Father Aaron Damiani

Rector (Lead Pastor)

Father Aaron is Immanuel Anglican’s Rector and author of the books The Good of Giving Up: Discovering the Freedom of Lent (2017) and Earth Filled with Heaven: Finding Life in Liturgy, Sacraments, and other Ancient Practices of the Church (2022). Originally from Ohio, Fr. Aaron moved to Chicago in 1997 and spent the following years living and working on the North Side of the city. Aaron holds a Bachelors degree in Pastoral Theology from Moody Bible Institute and a Masters in Biblical Exegesis from Wheaton College. After moving to Washington DC in 2008, Aaron discerned a call to ministry while researching public policy at the Potomac Institute. After his first ministry assignment on Capitol Hill, he and his wife Laura moved back to Chicago with a vision to raise up a vibrant Anglican church that would seek the good of the city. Fr. Aaron and his wife Laura were married in 2003 and live in the Irving Park neighborhood. They have four children, two in college and two still at home. Laura works in higher education and enjoys carpentry and home renovation projects. Fr. Aaron enjoys cycling, hiking and time with friends.

Father Mohsin Mahmood

Clergy in Residence

Father Mohsin is a Clergy in Residence at Immanuel, where he supports the sacramental life of the church through preaching, teaching, and celebrating the Eucharist. Originally from Pakistan, where he completed his Master of Divinity in 2017 and served as a priest in the Diocese of Faisalabad, Fr. Mohsin is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston. In his home country Fr. Mohsin serves as the chairman of Mission Enablers Pakistan, a missionary organization dedicated to outreach and sharing the Gospel. He is married with two children and enjoys traveling, nurturing relationships with congregants and building connections across backgrounds and cultures.  

Nichole Sangha

Executive Pastor

Nichole Sangha serves as the Executive Pastor to provide pastoral and organizational leadership for Immanuel’s staff and systems. Nichole originally hails from Memphis, Tennessee and has helped lead Immanuel since its founding. Though you can still catch that Tennessee twang, her heart has found its home in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood where she lives with her husband Aaron and their two lively daughters. Her passion is to see hearts, relationships, systems and neighborhoods transformed by the presence of the living Christ. She is delighted by anything that involves the outdoors, possibly having more picnics in a year than anyone else you know.

Alex Schwaninger

Pastor of Family Discipleship

Alex Schwaninger serves as Pastor of Family Discipleship, leading Immanuel’s ministry to families by supporting parents and overseeing Children’s Sunday School and Youth Group. His hope for Immanuel’s families is to see the next generation welcomed into relationship with Christ and his people, formed by Scripture, and sent wherever their walks with Christ take them next. After moving around the US as a ministry kid, Alex and his family have planted deep roots in their beloved zip code in Lincoln Park. Alex holds a master’s degree in relational psychology and built a career as a professional counselor focused on spiritual, relational and identity issues before tranisitioning to pastoral work at Immanuel. Alex and his wife Kelly’s three kids keep them on their toes with their unique personalities, and he enjoys meaningful conversation, good food, and can rarely resist a lake jump, even in Lake Michigan in January.

Esther Yun

Parish Administrator

Kelly Ross

Director of Communications  

Kelly works to cultivate community and connection among parishioners and newcomers in her work overseeing Immanuel’s communications, events and discipleship ministries. She grew up in Wheaton, IL and attended Wheaton College, where she was first captured by the rhythms and riches of the liturgy and church calendar in Anglican worship. Kelly brings a passion for spiritual formation in the way of Jesus as a path to flourishing in urban life. She is a birth doula and registered nurse and worked in community health in North Lawndale and Little Village prior to joining Immanuel’s staff. Chicago summer is Kelly’s favorite place to be, and she loves to cook, run, write, explore Chicago’s restaurant scene and dabble in creative arts. 

Drew Smith

Coordinator of Media Technology & Facilities

Drew coordinates production for Immanuel’s Sunday services and digital presence, working to grow and steward the use of technology in service of its vision to be a spiritual beacon church in Chicago. Originally from central Illinois, Drew has worked in live event production and consumer technology roles in churches and organizations in Chicago since 2012. He studied Communications and Media Theory at Moody Bible Institute and began attending Immanuel the day after graduation. Drew’s focus is communicating the rich orality of the Word of God to a mediated world. Drew lives in Horner Park with his wife Alli and can often be found consuming too much Sci-fi, making too much coffee, and outsourcing his meal plans to the incredible restaurants of Chicago.

Jon Lewis

Treasurer