ELDERS & DEACONS
Elders
Scott Honaker
Hamp Hall
Peter Holman
Danny Via
Deacons
Neal Donaldson
Eusebio Salazar
Jeff Sims
Craig Thornberry
Ruben Turcios
Brent Bowen
As a young adult Brent faced several trials which led him to doubt his purpose and drifting away from his faith. This time led him on a quest for truth and eventually discovering his real identity was in Christ. Brent recommitted his life to the Lord and became truly devoted to Jesus Christ as Lord of his life. This journey led him to Laurel Hill Baptist Church where he became actively involved in the Men’s Bible study, the Men’s discipleship team, and becoming a Deacon. Brent has a desire to share what the Lord has done in his life and the importance of prayer and reading and studying God’s word.
Craig grew up in Michigan. He gave his life to Christ in 1974 at the age of 13. He began dating Bonnie in high school. After graduation in 1978, Craig joined the U.S. Navy. Bonnie and Craig married in 1980. They have four children and 11 grandchildren. Craig retired from the U.S. Navy Reserves in 2004. Craig works for the Department of Defense at the Rivanna Station facility since arriving to Ruckersville in 2010.
Bonnie and Craig have attended Laurel Hill Baptist Church since 2010. Craig currently serves as a deacon. His focus includes the men’s ministry and praying for the church fellowship.
Jeff has lived in the Charlottesville area his entire life and came to know Our Lord Jesus as Savior at the age of thirteen in 1981. He, and his wife Kitty, have three grown sons who are now married and a daughter who is a rising junior at a local high school.
Jeff and Kitty have been members of LHBC since 2007, and in addition to serving as deacon, Jeff also serves as Sunday School superintendent, Sunday School teacher, and church moderator.
Jeff has been employed with Martin Horn, a local general contractor for the past thirty-five years, and works as a project manager.
Jeff and Kitty have been working as foster parents for twenty years, and in addition, Jeff enjoys traveling, history, fishing, and cheering on the Wahoos.
Pastor Danny grew up in Crozet, Virginia and attended Albemarle County schools. He gave his life to Christ at the age of twenty-three. He and his wife, Peggy, were married in 1979 and lived briefly in Charlottesville where Danny was employed by the University of Virginia. They eventually made their home and currently live in Orange County. They have a son, Tim; daughter-in-law, Kelley; and two precious granddaughters, Charlotte and Brooklyn. Danny retired in February of 2021 after a thirty-two-year career at the University.
Danny and Peggy have attended Laurel Hill Baptist Church since 2006. Danny currently serves as an Elder and oversees the Senior Ministry. His focus is to help senior adults find joy and purpose in serving God in this transitional time of their lives by holding onto the truth of God’s Word.
Danny enjoys family time especially spoiling his grandchildren, fellowship with other believers, walking and bike riding. He enjoys watching sporting events and is a UVA fan.
Born and raised in Lynchburg, VA, Peter moved to Charlottesville in 2002 to attend the University of Virginia. He currently resides in Albemarle County with his wife, Lindsey, and his twin son and daughter, Luke and Anna.
Peter’s desire is to be an effective servant of the Lord and help spread the joy of salvation that is available through Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.
As Peter grew in spiritual maturity, he felt a calling to be of further service to the Lord and in 2022 became an elder of Laurel Hill Baptist Church. He strongly believes that any ministry efforts of the church must be, first and foremost, firmly rooted and grounded in God’s Word, for it is Scripture that is divinely inspired (2 Timothy 3:16), active (Hebrews 4:12), and effective (Isaiah 55:11). One of Peter’s goals as an elder is to support Laurel Hill’s pastoral emphasis on Biblical expository preaching and teaching.
Hamp grew up in Pennsylvania, but his home is Virginia. His parents’ families have lived in the Charlottesville area for generations. After high school he enlisted in the Army serving a total of 13 years active and reserve. He attended Liberty University while working for the YWCA of Lynchburg. A new job opportunity with the YMCA moved him and his wife Kris, to Selma AL where he served as a program director, camp director and eventually the CEO. While in Alabama he completed his BS in Human Resource Management at Faulkner University Montgomery AL. Family duty moved him and his family back to Charlottesville in 2000. He worked for the American Red Cross for ten years before answering the call to full time ministry in 2011. He has served the body of Christ for many years as a musician, Sunday school teacher, deacon and most recently as an elder and worship leader at Laurel Hill.
His emphasis is to support the Sr. Pastor in all areas of service and oversee the workings and programs of the church. His focus is to help make sure that Laurel Hill’s resources are used effectively to make disciples for Christ and to help grow the local body at Laurel Hill.
He enjoys living in the country, working and playing outdoors, spending time with his family and sharing the gospel with others. He shares this ministry with his wife Kris who is a high school math, science and girl’s Bible teacher at United Christian Academy in Stanardsville VA. They have two daughters, Ariel and Shelby and a son Bennett.
Pastor Scott grew up in West Virginia but since graduating from Concord University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Education has made his home in Virginia. He began working as a teacher in the public school system in 2006 and continued in that capacity until 2023. In 2011, he answered the call of God to become the youth leader at Laurel Hill Baptist Church. Scott was ordained as an elder of the church in 2014, and over the next nine years served in the roles of youth pastor and pastor for the Spanish speaking congregation. In 2023, God called him to step away from his job in public education and become the lead pastor at Laurel Hill baptist church.
Scott has a passion for teaching God’s Word to children, teengagers, and adults, as evidenced in the active role he continues to take in a variety of ministries. He finds great joy in investing in the lives of the people God has called him to serve. His desire is to help them find their hope, purpose, peace, fulfillment, and joy in Jesus as they devote themselves to loving and worshiping their Savior!
He enjoys studying God’s Word, fly fishing near his home in Madison, rooting for the Chicago Cubs, and spending time with his family. He shares the ministry with his wife, Katie, and his two children, Hannah and Eli.