Potter's House staff embraces future

The leadership team of The Potter's House is looking forward to the future. Many of the staff members are new this year, but director of discipleship Rob Weatherholtz has been involved with the organization since 2005, and in 2013, founder Lloyd Hoover asked Weatherholtz to join the organization's board.

"It was an undertaking to bring this to fruition," said Weatherholtz of the growth of the organization, which now includes the Still Waters Recovery Center and The Potter's House of Ruth. "Now that we are there, I believe we have started something that will impact people long after I am gone."

New leadership at The Potter's House this year includes Robert Schoonover, executive director; Jeannette Scott, director of the House of Ruth; Janelle Horst, assistant director at the House of Ruth; and Steve Steel, director of students for The Potter's House men's ministry.

Until a year ago, Schoonover was running a successful business, but he was looking for something more. "It wasn't fulfilling," noted Schoonover, who sold the business and saw God begin to open doors at the ministry where he had been volunteering since 2005. "My heart was always for people in addiction and coming out of prison," recalled Schoonover. "I learned what Potter's House did, and I had a lot of respect for it." After mentoring students, teaching classes, and helping students obtain jobs, Schoonover was ready to do more. He was approached by Hoover about the director's position and began a lengthy interview process, which culminated in his being offered the job in early July.

Schoonover said his credentials include his heart for the Lord and an aptitude for running a business. "For such a time as this, here I am," he stated, adding, "I look forward to facilitating a structure that will perpetuate this in the future and set us up for success and sustain the ministry as a whole and expand it." Schoonover pointed out that The Potter's House focuses on producing a quality, mature individual. "I think the mechanisms that get us there are the faith-based approach, the power of God, and the healing that focuses on the trauma and the real issues beneath the addiction," he said.

Scott comes to The Potter's House with a strong background in nonprofit work, including ministry at places such as Water Street Mission. She has experience in executive leadership and business, and she recently served on staff at Lighthouse Assembly of God in New Holland. "God was leading me to move to something full time," recalled Scott. "I had been praying for a long time, 'Lord, how do you want to use the things you have developed in me?'" At the beginning of July, she heard about the opening at The House of Ruth and decided to apply. "This ministry is hard work, but it's so rewarding," said Scott. "There is such good fruit in transformed lives." The House of Ruth opened about four years ago, and Scott looks forward to seeing growth in the program. "I feel honored and blessed to be a part of this," she said. "I believe God wants to do something special here (by) changing women's lives."

Horst became the part-time assistant director at The House of Ruth in early July after she and her family spent many years as missionaries to children in Honduras in association with Eastern Mennonite Missions. "We walked alongside a lot of young adults who came out of abuse," recalled Horst, who is in her final year of a training program called STEP. Because Horst was only willing to work part-time, she did not think the position with The House of Ruth would be right for her, but she put the decision in God's hands. "I trust the Spirit of God within me, and I know He's leading me," said Horst, who mentors several women outside her job. "I love walking with people," said Horst. "God has equipped me to pastor people, walk with them, and shepherd them."

Steel first became involved with The Potter's House program in late 2021. Afterward, he worked for a local manufacturer, while studying to reach educational goals, which included earning his recovery specialist and criminal justice certifications from the state. He then went to work full time for a Lancaster County rehabilitation organization while also working as a part- time house manager for The Potter's House. In October of 2023, he was offered a position assisting the director of the men's program at The Potter's House. In July, he became director of students. Steel holds a bachelor's degree in biblical studies from Lancaster Bible College, and he plans to start seminary in the spring of 2025. "I love serving God, and I love ministry," said Steel. "However God sees fit to use me, I am willing."

Weatherholtz once owned a roofing business, but for several years now, he has been involved in The Potter's House, where he was instrumental in building the Still Waters Recovery Center; acted as on-site spiritual parent, along with his wife; and served as assistant program director until 2021, when he became director of discipleship. "It's not about the titles; it's about the passion," shared Weatherholtz, the author of "A Raptured Heart" and "The Believer's Warfare." "I want to see people set free by knowing Jesus Christ," he added. Weatherholtz recently received his associate addictions counselor certification. He serves as a pastor at Breakout Ministries and as a volunteer chaplain at Lancaster County Prison. Weatherholtz is excited to see that "trauma-healing ministry has been incorporated into the DNA of the ministry." "I realized we were putting a bandage on something that needed spiritual surgery," he said. "If you don't cultivate the mind and the heart of the individual by getting all the rocks and weeds out, it's not going to bear good fruit."

The Potter's House has locations in Leola and New Holland.

More information about the organization may be found at http://www.thepottershouselancaster.com.