About

Our Staff

Don Fitzkee, Co-Pastor
Don came to LCOB in December 2018 as an interim pastor—just until he decided what he wanted to do next. He still hasn’t decided and has been part of the pastoral staff since January 2020, with primary responsibilities in preaching and communication. He was previously employed for 17 years in fundraising and communication roles at COBYS Family Services. A graduate of Elizabethtown College and Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now Palmer), Don is an ordained minister who served 20 years as part of the non-salaried ministry team at the former Chiques Church of the Brethren, near Manheim. He is author of Moving Toward the Mainstream, a 20th century history of the churches of the Atlantic Northeast District (Good Books, 1995) and has written two other books and various articles for Messenger magazine and other Brethren publications. He has served the denomination as a member of Standing Committee, chair of the Church of the Brethren Mission & Ministry Board, and 2026 Annual Conference Moderator. He has visited more than 20 countries, beginning with a year of study abroad in Marburg, Germany. He enjoys playing disc golf, feeding his flock of bluebirds, regular walks, occasional bike rides, and gardening. Don and his wife, Carolyn, live near Manheim and are parents of Galen and Marianne.

Nancy (Heisey) Hess, Co-Pastor
Nancy began serving as an interim pastor on January 1, 2025, and was called as a permanent co-pastor a year later. Previously, she served on the pastoral staff at the Palmyra COB and once before at the Lancaster COB. She also served as a volunteer minister at the Mountville COB. Nancy holds a BA from Juniata College and an MDiv from Bethany Theological Seminary. She currently serves as a team leader for Welcome Corps refugee resettlement program, on the District Ministry Commission, the COB Ministers’ Association Planning Team, and on the Board of the Historic Ephrata Cloister. She is a volunteer at the Mennonite Life archives and with Power Packs. Nancy and husband, Steve, have two sons. She enjoys time spent with family, reading, travel, tennis, theater, and baking cookies.

Ron Bohannon, Interim Pastor
Ron Bohannon is serving as interim pastor while Don Fitzkee fulfills his duties as Annual Conference Moderator and enjoys a well earned sabbatical. Ron first came to LCOB in 2010 while serving outside the denomination and now returns—proving that sometimes retirement is more of a suggestion than a rule. Before his first retirement (yes, that’s a thing), Ron served as Senior Pastor of Willow Street United Church of Christ, Associate Pastor of Lampeter COB, and Pastor of the Trotwood (Ohio) COB. Since retiring, Ron and his wife, Robin, decided to trade a house with walls for one with wheels, embracing full time RV living and traveling through much of the country—successfully mastering both open roads and very small kitchen spaces. When he’s not preaching or navigating campground hookups, Ron enjoys SCUBA diving, reading, walking, playing cards, and spending time with family. Ron and Robin have four children and nine grandchildren, who help keep life lively and full. Ron brings with him a deep love for the church, a wealth of pastoral experience, and just enough wanderlust to keep things interesting.

Selma Gamboa, Pastor of Hispanic Ministries
Selma joined LCOB staff in November 2022 and cares for the Spanish-speaking members of our flock. She previously was active in the Alpha & Omega COB in Lancaster for 17 years, where she provided leadership in worship, music, evangelism, prayer & intercession, and pastoral care. She received ministerial training through the Brethren Academy’s Spanish language SeBAH program. Before coming to Lancaster, she served as a lay minister with Christ the King Church in the Bronx. In addition to her part-time pastoral responsibilities, Selma also works part-time as a Patient Care Technician at Lancaster General Hospital, where she provides translation and advocacy for Spanish-speaking patients. She considers this work a ministry, as well. Selma is married to Jaime and is mother to three grown children.

Selma Gamboa, Pastora de Ministerios Hispanos
Selma se unió al personal de LCOB en noviembre de 2022 y se preocupa por los miembros de habla hispana de nuestro rebaño. Anteriormente estuvo activa en Alpha & Omega COB en Lancaster durante 17 años, donde brindó liderazgo en adoración, música, evangelismo, oración e intercesión, y cuidado pastoral. Recibió capacitación ministerial a través del programa SeBAH en español de Brethren Academy. Antes de venir a Lancaster, sirvió como ministro laico en la iglesia Christ the King en el Bronx. Además de sus responsabilidades pastorales a tiempo parcial, Selma también trabaja a tiempo parcial como técnica de atención al paciente en el Hospital General de Lancaster, donde brinda servicios de traducción y defensa para pacientes de habla hispana. Ella también considera este trabajo como un ministerio. Selma está casada con Jaime y es madre de tres hijos adultos.

Dave Stauffer, Pastor of Visitation
Dave began serving as Pastor of Visitation on February 1, 2024. A retired pastor, Dave and his wife, Beth, live at Brethren Village. After graduation from Bethany Theological Seminary, he served as pastor in four Church of the Brethren congregations: Waka (Texas), Stover Memorial (Iowa), Green Tree (Oaks, PA), and Stevens Hill Community (Elizabethtown, PA). He also has experience as a chaplain in two retirement communities. Dave has served the wider church as District Board Chairperson, District Conference Moderator, a member of the denomination’s Mission & Ministry Board, and a member of the Annual Conference Standing Committee. He also served as Chair of the COBYS Family Services Board of Directors.

Matthew P. Fritz, Director of Music—Traditional
Matt administers the traditional music programs at Lancaster Church of the Brethren. He conducts the Chancel Choir and Carillon Bell Choir in traditional worship. In addition to his duties at LCOB, Matt is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown where he teaches a First Year Seminar, choral techniques, conducting, music technology, studio voice, Concert Choir, and the Elizabethtown College–Community Chorus. Choirs under his direction have performed throughout the United States, Canada, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Brazil and South Africa. While most of his professional work involves conducting, he enjoys performing both as a soloist and choir member. Dr. Fritz has taught music K-12 in New Jersey and Florida and is an active choral clinician and adjudicator. He holds degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Florida State University and Westminster Choir College. Dr. Fritz is past-president of the Pennsylvania American Choral Directors Association.

Tim Dunbar, Praise Leader—Contemporary
Tim joined our staff part-time in 2022, after volunteering for many years on our Praise Team. A multi-instrumentalist, Tim plays keyboard, drums, bass, and electric and acoustic guitar. He orchestrates, arranges, and records songs that are used in Morning Psalm, our contemporary service. Tim also manages the sound and lighting environment in the Worship & Event Center. In addition to his duties at LCOB, since September 1999 Tim has worked full-time as a systems network analyst for Steinman Communications. In his free time Tim enjoys raising his two children with his wife, Jessica, and riding his motorcycle.

Linda Byers, Director of Youth Ministry
As Director of Youth Ministry, Linda is excited to encouraging youth in Jr. and Sr. High School to grow and develop a closer relationship to God.

 Before returning to this ministry in June of 2018, Linda was called in 2015 to serve with Bahamas Methodist Habitat on the island of Eleuthera. There she worked to coordinate mission trips for youth, young adults and adults from across the United States. Linda was first called to work with the youth at the Lancaster CoB in 2011. Before working in vocational ministry Linda was self-employed as a coordinator of International Exchange Student, in addition to being a freelance artist and graphic designer. Linda’s first job after graduating from Kutztown University was as a Cartographer, where she was inspired to explore the world through maps.

Linda enjoys being creative in many ways. She is working on developing some mean harp (harmonica) skills in her spare time and never gets enough time in her kayak (H-20). Linda is a mom to Mason and has been married to her favorite husband David for 30 years (in 2019).