Our Staff Team
Andy Eiss – Lead Pastor
Born and raised in Connecticut, Andy has called Fellowship Church home from its very first Sunday — experiencing it as a child, a teenager, a young adult, a parent, and now a grandfather. He's not just a pastor of the church, he's a product of it. It's also where his own family began. Andy met his wife, Laura, at Fellowship, and they were married here. Together they have four adult children and a granddaughter.
Andy has served at Fellowship for over 37 years, nearly 20 of them as Lead Pastor. His leadership has been characterized by a steady faithfulness that is deeply rooted in Christ. He now serves as Co-Pastor along with Ryan Keating, walking alongside the church through a season of transition as he looks forward to retirement in August 2026.
Andy holds a Master of Divinity from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Ryan Keating – Lead Pastor
Ryan and his family returned to the US in 2025 after 25 years of cross-cultural ministry in Brazil, Turkey, and North Cyprus. He has directed ministry training programs in all of those countries and launched other programs throughout Central Asia, equipping local believers for ministry in the nations. He has pastored in English and Turkish-speaking congregations for 30 years.
Throughout his ministry career Ryan has started a number of coffee shops and coffee roasting businesses and has consulted for years to help others start similar projects. He is also a trained sommelier.
Ryan is an author and poet with poems and articles in publications around the world. His most recent book of poetry, A Dance is Medias Res, is a book of theological and philosophical poems. And he is a contributor to the recent Oxford Handbook of Omnipresence.
Ryan and his wife Vanessa live in Portland, CT. They have four children, three in college and one in high school.
Ryan has a BA in Biblical Studies from Biola University and an MAR in Missions and World Christianity from Yale Divinity School. He is now pursuing a PhD in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Cambridge.
Lara SantaMaria - Executive Director of Ministry Services
Lara has served on staff at Fellowship Church for more than 17 years.
After working in operations within the computer industry, Lara joined the staff of Fellowship Christian School, where she first served as Preschool Director before moving into the roles of Principal and Middle School teacher.
Today, Lara serves as the Executive Director of Ministry Services at Fellowship Church. She works closely with the women’s ministry, Mastering Motherhood, and children’s ministries, while also overseeing ministry scheduling, church financials, event planning, and many of the organizational systems that help Fellowship thrive.
Lara and her husband, Dan, live in Deep River and are enjoying this new season of life as empty nesters after raising their two sons.
She holds a BA in Elementary Education from University of Massachusetts and an MA in Educational Leadership from Central Connecticut State University.
Rich Pancoast – Connections Pastor
Rich has attended Fellowship Church for more than 25 years and has been on staff since 2014.
He is a lifelong Middletown resident with deep roots in the community. He managed fitness clubs for 20 before coming on staff at Fellowship.
As Connections Pastor, Rich helps people take next steps in their faith journey. He coordinates several of our ministry teams as well as our vibrant small group ministry. He also provides pastoral care for the congregation. He and his wife Victoria have two adult children, Bennett and Sadie.
Rich earned his Associates Degree in Advanced Biblical Studies from Liberty University in 2013 and was licensed as a pastor at Fellowship Church in 2016.
Mary Madonna – Children’s Minister
Mary oversees the planning, curriculum, and volunteers for our children’s ministry, which is designed for kids aged three years to fifth grade.
In addition to Sundays and special events throughout the year, she is also committed to equipping parents to disciple their children and create a lasting partnership between the church and the home.
She also volunteers with our youth group, Living Proof. A former New Yorker, Mary currently resides in Killingworth with her two teen boys and elementary aged daughter.
Mary brings a passion for spiritual formation and justice issues to the life of the community at Fellowship Church. She is a graduate of the School of Formation at New Life Fellowship under the leadership of Rich Villodas.
Ross Verhault – Student Pastor
Ross Verhault has served as Student Pastor since 2017 and is deeply invested in the discipleship of middle and high school students, helping them grow in their relationship with Jesus. He is passionate about teaching God’s Word in ways that are clear, practical, and engaging for the next generation.
Alongside his student ministry role, Ross also contributes to Fellowship’scommunications and creative efforts including video, graphics, social media, and website content, helping support how the church connects with its community.
Ross and his wife, Isabelle, are raising three children, Eliana, Adalynn, and Josiah. He values the perspective that comes from being in the early years of family life as both a husband and father as he serves the church.
Ross earned a BA in Biblical Studies from Boston Baptist College.