Rev. Dr. Connie Cissna

Rev. Dr. Connie (Dennis) Cissna passed away on August 4, 2024. She was born on July 12, 1950, in Taylorville, Illinois, to Martin Carroll Dennis and Ada Belle (Ditterline) Dennis of Macon County, Illinois. 

She was a lifelong learner. A 1969 graduate of Mt. Zion High School, Connie went on to earn her bachelors degree from Gulf Coast Bible College in Houston, TX (now Mid-America Christian University). She later obtained a Master’s Degree from Sangamon State University and a Doctorate in Ministry from Trinity College of the Bible. 

Preceding her in death were her parents and sister, Sharon Ann (Dennis) Whitten. She is survived by siblings Mike Dennis, Stephen Dennis, Sandra Dennis, Robin Dennis, and her two daughters Dr. Kerri Cissna and Ada Cissna Pollock, and her beloved grandson, Devin Pollock. 

Connie devoted her life to serving Christ and His Church, holding numerous leadership roles throughout her career. She was a Lay Minister at the US Army Chapel in Darmstadt, Germany; Chairman of the State Board of Education for the Church of God in Illinois; Associate Pastor at Southmore Church of God in Pasadena, TX; Campus Pastor at Mid-America Christian University; Founder of Kingdom Builders Church Growth Ministries; President of the Network for Active Engagement of the Church of God; Co-pastor at Peoples Church of God in Decatur, Illinois; Pastor of the United Methodist Church in Horse Cave, Kentucky; and Pastor of Owens Chapel United Methodist Church in Springfield, Tennessee. Additionally, she served as a full-time professor of Church Growth at Mid-America Christian University, and an adjunct faculty at Anderson University. 

A dedicated evangelist and coach for new and struggling congregations, Dr. Cissna authored several manuals on Church Growth and developed long-term church growth plans for multiple states. Her special legacy includes the countless individuals she mentored into ministry, ensuring her impact will resonate for generations to come. 

Connie's unwavering joy in sharing the message of Jesus and her selfless generosity touched the lives of everyone she met. Her kindness, hearty laugh, and childlike spirit will be fondly remembered by all who knew her.

A Celebration of Life for Connie will be held at Life Builders Church of God in Decatur, Illinois, on October 12, 2024, at 1:00 PM. Connie will be laid to rest at Macon County Memorial Park in Harristown, Illinois, alongside her mother and sister.

Please visit Connie's online guestbook at www.sykesfuneralhome.com and share a memory with the family.