SMLC Staff
Andrea Bates
Pastor
Pastor Andrea Bates grew up in small-town Nebraska. As the daughter of a Pastor and Deacon in the ELCA, she was always involved in church activities. She attended Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC, where she met her husband Kyle. During time at Lenoir-Rhyne, she took elementary education and social work courses, eventually graduating in 2009 with a degree in Human and Community Services. She spent her summers on staff at Carol Joy Holling and Lutheridge, where she began to discern a call to ministry.
Pastor Andrea attended Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS) where she graduated with a Master of Divinity degree. She completed her internship at Faith Lutheran in Sarasota, FL and spent a year as the Interim Associate Pastor at St. Paul Lutheran in Aiken, SC. Upon graduating from seminary, she was called to Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Welcome and ordained (Aug. 11, 2017). In June of 2021 she and Pastor Kyle began serving as Co-Pastors at St. Michael.
Pastor Andrea loves building relationships over a good cup of coffee or a pint of craft beer, and watching her four-year-old Eva and one-year-old Lily discover God’s world. When she finds herself with free time, she enjoys crafting, photography and getting outside.
Kyle Bates
Pastor
Pastor Kyle Bates grew up in Mount Pleasant, SC. A first generation Lutheran, Kyle grew up a member of St. Matthew’s Lutheran, Charleston, being active in youth, music, and worship. He attended Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC, where he met his wife and partner, Pastor Andrea, while majoring in Theology and minoring in Sacred Music. His summers away from the classroom were spent on summer staff as a counselor and area director at Lutheridge in Arden, NC.
In 2013, Pastor Kyle enrolled at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS) where he graduated with a Master of Divinity degree. Upon graduating from seminary in 2017, Kyle was ordained and called to Wittenberg Lutheran Church in Granite Quarry, NC. In June of 2021 Pastors Kyle and Andrea began serving together as Co-Pastors at St. Michael.
If you’re looking for Pastor Kyle outside of worship, he can be found at the nearest brewery, behind a table playing a game, enjoying fun conversation with folks, and chasing his daughters Eva and Lily around the house!
David Rhyne
Deacon for Music Ministry
David Rhyne, Deacon, became St. Michael’s Director of Music and Organist in April 2023 after many years of full-time music ministry in Lutheran Churches in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.
Originally from North Carolina, David’s career includes degrees from Lenoir-Rhyne University, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Miami. For fifteen years, David directed the choral program and taught music theory at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities.
When not at St. Michael, David can be found teaching at Furman or directing the South Carolina Bach Society. David enjoys spending time with his family (wife Kathryn and girls Julia and Madeleine), traveling, and riding his bicycle with friends.
Ellen Bradshaw
Administrative Assistant
Ellen Bradshaw is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina and now lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina. She attended both Coastal Carolina University as well as University of North Carolina Wilmington where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
She has several years of experience in Church Administration as well as Organization. As a former Professional Home Organizer, helping others get organized is her passion and she is more than happy to help if you ever need some organizing advice!
In her free time she enjoys finding the best restaurants in town with her husband and playing with the two biggest joys in her life, her dogs, Crash and Izzy!
Johnny Watson
Facilities Maintenance
Johnny Watson is originally from Greer, SC and now lives in Greenville, SC. He served for 24 years in the military and was stationed in several different places in Europe and Vietnam. He worked in industrial mills for many years and has experience in facilities maintenance.
In his free time he enjoys shopping, traveling, and watching tv. Johnny is helpful and detail oriented and would love to assist you in any facility maintenance needs around the church!