine’s reflection that “those who sing, pray twice.”
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Beyond ministry, Kavin and his wife Karla make their home on the west side of Kankakee, where life is joyfully full with one cat and six dogs. His commitment to both music and service reflects his desire to glorify God through every aspect of life and ministry.
Cherish Nelson has served in various discipleship roles at Asbury since 2017 and stepped into the role of Director of Discipleship in 2025. In this position, she helps guide the many ways our church grows as disciples of Christ—through Bible studies, children and youth ministries, and service and volunteer opportunities. She also leads the praise band and supports Asbury’s outreach efforts by coordinating community events, managing live streams, and sharing our story through social media.
Cherish holds a bachelor’s degree from Olivet Nazarene University and a master’s degree in literary apologetics from Houston Christian University. She is especially passionate about exploring how art and literature reflect our longing for Jesus, as well as teaching on Christian history, world religions, and United Methodist traditions. Her hope is that all people would find a home in the Gospel and grow deeper in their walk with Christ.
Cherish and her husband, Ryan, have been married since 2012 and are blessed with one daughter, Arya, and a cat named Maggie. Outside of ministry, she enjoys writing with a local writer’s group and playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering.
Wendy Shelquist
Secretary
Wendy Shelquist serves as Asbury’s Church Secretary, where she plays a vital role in keeping the church’s ministries running smoothly. She is responsible for preparing and editing the weekly bulletin, maintaining the church calendar with its many activities and classes, and carrying out countless other behind-the-scenes duties that help support the life of the congregation.
Wendy has faithfully worked in the Asbury building for 32 years—spending more than 20 years in the child care center before transitioning to the church office, where she has now served for over 11 years. She holds a B.A. in Spanish with a minor in sociology, bringing both organizational skill and creativity to her work.
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For Wendy, Sundays are always a highlight. She comes to worship expectant of God’s presence and blessing, and she is never disappointed. Her joy for worship and her dedication to service reflect her love for the Asbury community.
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Outside of the office, Wendy makes her home in Bourbonnais. She enjoys writing and poetry, as well as expressing her creativity through acting and singing in choirs.
Kim Yohnka
Financial Director
Kim has served as Asbury’s Financial Director since 2016. She manages our church finances, and she offers support to our program staff by helping them manage their budgets. Kim is also an enthusiastic volunteer who feels called to serve others. She volunteers with 4-H, and she helps run the ACOM food pantry at Asbury every Saturday afternoon. When you visit Asbury, you’ll find Kim in the back of our main office imputing numbers and running reports. She would love to talk with you about how we serve our community!