Rev. Dr. Dale Welden, Senior Pastor, was born in Frankfurt, Germany when his father was stationed there in the military. Most of his growing up took place in St. Louis, Missouri, which is where he met his wife Connie in the high school youth group of their church (This is also where he first met our Executive Pastor, Ralph Kelley, when he served as Ralph's Youth Director). Dale graduated from Missouri Baptist College with a BA in Bible/Behavioral Science and then from Covenant Theological Seminary in 1980 with a Masters of Divinity (MDiv). In 2001, he received his doctorate (DMin) from Covenant as well. After seminary, Dale was ordained in 1980 and served in Pittsburgh for three years as an Assistant Pastor. Following that he has served as the Senior Pastor of two churches, the last one for nearly eighteen years in Atlanta. Dale and Connie also serve as a Pastoral Associate couple for Mission to the World where they are responsible for being the pastor to our missionaries/church planters in England. They travel there once each year to minister to them personally. Dale has also traveled to India, Pakistan, Hungary, Chile, Mexico, Ukraine, and Haiti preaching and teaching. Dale and Connie were married in 1976. Connie has spent her time raising their children and ministering alongside Dale, especially in hospitality. She also worked for many years as a part-time dental hygienist. They have four children: Nathan and his wife Amelia, who have one daughter, Anya; Rachel, who is married to Seth; Benjamin, a college student in Atlanta; and Abby, who is a student at Dutch Fork High School.

Rev. Ralph Kelley, Executive Pastor, grew up in a covenant home in the St. Louis, Missouri area. From his earliest memory he knew he was a sinner in the need of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Both his parents  modeled the Christian faith for him as he was growing up. His dad served as PCA Ruling Elder for 25 years until God called him home to glory a few years ago.  Ralph graduated from Covenant College in 1989 with a business degree. He met his wife, Wendy, there and they married soon after graduation. Ralph and Wendy have two sons: Scott and Jonathan. Both boys have made professions of the Christian faith. After working several years in different businesses, Ralph started attending seminary part-time at Reformed Theological Seminary in Atlanta in 1999, graduating in 2004, and being ordained in the North Georgia Presbytery in 2005. Prior to coming to SAPC, Ralph served as the Director of Church Relations for Great Commission Publications, the publishing arm of the Presbyterian Church in America. Providentially, Ralph and Dale first met when Pastor Welden was a youth worker and Ralph was a member of his junior high youth group in St. Louis, Missouri in the late 70’s. Ralph’s role at St. Andrews as Executive Pastor is in the area of Administration, as well as pastoral duties such as Outreach and Assimilation.

Rev. Paul Poynor, Minister of Pastoral Care, was born and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee.  He trusted Christ as a child in a Christian family.  Paul yielded his life goals to what Jesus Christ demanded when he attended Ben Lippen School then in Asheville, NC.  The goal of missionary preparation guided Paul through Vanderbilt University engineering school and three years of seminary at Columbia International University.  After graduation, Paul joined the China Inland Mission (today OMF International) and served as a missionary in Laos 1967 – 1971.  Paul and Alice met and were married in Southeast Asia.  Paul continued seminary training at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS., and in May 1974,  he was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America.  Focused on world missions, Paul worked on the staff of Mission to the World, and then, with their three sons, the Poynors accepted a call from a church in Indonesia 1976-1980.  Paul has since served churches in Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina.  Paul came to St Andrews Presbyterian Church in July of 2006 and serves as an assistant minister of Pastoral Care.

Marc Rattray, Director of Worship and Arts, was touched by God’s grace and became His child when he was 13, although he remembers always being interested in the things of God. He has both a Bachelor and Master of Music in Church Music/Voice and post graduate studies in Voice Performance. As a singer, Marc continues to perform with professional musical organizations throughout South Carolina. However, his greatest vocational love is planning and executing weekly worship services for the church family as well as special creative programs throughout the year. The goal of the Worship & Arts Ministry is to enable and equip God’s people to worship Him through music and the arts with joy and excellence thereby providing a clear witness to the watching world of the Christian’s ‘new song.’ God brought Marc to SAPC in March of 2003. Born and raised in Vero Beach, FL, South Carolina has been his home for over 20 years. Marc is married to Sharon, SAPC's Organist. Marc brings to SAPC a passion to encourage God’s people to offer up worship that is Spirit-filled and thoughtful. When there are periods of “time off,” he loves spending time with Sharon and his two sons, Truman and Matthew, as well as hiking, camping, and cooking.

Wendy Kelley, Director of Women's and Children's Ministries, is the wife of Executive Pastor Ralph Kelley and the mother of two teenage sons, Scott and Jonathan. She grew up in the upstate of SC in a wonderful Christian home and she is thrilled to once again be living near her parents who now live in Blythewood. Wendy earned a BA in elementary education from Covenant College. She has taught in the classroom and she spent eight years home schooling her sons. Prior to moving back to SC, Wendy was very active in her church in Georgia serving in a variety of roles in the women’s and children’s ministry. She also worked as a curriculum consultant for Great Commission Publications. She has a deep appreciation for sound doctrine and biblical discipleship and is thrilled to serve in a church where the Session and pastors are committed to those issues. It is her desire and joy to come alongside the women and children of SAPC encouraging and equipping them to know the Word of God and to love and serve God faithfully.

Matthew Rings, Director of Youth Ministries, has personally known and loved the Lord Jesus Christ since 1989, and this love spills over to all our SAPC youth. Matthew “walks the walk and talks the talk” with the youth, desiring for them to know and love Jesus, stand tall for Him in their generation, and pass on to others the truths contained within the gospel. In 2003 God brought Matthew from Tampa, FL, along with his wife Tammy and their two daughters, Kaleigh and Mary Ashleigh. When Matthew is not spending time with SAPC youth, he loves just “hanging out” with his girls.

Kelli Clifton
Assistant Director of Children's Ministry

Sarah Eremic
Assistant Director of Women's Ministry

Liz Gibbons
Girls' Ministry Coordinator

Amy Reynolds
Director of Children's Music

  
Tina Bridgewater
Communications Coordinator

Allison Hilbish
Pianist
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Mary Dale Morgan
Ministry Support Coordinator

Sharon Rattray
Organist

Cindy Rife
Financial Administrator

  
Jomona Williamson
Worship and Arts Administrator