Our Staff

Kids’s Ministry Elementary Director

Hi! My name is Priscilla and I grew up in good old Quarryville! I have been connected to Encounter Church since I was a child. My family started attending regularly in 2005. I met my husband Brent Landis through our love for running on the Solanco High school Cross Country and Track team. After High school I attended Millersville University and received a teaching degree in Elementary Education. Brent and I married in 2010 and live on the family farm in Quarryville. We have four children Bailey, Emmitt, Witten and Summer. I love family nights at home and little trips away with them.

I love serving at Encounter Church! I have been serving in the Children’s Ministry at Encounter for over 10 years. I love helping to create a safe and fun family culture for the kids and families at Encounter Church. My heart is for the kids to grow in intimacy with Jesus and their identity in him.  

Kids’s Ministry Intermediate Director

Samantha Bires is a Co-Director of Children’s Ministry at Encounter Church! She met her husband, Keith, in college and they were married in 2014. Together, they have three wonderful children—Wesley, Annabelle, and Ruby. Alongside her part-time role in Kids’ Church, Samantha is a board-certified occupational therapist; serving families and children through school-based care.

She is deeply committed to walking alongside whole families to experience the goodness and transformation that only the Lord can provide. At home in Nottingham, Samantha loves building a nurturing foundation as a homesteader, homeschooler, and homemaker. Her heart’s desire is to encourage children to seek Jesus, glorify God, and grow deeper in their discipleship journey.

Youth Director

Tim Ornelas is our Youth Director, as of January 2024! He completed a YWAM Discipleship Training School in New Zealand in 2017, where he met his wonderful wife, Natalie. After staffing for a year at the same YWAM base, he began serving at Gateway House of Prayer in Ephrata, PA, where he eventually became the assistant director. Nat served with Tim at Gateway and both of them share a deep passion to see the next generation wholeheartedly embrace the way of Jesus. Tim enjoys poetry, cooking ethnic food, watching football, studying early church history, and sabbath days. He also loves spending as much time as possible with his wonderful baby boy, Rowan, who brightens every day with laughter and squeals.

Worship Director

Hello there, my name is Travis Mast. I am currently working as the Worship Director at Encounter Church. Besides being involved in worship, I am a proud husband to my beautiful wife Gianna, and a father to my three energetic children named Matthan, Sasha, and Wesley. When I’m not at church, you might find me installing gutters for my family business, Mast Seamless Gutter. I love to take long walks on the beach and enjoy getting caught in the rain, but enough about me. If you happen to stop by on a Sunday, feel free to talk to me. I’d love to get to know you!

Equipping Director

Derek Evans is the Director of Equipping at Encounter Church. He married his high school sweetheart Cait in 2009. They have two precious children; a daughter named Penelope, and a son named Elliott. Their family has been a part of the Encounter family since 2019. Derek was the Youth Group Director at their previous church, and graduated from the Global School of Supernatural Ministry in 2024. In addition to fulfilling this part-time role at Encounter, Derek also works full-time as a construction contractor. Derek came to know Jesus as his Savior at the age of 12. He was diagnosed with PTSD after witnessing a traumatic event in his twenties, but through a face-to-face encounter with the Lord in his early thirties, and with the support of the loving church family, he was completely healed of PTSD. He is passionate about seeing others healed and made whole in Christ, as well as encouraging and equipping others to walk in the fullness of the gifts God has instilled in them. Derek enjoys building forts and solving Boxcar Children mysteries with his kids, plus trout fishing and hunting white-tailed deer.

Office and Events Manager

Meet Kate, the Office and Events Manager at Encounter Church. She loves planning and coordinating Encounter Churches events, alongside other staff members and volunteers. She loves all things organization, and loves seeing the joy that people find in the events. As a certified Interior Designer, she has a passion to transform spaces into beautiful and functional environments, and enjoys working alongside the Design team at Encounter. Her love for design goes beyond the designs —and she often enjoys rolling up her sleeves to tackle remodeling projects herself. An old soul at heart, Kate loves crocheting, reading, painting, and solving puzzles.

Her heart for Encounter is to create safe spaces where everyone can experience the warmth of family and connect with God in transformative ways. 

Kate married her husband, Zach in July 2025. Together they enjoy remodeling their current home, all things outdoor, spending time with family, and co-leading the Encounter Young Adults group.

Office Assistant

My husband, Barry, and I grew up in the same church in Southern Lancaster County. We married in 1981 and now have five children and thirteen grandchildren. I am employed in a number of office positions in several local businesses. I enjoy gardening, a good book, and puzzles, but mostly enjoy time spent with my family.

Technology Director

John grew up working in his family’s concrete business, went to Penn State for structural engineering and now works as a software developer at a local civil engineering firm. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Joanne, and three kids, hiking, disc golfing and serving others.

Accounting

My name is Kelsea Neely, I am the Bookkeeper at Encounter Church. I am originally from the area but I now live in Halifax with my husband and two daughters.  I worked in Accounting for several years until my oldest daughter was born. I now stay home with my daughters and homeschool my oldest. In my free time I enjoy gardening, cooking, and spending time outdoors with my family.