Ministry staff
LEAD PASTOR
Rev. Jessy Wilson
Jessy Wilson was installed as Pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on February 5, 2022. Pastor Jessy previously worked as a software engineer and started serving the church in 2012 as a commissioned lay deacon. He graduated from the Specific Ministry Pastor program at Concordia Seminary St. Louis in August 2023.
Pastor Jessy is married to Jennifer and has two sons, Ian and Logan.
Email: Wilson@blcdelmar.com
Director of Church Ministries
Annie Ryan
Annie recently graduated from Concordia University Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Theology and minoring in Nonprofit Business; she has specializations in Youth Ministry and Special Needs Ministry. Annie began volunteering in her local congregations at a very young age and has always had a heart for leading young people, and those with special needs, to a deeper relationship with Christ. She has had the opportunity to intern at a few different churches with focuses in various capacities – directing VBS, producing livestream Bible studies, helping with special needs ministries, and participating in prison ministries, just to name a few. In her spare time, Annie loves to participate in choirs and other music-related opportunities. She enjoys sewing and doing puzzles. She is also fascinated with dinosaurs and Formula One racing.
Email: ryan@blcdelmar.com
Coordinator of Outreach & Ministry Support
Deacon Melissa Derenches
Melissa has been a Deacon since 2022 and has volunteered over the years as a youth group leader, teaching Confirmation, Evangelism Team Leader. and Grief Support Ministry Leader. She currently serves full time as Coordinator of Outreach and Ministry Support.
Deacon Melissa has a son who attends college.
Email: derenches@blcdelmar.com
DEACON
Deacon David Vail
Deacon Dave has been a Deacon since 2012 and served as a Chaplain at Good Samaritan Nursing Home from 2014 - 2020. He is a lifelong Lutheran and served in the U.S. Air Force.
Deacon Dave is married to Beth and has a daughter, Susan. They live in Latham.
ADJUNCT PASTORS
Rev. Dave Dietsche
Pastor Dave has served Bethlehem since 2006. Receiving his seminary education at Princeton, he retired from chaplaincy at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany in 2022 a position he held since 1997. Pastor Dave serves us as an adjunct pastor, assisting in preaching and worship and providing welcome visits and care to our members.
Pastor Dave is married to Sue. They have two adult children: Tad (Youngeun) and Meg (Ian) and two grandpuppies: Watson and Bear
Rev. Russ Craig
Russ Craig and his family joined Bethlehem Lutheran Church in 1985. He served in several positions, including Deacon, which led him to start distance education for pastoral ministry. Russ completed his studies at Christ Lutheran Church, Guilderland, where he was ordained, and served as the pastor for 13 years. Upon retiring at the end of 2018, Pastor Russ rejoined BLC. He was also employed for 33 years with New York State. Pastor Russ serves us as an adjunct pastor, assisting in preaching, worship, and teaching adult bible study.
Pastor Russ and his wife, Carole, live in Voorheesville. They have two adult children, Tom (Amber) and Patty (Brett); and four grandchildren, Jack, Lucas, Adalynn, and Eleanor.
MUSIC MINISTRY
Ruth Rice - Traditional Music Director
Ruth has been a worship music director since 1981 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. She grew up on a farm near Hershey, PA and attended Lebanon Valley College with a BS in Music Education. She has her Masster’s in Special Education from John Hopkins University.
Ruth is married to Frank and have three adult children (Suzanne, Kevin and Lauren) and three awesome grandsons (Ryan, Andrew and Mason)
Katie McNally - Contemporary Music Director
Katie was baptized, confirmed, and married at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. She became involved in the music ministry at a young age and has served as Director of Contemporary Music since 2018. By day, she works as a math teacher at Farnsworth Middle School in Guilderland. She also enjoys performing with Albany Pro Musica, a local choir. Katie and her husband, Brendan, live in Rotterdam and are expecting their first child in May 2023.
Administrative Staff
Lisa Thien - Office Manager
Lisa Thien has served in the Church Office in varying capacities since the year 2000, and has been the Office Manager since May 2012. Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, Lisa came to the Capital District when she married her husband, Ted, in 1991. Lisa and Ted are the proud parents of two adult children as well as wrapped around the little finger of their beautiful granddaughter!
Email: office@blcdelmar.com
Marie Scalzo - Business Manager
As BLC’s Business Manager, Marie’s responsibilities include financial administration and oversight of the church’s buildings and grounds. She has attended church at Bethlehem since the 1990s, serving in various volunteer capacities before becoming part of the church staff in June 2013. In her spare time, Marie enjoys spending time as a genealogy researcher, learning about her own family’s history as well as helping others with their family history research.