Meet Our Staff!
Johnny Friesner -
Lead Pastor
johnny@lancastervineyard.org
Johnny serves as the Lead Pastor here at the Vineyard and oversees teaching and preaching, discipleship, and leadership development. He is happily married to his wife Jess and has 3 kids (Levi, Jolene and Lily). He graduated from Ohio State in 2009 where he began doing ministry with international students, went on mission trips, and worked with teens with the organization YouthWorks. Following college, he completed a 5-month Discipleship Training School through YWAM (Youth With a Mission) in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Haiti. During his free time, Johnny enjoys being outside, working on a woodworking project or reading a good book.
Phil Herington -
Associate Pastor
phil@lancastervineyard.org
Phil serves as our Associate Pastor. As the Associate Pastor, Phil oversees Sunday morning services. Phil is married to Abby and they have two beautiful daughters, Molly and Nora. He graduated from University of Dayton in 2002 and immediately started on his M.Div. at Ashland Seminary, which he received in 2007. He has been an active leader at Lancaster Vineyard for over 11 years leading worship and small groups. He has been instrumental in VBS since the first one in 2014. Phil is passionate about discipleship and excited to be a part of bringing about eternal life-changing transformation for each kid who participates. When Phil is not at church, he loves reading and watching (not playing) sports and cheering on his favorite teams.
Christina Venrick -
Children’s Pastor
christina@lancastervineyard.org
Christina serves as the Children’s Pastor. She oversees kids (infant-grade 5) and volunteers on Sunday mornings as well as Kid’s Club (grades 1-5) on Wednesday nights. At Ohio University she received an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Development (infant-age 5) and a bachelor’s degree in Early Education (licensed K-3). At Rio Grande she received a Master of Educational Leadership (emphasis in Art Ed). She taught for 20 years in kindergarten and loved every bit of it until God called her into Children’s Ministry in 2022. She has been involved in helping and teaching the gospel to children from a young age. Christina has been a part of Lancaster Vineyard since 2004 and even helped start a church plant in Logan and volunteer in their Children’s Ministry until she returned to Lancaster with her husband Ed and their daughter Maizy. She loves spending time adventuring and traveling with her family and looks forward to the new adventures that lay ahead!
Sarah Bay -
Outreach Pastor
sarah@lancastervineyard.org - outreach@lancastervineyard.org
Sarah serves as the Outreach Pastor here at Lancaster Vineyard where she oversees our Food Pantry, outreach events and partnerships, Alpha ministry, and the prayer team. She was born and raised in Lancaster and from early on, God stirred in her a passion to live in and serve this community. This inspired Sarah to pursue a degree in Social Work and she graduated from Ohio University in 2014. She worked in the social work field for several years with Fairfield County Family, Adult and Children First Council, Child Protective Services, and Big Brothers Big Sisters, but she felt a strong calling to ministry. Sarah started a youth-based internship at Lancaster Vineyard in 2017 and she served in various roles in Youth ministry until 2022 when she became the Outreach Pastor. Sarah is enjoying the married life with her husband, Michael, and their wiener dog, Marley. They are BIG Marvel and Star Wars nerds. Sarah also enjoys reading, sunshine, and all things water- the beach, kayaking, boating etc.
Cassie Berry -
Director of Getting Ministry Done
cassie@lancastervineyard.org
Cassie serves as our Director of Getting Ministry Done, which includes assisting each of the Pastors and volunteer leaders. In this role, Cassie also helps oversee the execution of Sunday morning church services, the office volunteers, and coordinate all of the events that take place in the building. Cassie attended the Lancaster Vineyard as a youth in our early days at the YMCA and rejoined the family, fully involved, in 2018. She is married to Jack Berry and graduated in 2017 from Ohio University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Moderate to Intensive Educational Based Needs (Special Education). She has served in many volunteer positions within the church including Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry, Small Groups, and Cafe. When God revealed to her that teaching was not her calling, Cassie found a passion in assisting others in ministry, especially as it leads to the transformation of many lives towards Jesus. In her free time, she loves to go to amusement parks, attend various concerts and spend an evening in Downtown Lancaster with her friends.
Joel Seymour -
Founding Pastor
joel@lancastervineyard.org
Joel serves as the Founding Pastor of the Lancaster Vineyard. He’s in love with his wife Kristi and together they have three great kids: Jesse, Luke, and Emmie. Joel graduated from Kentucky Christian College in 1994 with a BA in Christian Ministries (preaching emphasis) and a BA in Biblical Studies. Upon graduating Joel and Kristi were a part of a church planting team in northwest Ohio. In 1998, after 4 years at the Oasis Church in northwest Ohio, they felt called to plant a Vineyard church in Lancaster. Joel pastored the Lancaster Vineyard for 23 years until transitioning to his new role on Vineyard USA's National Team. You can read more on that HERE. Joel dreams about growing old with his wife, raising his fun loving kids to be lifelong disciples, seeing a Vineyard in every county seat in SE Ohio, and watching the Reds go back to the World Series one day.
