Meet Our Staff
Drew Ryall / Lead Pastor
Drew has been on staff at NLF since 2010 and is our main teaching pastor. His
passions are teaching (fittingly) and discipleship of the church family. He loves seeing
others discover their gifts and how the holy spirit will lead them to use it for His kingdom.
He has the ability to be vulnerable when teaching but also in conversations with those
who call NLF home.
Drew and his wife Molly have three children. They spend a lot of
their time trying to keep up with them and (when they can find one) love a slow
Saturday morning. For the past many years, Drew has coached a variety of sports
within our local school system. Drew enjoys playing a round of golf with friends, Notre
Dame football, Wordle and road trips with the family.
Russ Hunsberger / Senior Associate Pastor
Russ joined the NLF Staff in 2014. As a pastor, Russ uses his spiritual
gifts by helping lead Sunday morning services and thrives in relational
ministry, whether it be men’s prayer breakfast, one on one
conversations, or challenging others in their walk with Jesus, being
spiritually curious all the while. He longs to see the Body of Christ living
out the “one-anothers” found in scripture. Russ is quick witted but has
a heart full of compassion for people.
Russ and his wife Becky love exploring the national parks, spending
time with family and discovering the latest board or card game to share
with family or friends. Both of their hearts beat for healthy marriages
and families thriving on their journey with Jesus.
Neil Miller / Director of Operations
As the Director of Operations at New Life Fellowship, Neil oversees the “day
to day” operations which includes office functions, administration, human
resources, and the business affairs of NLF. He has a heart to help do what is needed
to further Christ’s kingdom and would prefer his title be changed (at times)
to “Helper.” He believes strongly in the team approach to ministry and has a
desire to see all who call NLF home find and utilize their spiritual gifts for
God’s kingdom.
Neil and his wife Jasmin have called NLF home for over twenty years, and
have four sons, a daughter-in-law, and a grandson. While Neil’s background
is in accounting/finance/management, he will quickly tell you while he is
getting work done, he loves to take time for those meaningful conversations
along the way. When not at NLF, Neil enjoys traveling with Jasmin, being
outdoors, playing board games, meeting others for conversation, and baking
an occasional pie or two.
Kerin Miller / PreTeen Connect Director
Kerin’s desire is for kids and people of all ages to feel connected, loved and
heard. She has a heart for serving and desires to see pre-teens bridge the
gaps between church and community. Her hope is that the kids she works
with will see the difference that they can make in their community, school and
at home.
Kerin has the gift of discernment and has a sharp eye for details, helping the
staff in a variety of ways in planning and organizing. Kerin loves spending
time with her daughter, family, and friends. Vacationing to sunny warm places
rank pretty high on her list of favorite things to do, and watch out for her
sneaky sense of humor!
Emily Esh / Worship Director
Emily has been a part of the NLF staff since May of 2024. Emily grew up in Elkhart, and recently graduated from Bethel University with a degree in Worship Arts. She has been leading worship since she was in 7th grade in her youth group. She is passionate about seeing people encounter the Lord in times of worship and prayer. She aims to lead a worship culture that loves the Lord well, and authentically worships Him.
Emily recently married Adrian in December, 2023. They both love coffee, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. Adrian and Emily were both mentored by pastors at Nappanee Missionary Church, and through that, they have developed a passion for discipling the next generation as they were discipled.
Missy Eichelberger / Preschool Director
Missy has been a part of the preschool ministry since its inception in 2009. She enjoys
teaching the children, showing Jesus’s love to them, and watching them light up when
they understand what is being taught! It’s also rewarding for her to hear the children
share what they’ve learned about God and Jesus. Missy has a heart for children and
the outreach the preschool provides.
Missy and her husband Dave have attended NLF since 2008. They have two grown
sons and a daughter-in-law, as well as three grandchildren, two of whom have attended
Little Sprouts. When she’s not teaching, Missy enjoys being a mawmaw (grandma),
reading, spending time with family, gardening and walking with the two family dogs.
Molly Ryall / Office Administrator & Preschool Teacher
While Molly thrives in the planning and details, she will tell you it’s all about
kids and adults feeling welcome, loved and accepted by truly encountering
God. Some of her favorite times in preschool are when the kids recite from
memory the Bible verses they’ve learned in class, and she gets excited during
devotion time when they ask questions about God. In the office, she enjoys
the staff relationships and being a “behind the scenes” helper for the ministry
of the church!
Molly has a quick wit and a huge heart for people of all ages, especially those
who feel alone. She and her husband, Pastor Drew are high school
sweethearts and have three children. When she isn’t at one of her kids’ many
activities, she’s probably watching sports (ND football is a family favorite) or
planning their next travel adventure or home project.
Barry Wiard / Facility Maintenance Coordinator
As New Life’s Facilities Manager, Barry directs all things
related to taking care of the physical property of NLF,
including maintenance, fix-it jobs and everything in
between. Barry is meticulous in details and always wants
things done in a way that would please the Lord and
stewards NLF’s resources well.
Barry and his wife Julie have attended New Life for over 5 years and have
two married children, four grandchildren, and two dogs. When not at New
Life, Barry enjoys traveling with Julie (favorite trips have been to England,
Israel, Hawaii, and Alaska), and fishing of all types, but especially from his
kayak and musky fishing in Canada. Barry is also known for his “pun”ishing
sense of humor….be sure to ask him to share a few of his favorites!