Mark Bebensee
I’m blessed to have a lifelong hobby – playing the organ and working with choirs – that provides a very nice complement to my “day job,” which is teaching Economics and serving as Associate Provost of Academic Affairs at The Citadel. My wonderful wife, Mary, is the nurse at Whitesides Elementary School. Our son, Alan, is a student at Midlands Tech, and our daughter, Lorraine, is a student at Winthrop University.
I’m grateful to be a part of a church family which strongly supports traditional church liturgy and music along with our contemporary worship.
Eric Dalibor
Cassie Dodds
I am a 40-something year old southern girl who thinks Friday nights on the back porch with family and friends is as good as it gets. I am married to my college sweetheart, Robert and we love being Mattie, Robbie and Benjamin’s parents. Just to keep it all crazy and chaotic, we have an old chocolate Lab and a co-dependent, yellow Lab. Our family loves Jesus, the Clemson Tigers, baseball and Edisto Beach, in that order. It has been a wonderful adventure being part of the St. Andrew’s family since childhood and a privilege to serve its women.
Philip Holladay
I was born in Florence, South Carolina, so I am a home grown boy. One of my interesting facts is that I am a twin. I have a twin sister along with two other sisters, which made growing up really hard.
I started my ministry career at St. John's Church in Florence and then went to Trinity Church in Pinopolis where I served for 6 years before coming to St. Andrew's.
I love Jesus, working with students, surfing, football, playing cards, and movies.
Dwight Huthwaite
I was born in a hospital that is actually on the border of two towns. Crazy.
My life is like that in many ways. For instance, when it comes to music, I love massive rock music that makes your chest wobble and your brain rattle. Some of the most meaningful worship music I know of is like that.
Yet much of the time, I listen to 17th century viol da gamba music, Romantic period piano music, solo cello, jazz, and ambient ‘new agey’ stuff of various kinds.
When it comes to art, worship, and skinning cats, there are no borders.
Andrew Jones
St.Andrew's ~ Goose Creek Worship Leader
AJones@WeAreStAndrews.com
843.284.4390
I was born in Charleston, went to The Citadel in Charleston, got married in Charleston. My son was born here and now I work for an educational software publisher here in Chucktown. I would say this place means a lot to me. And beyond all of that, I get to lead God’s people in worship on Sunday mornings at St. Andrew's in Goose Creek. I consider that such a privilege.
I am married to the ever-so-beautiful Hillary Jones and my son, Nathan was born December 2008. Life has been moving very fast, but I have found that the Lord has always been there … always. I think it a mistake to say, “The Lord never gives you more than you can handle.” Truth be known, I always have more than I can handle. But I am humbled to know that God’s power is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12.9).
I picked up the guitar for the first time as a freshman in high school. I thought it would be a great way to pick up girls. I like classic rock. I like rap. When the sun is out, I even like country music. I am basically open to any genre of music. All that to say that I really feel that God, with his crazy sense of humor, decided to turn my chick-picking-upping-guitar-playing into a service for His Kingdom. Leading worship is just that…service. It’s a scary thing to know that I have been entrusted to help lead His Church into His presence. Pray for me.
Worship is more than singing on Sunday, though. My goal is to make it everything. Everything we do should be an act of worship. If we are grateful for that which God has given us, humbled by His grace undeserved, and on fire to see those who are far from Him draw near, repent and believe the Gospel, then our lives become one big messy Worship-fest. Join the party!
I need your Spirit to help accomplish this, abundant grace and your strength in weakness, the steady hand of the Father holding me….You alone, deserve the highest praise, Jesus. (Gareth Robinson)
Hillary Jones
I was born in North Dakota, raised in Massachusetts and then moved to Batesburg-Leesville, SC, home of the Batesburg Poultry Festival….yeah, you heard me right. The youngest of 5, I have 3 sisters and a brother, all with families of their own. And now I have started mine! I am married to a wonderful man, Andrew Jones, who leads worship at St. Andrew’s, Goose Creek and I have a wonderful son, Nathan, who I get to stay home with!
Apart from my full-time mommy-ing, I also lead the Children’s Ministry at St. Andrew’s, Goose Creek. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Lord put me in this spot. In fact, he really has given me a heart for children. In the long run, we’re all adopted children, welcomed with open arms into His family. And that’s what I get to teach the little ones out at the Creek. It’s humbling and an honor to do His work and educate the future of our Church.
Katie Kenis
In the eighth grade, went to boarding school in Wisconsin on a scholarship I won from an essay contest sponsored by the Des Moines Register and Tribune. I started delivering newspapers in the fifth grade. I got up at 5:00 am and did my paper route before church every Sunday which meant I usually fell asleep during the service. That may be how I found myself involved in Children’s Ministry years later. I wanted to teach children about Jesus Christ in a way that was exciting and relevant (and would keep them awake). I started working with children’s ministry at a different church and jumped at the chance to work at St. Andrew’s Day School. As the Director of the Day School, I am blessed with the opportunity to work with an amazing team of teachers who are devoted to Christ and to the children of this community. Our school is blessed by the children and the families we serve.
I moved to Mt. Pleasant in 1998, and have also lived in California and Panama. I have to admit, of all of the places I’ve lived, the South is the hands-down winner. My family and I truly love this area and all it offers. Mt. Pleasant is a wonderful community. I am the mother of four great children.
Dave Libbon
I was born and raised in the great city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before venturing south! After graduating from Grove City College I spent five years working with teenagers in Conway, near Myrtle Beach SC. My wife Lisa and I were married in May of 05 and have been swept up in the adventure of marriage ever since! God has blessed both my wife and I with a love for families and their teenagers. We feel a real call to help them not only find faith in Christ but also develop a hunger and passion to have their faith played out in their lives. I believe the family is the primary place that God uses to pass on our faith and I am avid about empowering parents to do this during the middle school and high school years.
I enjoy coffee, reading, coffee, surfing, coffee, and have spent too much of my adult life playing video games! We are the proud parents of little Abbie. She is such a gift and treasure. Also we have two large active dogs which keep us on our toes. Please feel free to stop by the Underground sometime and say hello.
Charlene Morgan
- Grew up in West Virginia
- Married to Andy
- Has four children
- One beautiful granddaughter
- 3 dogs, 7 cats, 14 hamsters, 1 tarantula
René Palko
Texas native. University of Texas at Austin grad, Psychology. Texas Tech grad, Human Development and Family Studies, M.S. Lives in James Island (15 years now). Married 18 years, 2 children, ages 10 & 13. Loves St. Andrew's and working with families. Enjoys traveling with her children to see extended family and dining on Tex-Mex!
Todd Simonis
Born and raised in the state of Wisconsin, I am a diehard cheesehead. And yes, I do have one of those foam cheese wedges. To answer a few questions I am commonly asked, no, Wisconsin is not in Canada, and yes, we do actually drive our cars across lakes when they freeze. In my free time I love to golf or play tennis and I am a huge fan of the NFL…especially the Green Bay Packers. I love spending time with my wife, Elizabeth, and our two incredible kids, Annie and Luke. I consider it an incredible blessing that God has brought us here to St. Andrew’s.
Jessica Smith
Jessica grew up attending St. Andrew's with her family. In fact, she may have dropped her white patent leather shoe on your head from the church balcony when she was two. True story. She got older, taught high school Spanish, was the assistant Children's Ministry Leader at St. Andrew's ~ Mt. Pleasant. Then she went off to study at Fuller Seminary (we were sad). Then she came back (we were happy). Now she's the worship leader at St. Andrew's City Church.
Kurtz Smith
I was born and raised in the farm country of southeastern Pennsylvania where my dog and I spent countless hours exploring the trails and creeks around Birchrunville being led by a heart that loved adventure. Little did I know the Lord was already preparing me for my work in Men’s Ministry. I spent five summers lifeguarding on the beaches of Avalon, NJ, during college – Univ. of Delaware… Go Blue Hens! - lived on a Kibbutz in Israel and kayaked around the entire Sea of Galilee all before I met my wife of twenty nine years, Mary. We now have three grown children, Kris, Kelly and Meghan and a dog (always), Emma, and a cat, Murphy.
A job change gave us the opportunity to move to Charleston in 1987 which was exciting because I love to surf. Unfortunately I discovered that Charleston has very poor surf conditions. Oh well, can’t have everything. The surf or my salesmanship was good enough for me to open Charleston Watersport in 1998 selling surfboards, kayaks, etc. while at the same time the Lord really walked into my life and began training me for my work in Men’s Ministry. In January 2007 I signed away my store and stepped into full time ministry here at St. Andrews. It’s been quite a ride so far!
Daron Taylor
Daron has been serving in pastoral ministry for 19 years. He has served on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ as well as the pastoral staff of two different churches. He currently serves as the Director of Young Adult Ministries for the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina. Daron is married to Debbi and they love being the parents of Hudson and Elise.
Elizabeth Wheat
I grew up in Mount Pleasant and graduated from the College of Charleston. I am married to Chris Wheat, who also works at St. Andrew's. I love to travel, watch movies, and cook, which often becomes an interesting addition to my teachings for the youth.
My family started attending St. Andrew's when I was in the fifth grade, but it took a little time for me to start calling St. Andrew's home. I was new and felt uncomfortable. Eventually, I got plugged in to the youth ministry and began to think of St. Andrew's as my extended family because of the relationships I formed through this ministry. When it came time for me to graduate from high school, I felt the Lord calling me to stick with the youth ministry, but as a leader. I thought that was crazy, but as is always the case when the Lord calls, it was right. I have been so blessed to walk alongside the youth of this church. We have shared many adventures together and I look forward to many more in the future.