Staff and Leaders
Pastoral Staff
Pastor Rev. Marie Edwards Branigan will have her bio up soon! Please check back later for updates.
Office Manager
Stella Velez is Bethany’s part-time office manager. She is originally from Berlin, Germany, where she grew up and graduated from college with a degree in business/accounting. She continued her studies in office management and worked in the accounting department of several logistics companies in Berlin. In 2000, she came to the U.S and met her husband, Alvin. They have been married for 5 ½ years and have two children, Alex and Olivia. When not working, Stella spends her time training and competing in Tae Kwon Do. Watch out!
Music Director
An Ohio native, Justin Dilley has studied and worked in music and performance his entire life. An undergraduate of Wittenberg University with a degree in theatre, he studied voice, piano and the organ, as well as church liturgy and music. Later, Justin received his Masters degree in musical theatre from Emerson College. He has toured around the country with the renown Wittenberg Choir, performed in regional theatre along the Northeast and has worked for over 5 years in out-reach education in the both the Boston and New York Public School systems. Justin continues to teach private voice and piano lessons in the tri-state area and currently is the founder and Artistic Director of Turnstyle Theatre Workshop, a performing arts company. He enjoys running, swimming and cooking and spends the rest of his time helping his fiancée, Mala, plan their upcoming wedding.
BPCCM (Children's Ministry) Coordinator
Lisa Choi is married and is a mother of four young children. After receiving her Master of Divinity from New Brunswick Theological Seminary, she went on to finish her Masters of Arts in Christian Education at Princeton Theological Seminary. Pastor Lisa has been in Children’s Ministry since 1998. She believes that church should be fun; kids should want to come. Church should be a place where kids and adults feel accepted, loved and understood. She enjoys traveling, watching commercials and black and white Photography.
Youth Group Pastor
Justin Choi has been married to Lisa since 1998 and they are blessed with the “Fantastic Four” children (Samantha, Sarah, Sophia and Timothy). They currently reside in Bloomfield, NJ. Prior to coming to Bethany Presbyterian Church, he served at Lord Jesus Korean Church as an associate pastor in Richmond, V.A., as a group pastor at Living Peace Presbyterian Church, Ruther Glen, V.A., then as a director of Christian Education at Faithful Covenant Church, Paramus, NJ. Justin graduated from the New Brunswick Theological Seminary (M. Div.) and Princeton Theological Seminary for his Th. M in Homily. He participated in short-term mission work in the Philippines. He likes to jog, and one of these days, plans to hike at Blue Ridge Mountains.
Bethany Web Ministry Coordinator
Originally from Brazil, Ellen Assimos and her family are Presbyterian missionaries to America. Ellen graduated from Montclair State University with a Bachelor's in English and Creative Writing, and now works in industrial real estate. She has a strong passion for writing and has also had formal training in web design and is experienced with HTML and other computer languages.
Board of Session (Elders)
Moderator: Marie Edwards Branigan
Clerk of Session, Treasure, Liaison to Presbytery: Sun Kiel
Building and Grounds, Liaison to Scouts: Paul Williams
Building and Grounds, Youth Ministry, Special Events, Personnel Committee: Peter Pak
Worship and Visitation: Dianna Fuller
BPCCM, Liaison to Deacons: Lisa Park
Welcoming, Mission, Personnel Committee: Allison Choi
Welcoming, Small Group Ministry: Thomas Cha
BPCCM, Mission, Music/AV: Steve Park
Lunch Ministry, Investment Committee: Stan Yang
Board of Deacons
Moderator: Jim Warner
Harold Cho
Paul Halligan
Yonhe Kim
Young Sook Kim
Cherin Lee
Jose Vargas
Alvin Velez
Judy Yi
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