WELCOME TO THE BETHANY CHURCH WEB SITE! I am glad you have stopped by. Whether you are a first time visitor or have been a part of the Bethany family for years; I hope you will find helpful links, dates and information that will let you know what is going on at this “Church with a Warm Heart”. We will be constantly updating and revising the site to make it the most useful to the entire Bethany Community. If you have any suggestions or comments, please call the church office.

A little about me: I was raised a Methodist in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. I attended High Point College and graduated in 1974 with an AB Degree in Political Science and a minor in French. At High Point I met Sonja Stewart who was from Statesville, we were married May 23, 1975.

After a considerable personal and spiritual struggle, I answered God’s call to the full time ministry and I attended Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC from which I graduated with a M.Div degree in 1980.

I was ordained an Deacon in the Western North Carolina Conference in 1978 and an Elder in 1982. Since that time I have served seven appointments and ten churches all over the Conference. Two of my previous appointments were also in the Albemarle District, at Memorial in Monroe and at Badin.

Sonja and I have two children, Julie who is married to Jay Vaughan and lives in Monroe with their three children, Kaylee, Hayden and Landen. We also have a son Richie whose base of operation is still with us; at least for a time.

I hope as you get to know this special community of faith, you will come to love it as much as we already have. Again, WELCOME to Bethany.

Rick Clough

August 2011