MICHAEL BRANCH

PASTOR

Pastor was born in Muenster, Texas in 1953. He has been in ministry in the local church since 1969. He graduated from Baptist Bible College in 1977, with a degree in theology. He has been a senior pastor since 1986. His first senior pastorate was at Northwest Baptist Church in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, where he served for seven years. He then went to Calvary Baptist Church in Taylorville, Illinois, where he served for twelve years. In January of 2005, he became the senior pastor of Bethany. Pastor and his wife, Brenda, have been married since 1977. They have two children, Andrea, who lives in Melbourne, and Greg, who lives in Boynton Beach, Florida. Pastor Branch is also the president of Bethany Christian School.

BRENDA BRANCH

LADIES DIRECTOR

Brenda grew up in the Detroit area and became a Christian when she was 7 years old. She and Pastor Branch have been married since 1977. She has a daughter, Andrea, who is living in Melbourne. She also has a son, Greg, who is married, living in Boynton Beach, Florida, and one grandson “Charlie” in heaven and one granddaughter Brooklyn. With over 40 years in ministry she has seen God do BIG things in so many ways. She has seen God provide for her family at a ministry where they could not support their Pastor financially, and has seen God do amazing things in people’s lives, including many ladies Bible studies, where she has mentored women in their spiritual growth. Brenda also launched SHADOW (Shelter Home and Discipling of Women), a ministry that helped homeless, abandoned, or at risk women and their children by providing spiritually based teaching and care in a stable and secure home.

ANDY MORSICATO

NEXT GENERATION PASTOR

Andy grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, and moved to Florida as a teenager. It was at Bethany Church that he came to know Christ and received the call to work with students. During his time at Bethany, Andy met Chelsey on a mission trip to Puerto Rico. The two were married in October 2013 and welcomed their first child, Baylen, in 2015, followed by their second child, "Little" Andrew, in 2018. Andy now works with both Bethany Kids and Bethany Youth, driven by a passion to see the next generation transformed by Christ, just as his life was.

AUSTIN SHEKELL

WORSHIP DIRECTOR

Austin was born in Concord, NC and moved to Melbourne when he was a young child. It was at Bethany Church where Austin received Christ as has Savior, was baptized, and received the call to give his life to the ministry of the gospel of Christ. Austin met his wife Malea at a youth conference and the rest is history. They were married in May of 2021 and have two Labrador retrievers named Haddie and Oakley. Austin works with our Worship team and has a desire for people to experience all of who Jesus is and see people worship that very Jesus, the only name worthy of our worship.

ANDREA KEEFER

FINANCIAL SECRETARY

Mrs. Andrea Keefer, our financial secretary, was born in Houston, Texas, and became a Christian at the age of 12. She married her husband, Ray, in Houston and traveled the world with him after he joined the Army. They moved to Palm Bay in 2007 when Ray retired from the Army after 20 years of service. They have three adult sons: Christopher, Stephen, and John, as well as two adorable long-haired German Shepherds, Isabella and Titan. They also have four grandsons, two granddaughters, and another granddaughter on the way.

During her time as an Army wife, Andrea completed her associate degree in general studies at Central Texas College while homeschooling her sons and being heavily involved in their extracurricular activities and her church. After moving to Palm Bay, Mrs. Keefer finished her degree in Information Technology. When their youngest son finished homeschooling, she entered the workforce and began as a 3rd-grade teacher at Bethany Christian School. This eventually led to her current position as the financial secretary for all Bethany ministries.

Her life verse is Romans 15:13: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."