OUR TEAM

Rick grew up in a small farming community near Bluffton, Indiana, and married his sweetheart, Deb, at the age of 19. Both have always shared a deep passion for the Lord and for sharing the Good News of Jesus with others. Over the years, Rick has worked in various fields, including dairy farming, construction, factory work, and managing a wholesale company specializing in heating and AC equipment. During this time, he also helped lead worship at their local church. At age 31, Rick left the wholesale industry to attend college full-time and helped plant a church in their community. Together, Rick and Deb have raised five children, with Deb staying active in ministry and homeschooling their kids.

In 2005, they felt the Lord’s call to move to Saint Cloud, Florida, to start The Connection Church. Rick now serves as the Lead Pastor of The Connection, while also serving as Global Collaboration Lead Coach for GACX, a global alliance for church multiplication. GACX is committed to establishing one church for every 1,000 people, which will require over five million new church plants worldwide.

Rick holds a B.S. in Pastoral Ministry, an M.A. in Ministerial Leadership, and a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies. He is the author of Lasting Leadership, a book designed to help young pastors and church planters balance personal life, family, and ministry leadership for long-term health and success.

Rick and Deb live in Saint Cloud, Florida, and love spending time with their church, community, children, and seven grandchildren.

Thomas was born in Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, and spent his early elementary years there before moving with his family to a small rural town outside of Nashville at the age of 8. He grew up in Tennessee and later moved to Knoxville in his early 20s for a job opportunity. Although he attended church during his younger years, Thomas didn’t come to truly know and follow Jesus until he was 25.

Thomas met his wife, Donna, in Knoxville, and they married in 2004. He built a career in the mobile home industry, starting in sales and progressing to management, banking, and eventually becoming a regional operations supervisor, overseeing seven states and thirty-eight dealerships. At age 31, Thomas left the mobile home industry to attend college full-time and serve as a youth pastor at a church in Kissimmee, Florida. Thomas and Donna have six children. Donna, a licensed cosmetologist, stays busy homeschooling their children and serving as a worship leader.

In 2008, the Lord led them to join the staff at The Connection Church with plans to plant a new congregation. However, in 2009, they felt called to remain at The Connection and continue serving its growing community. Today, Thomas serves as the Executive Pastor at The Connection Church and is also the Director of the Foundation Counseling Center, a ministry of the church.

Thomas holds a B.S. in Biblical Studies, an M.Div., and an M.A. in Counseling. He and Donna live in Saint Cloud, Florida, and love spending time with their children, their church family, and the community. Thomas enjoys reading, running, and spending time outdoors, exploring new adventures with his family. Together, Thomas and Donna are passionate about walking alongside people on their journey, helping them witness the glory of God through the hope and healing found in Jesus.

Kerry and his family hail from the lakes and cornfields of northern Indiana, where he attended school in Milford and Warsaw. His wife, Denise, grew up in nearby Nappanee, and they first met as children at the same church camp. Years later, while attending college and graduate school, they reconnected as summer camp support staff in 1980 and soon started dating. They married a year later and had their three children while living in Indiana, where Kerry served as Associate Pastor and then Senior Pastor at Jefferson Brethren Church in Goshen, while Denise worked as an elementary art teacher.

After 12 years of ministry, sensing a call to serve the Lord in a new way, Kerry and Denise moved to central Florida to participate in a church planting initiative supported by Brethren churches in Florida. While the original mission did not materialize, Kerry began working as a store and district manager for RadioShack Corp, and Denise continued educating their children at home. Their commitment to church planting remained strong, and they eventually connected with Pastor Rick Fiechter and his family. Together, they helped launch The Connection Church.

Kerry holds a B.A. and M.Div. from Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio. For the past 11 years, he has worked as a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Saint Cloud, all while serving as an Elder at The Connection Church.

Marty was born in 1969 just outside Cincinnati, Ohio, and eventually made his way to Florida. For the past 20 years, he has worked as a fisheries biologist on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, blending his career with his love for fishing. Marty also teaches high school biology, chemistry, and physics once a week for a local Christian educational cooperative. In addition to fishing, he and his son now train in martial arts, both having earned their black belts in Taekwondo.

Marty married his wife, Anna Marie, in 1995, and after she completed nursing school, they began their family. Their daughter, Abby, was born in 1999, and after some struggles with having a second child, they were blessed with their son, Jackson, in 2008. Abby is currently studying Musical Theatre at Liberty University, while Jackson is in 7th grade, “majoring in gaming.”

Though Marty grew up attending a Catholic church, he drifted away in his college years. However, God continued working in his life, and once he started his family, Marty returned to church. His wife introduced him to a Baptist church, and they found its approach to discipleship deeply impactful. Marty and Anna Marie were both rebaptized, recommitting their lives to Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and Abby was baptized there as well.

When the Connection Church was planted, the Mann family felt called to join. Marty has since led a Foundation Crew for many years, served as a volunteer youth pastor for middle and high school students, and currently serves as a deacon and the leader of the Young Adults Life Skills group. Recently, he also committed to serve on the church’s finance team.

Gabe was born on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. At the age of 5, his family relocated to Connecticut, eventually settling in Florida when he was 9. Gabe came to know Jesus in his early teenage years while attending a bilingual Pentecostal church with his family in Kissimmee, Florida. Over time, his relationship with our loving Savior deepened.

In 2013, Gabe met his high school sweetheart, Amanda, who would later become his wife. Amanda has attended the Connection Church since its beginning, and after seeking prayer and guidance, they both felt called to make it their home church.

Gabe is a Director at Chick-fil-A and is also pursuing a career in real estate investing. Amanda runs a wedding planning business and serves as the First Impressions Leader at the Connection Church.

Together, they enjoy traveling and spending quality time with their friends and family. They are passionate about building personal relationships, serving their local church and community, advocating for adoption, and diving deeper into the Word.

Deric VanBuskirk was born and raised in Bremerton, Washington, in a middle-class working family with two older brothers and a younger sister. Growing up in a local Lutheran church, the seeds of faith in Jesus Christ were planted in his heart early on.

After starting his first job in high school, Deric embarked on a 25-year career in the food and beverage industry. He later moved to Florida, where he advanced his culinary career, eventually becoming an executive chef at Walt Disney World Resort.

It was at the Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom where Deric met his wife, Kerri, and they married in 1999. Together, they have three children: Julia, a recent graduate of the University of Florida, Jordan, a recent high school graduate, and Jenna, currently in 8th grade.

Deric is now on staff at The Connection Church, manages real estate, and also drives a bus.

Jake spent most of his early childhood in Sparta, Illinois, before moving to Saint Cloud, Florida, at the age of 11 to live with his grandparents. They introduced him to church and encouraged him to join the youth group, where Jake came to know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

Jake holds a Bachelor’s degree in Network Communications Management and a Master’s in Instructional Design. He currently works as a Product Manager at Anthology, overseeing their flagship product, Blackboard.

Jake met his wife, Jearene, in high school youth group, and after years of friendship, they started dating in their early twenties. They are now the proud parents of twin boys, Eisa and Ezra, and share a deep passion for missions. Together, they have traveled to Brazil, Haiti, and Guatemala to spread the Gospel, assist with construction projects, and teach Vacation Bible School to local youth. They have also served in the Paramore area, working with the homeless and bussing in children from nearby neighborhoods to provide meals, share the love of Jesus, and build meaningful relationships.

In addition to his professional work, Jake assists The Connection Church with their website, mobile app, and overall technology needs. His expertise helps enhance the church’s outreach and engagement with the community, ensuring that their digital platforms effectively support their mission.

Cynthia serves as the Administrative Assistant and is actively involved in the youth group, always ready to lend a hand behind the scenes wherever she is needed. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, their four children, and two dogs. She has a passion for thrifting and loves cruising to the Caribbean and other tropical destinations.

Shelby was born in Austin, Texas, and grew up in the small town of Bastrop, where her parents made church a priority in her life. At the age of 12, she made a personal decision to follow Jesus.

Inspired by missionaries and their work overseas, Shelby was excited when God opened the door for her to intern with Impact Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa. During her time there, she served in impoverished communities, helped in local schools, and worked with Impact Baby Rescue, a ministry dedicated to saving the lives of infants. It was through Impact Africa that Shelby met her husband, Justin.

In 2014, Shelby and Justin were married and later welcomed their first daughter, Tessa. In late 2015, they returned to Johannesburg to work with Impact Africa full-time, where their second daughter, Emmie, was born.

Feeling called back to the United States, Justin and Shelby settled in Saint Cloud, Florida, where they now live with their three children: Tessa, Emmie, and Myles.

Shelby is passionate about discipleship and the body of Christ. She currently serves as the Director of Children’s Ministry and leads the Women’s Connect Bible study group.