Staff
Rev. Zachary Wheeler
Senior Pastor
Rev. Zac Wheeler serves as the Senior Pastor at Bethesda. Zac is originally from Nebraska but also spent his formative years in the Raleigh/Durham area of North Carolina.
He received his Bachelor’s degree from Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and his Master of Divinity degree from Palmer Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has served in full-time youth ministry for fifteen years and in full-time pastoral ministry since 2016.
He is the father of two amazing daughters. He enjoys spending time with his family, especially at the beach.
Dr. Dan Rich
Associate Pastor
Dr. Dan serves on Bethesda’s staff as Associate Pastor Part-Time and holds the title of Pastor Emeritus. A native of Washington, D.C., Dan received his higher education at Ohio Wesleyan University, Boston University School of Theology, and Drew University Theological School. He has been an ordained minister of the United Methodist Church for 54 years.
During that time he has served in an array of parishes, from big city churches to rural congregations. In the Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conference he has served on various commissions and committees, including Secretary of the Annual Conference, 1980-88. He was the recipient of the Bishop’s Award for Outstanding Ecumenical Ministries.
Dr. Dan has a special love for pastoral care and counseling, lending his wisdom and experience to several community organizations. Dr. Dan and his wife, Ardelle, have three adult children, plus three grown grandchildren. His hobbies include travel, photography, and winter sports.
Dr. Jeffrey Baer
Director of Music
Jeff is Bethesda’s Director of Music Ministries. In our Traditional service, he serves as organist, leads Bethesda's Chancel Choir and Jubilation Ringers Bell Choir. Jeff also lends his talents to our Contemporary Service. In his twentieth year of teaching, Jeff teaches choral music at Wicomico High Schoolwhere he directs four choruses and produces the annual musical.
Jeff is a native of Pennsylvania and received music education degrees from Mansfield University in Pennsylvania and Florida State University. Jeff lives in Salisbury with his lovely and talented wife, Trish, and their four beautiful children, Lexie, Zander, Ava and Nicholas. Jeff believes the role of music in the church is to present talent offerings to our Lord and to enhance the worship experience of the congregation.
Brenda Allen
Financial Bookeeper
Brenda is a Delaware native and graduated from Sussex Central High School. She then attended University of Delaware. She married her husband, David, in 1986 and together they have two children: Kristin and Justin. Justin is taking after his father by working in computer science in Arizona. Brenda and David spend their free time involved with Community Players of Salisbury.