Church Staff

               Chris and his wife, Kathy

Originally from upstate New York, Chris graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he studied finance.  He spent the first ten years of his career working in Charlotte, NC, as an accountant for a Finnish paper machine manufacturer.  With the closing of that facility, he attended Reformed Theological Seminary - Charlotte, where he received his Master of Divinity.  Chris, a curious, life-long learner, is currently a D. Min. candidate in Reformed Expository Preaching at RTS.  He interned at Westminster PCA in Rock Hill from 2002 to 2005.  Pastor Donnelly has served the Lord and His people in daily ministry since 2007 in Maryland and Tennessee, most recently as the planting/founding pastor for Immanuel Community Church in Sparta, TN.

Chris and his wife, Kathy, have four adult children and enjoy spending time outside camping, hiking, and gardening.  They also love practicing biblical hospitality and studying God’s Word.  The Donnelly’s are overjoyed to have been called to serve the congregation at Bethel and excitedly look forward to seeing the Lord graciously “do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever” (Eph. 3:20-21).  

Trent, his wife, Kat, & children (L-R: Anna, Sophia, Lucy & Judah)

Born and raised in the Carolinas, Trent did his undergraduate studies at Wingate University and majored in communications (BS 2003). Trent worked in campus ministry for a few years and eventually settled as a high school teacher. He taught for over a decade. He was called into the ministry and began studies at Reformed Theological Seminary. After finishing seminary at the end of 2021, he was ordained at Bethel on February 6, 2022. Trent has served in two other PCA churches before Bethel. He was the youth director at Church of the Redeemer, Indian Trial, NC for 2 years. He then served at Carolina Presbyterian Church in Locust, NC as their Worship and Assimilation Director for 6 years before joining the Bethel family. Trent and his wife, Kat, have four children and enjoy being outside, spending time with friends, and hosting people for Sunday lunch. They are so excited to be at Bethel!

Gunther and his wife, Sam

Born and raised in a PCA Church in South Georgia, Gunther has come to deeply cherish the Lord’s church. He earned his Bachelor’s in Communication Studies from Georgia Southern University and is currently studying for his Master’s of Divinity at Reformed Theological Seminary. Gunther and his wife, Samantha, love the outdoors, sports, and spending time with others. They are thrilled to be at Bethel PCA! 

Jay and his wife, Jennifer

Jay has served as Music Director at Bethel since 1997.  In addition to his church responsibilities, Mr. Forrest is the Director of Choral Arts at Clover High School and founded the Clover Choraliers in 1994.  The Choraliers are 8-time first-place winners of the South Carolina Choral Concert Festival. Jay holds a Master of Arts in Music Education and a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from Winthrop University.  The Forrest family resides in Clover; they enjoy spending time with each other and with friends. 

In 2007, while Michael Lee was Bethel's Assistant Pastor, he and Tricia accepted a call to the foreign mission field. The Lee's last MTW mission assignment before moving back to the U.S. in 2022 was in Panama. Now the Lees are planting a church in Indian Land, SC.

Michael Lee says "Explosive growth is the the term recently used to describe what is happening in Indian Land, South Carolina, the region just south of Charlotte, North Carolina.  Like Christ, Tricia and I see the great number of people moving into this region as “sheep without a shepherd.”  Our hope is to love these people with the love of Christ and share with them the only real hope that can be found in this life.  In this way we will strive to plant a church where the “words of life” are shared, the people rescued from despair growing in their faith, Christ is exalted and His Church is fortified and expanding."

Lara enjoys her role as the Administrative Assistant for Bethel.  A long-time resident of Gastonia, North Carolina, she and her husband Michael have four children.