Meet Our Staff
Jessica Brown
Administrative and Operations Manager
Originally from Connecticut, Jessica and her family were blessed with the opportunity to move to South Carolina six years ago. Since then, they’ve grown to love the community and have found great joy in being part of Riverbend Church.
Jessica serves as the Administrative and Operations Manager, where she plays a key role in supporting the day-to-day functions of the church. She works closely with the elders, staff, and volunteers to ensure that the behind-the-scenes details are handled with care and excellence. Her heart for service and organization helps create an environment where ministry can flourish.
Jessica is passionate about building relationships and meeting people where they are. She values authentic connection and sees each interaction as an opportunity to reflect Christ’s love.
Outside of her role at the church, Jessica enjoys spending time with her husband and their three wonderful children. Some of her favorite moments are spent in their backyard, reading her Bible, watching hummingbirds, and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. She continues to grow in her walk with the Lord and is grateful to be part of what God is doing through the Riverbend Church family. One of her favorite verses is, Peter 4:8 ; Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.
Tim Etcheson
Worship Leader
Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, but lived in many parts of the country, Tim and his family have been in Columbia for the past 29 years and at Riverbend Church for over 25. During that time he has had the pleasure and privilege to serve in the worship ministry for most of those years. Tim oversees a team of many talented musicians which includes three additional Sunday morning worship leaders whose chief objective is to foster an atmosphere of heart-felt worship while avoiding a performance mentality. It's not specifically about us or the music, it is about lifting up the name of Jesus who is worthy of our praise.
Outside of church, Tim is semi-retired and enjoys time with family and grandkids at the lake or otherwise as an avid cyclist, on the bike.
Hebrews 12:1-3 is his favorite passage for the imagery of the great cloud of witnesses emploring us on to a Christ-like life.
Ryan McDaniel
Youth Ministry Coordinator
Ryan McDaniel grew up in Florence, South Carolina but came to the Lexington area 9 years ago, through Columbia International University. During his time at CIU he attended here at Riverbend and volunteered with our youth program. CIU is also where he met his wife Mary, and they have now been married for 5 years. They have two young children: Raleigh and McKay.
Ryan serves Riverbend as the Youth Ministry Coordinator. His favorite part about working at the church is coming alongside students and parents to help them be the families God intended them to be. His favorite verse is 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
When Ryan is not with families or the office, He enjoys ultimate frisbee, disc golf, gaming, and anything else that he can do outside with his family
Nicole Walters
Co- Leader of Children's Ministry – Riverbend Kids
Nicole Walters grew up in Inman, SC, and later moved to Columbia, where she earned her Master’s degree in Economics from the University of South Carolina. She and her husband, Andrew, have been married since 2009. She is currently homeschooling her three children. They have been actively involved at Riverbend for over a decade.
As the Children’s Ministry Coordinator, Nicole is passionate about encouraging and equipping parents to disciple their children with confidence and joy. She believes the church plays a vital role in supporting families as they seek to build their homes on the foundation of God’s Word. Nicole is continually grateful for God’s faithfulness through both the challenges and joys of life.
Nicole’s favorite books of the Bible are Ephesians and Philippians, but she finds herself often encouraged by verses like Psalm 51:1 and Hebrews 12:1–2, which remind her of God's mercy and the call to perseverance in the Christian life.
In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and reading.
Zach Beam
Co- Leader of Children's Ministry - Teaching Team
Zach Beam graduated from West Coast Baptist College with a degree in evangelism, and has been serving in children’s ministry for most of his life. He loves seeing kids light up with those “aha!” moments as they discover God’s truth for themselves and grow in their faith. Zach is a grateful husband and a proud father, who considers it a joy to partner with families in pointing kids to Jesus.
When he’s not serving in church, you’ll usually find Zach spending time with his family or catching a Red Sox baseball game. His favorite Bible verse for children’s ministry is “So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard!” Samuel 21:13
Jean Croft
Accountant
Jean is originally from Darlington, SC but moved to Lexington 33 years ago. She has been married to Jay Croft for 31 years. They have three adult children: Rachel, Ben, and Anna.
She serves as Riverbend’s Accountant and has been serving with RCC since 2003. Jean’s favorite part about working with Riverbend is the staff, elders, and members of the church. Her favorite scripture comes from Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
When Jean isn’t working with numbers and money, you can find her baking, reading a good book, and going for a run.
Marcela Simmons
Custodian
Marcela is originally from Mexico, and then lived in Seattle for 19 years. She has been working as a custodian at Riverbend since 2018, and is an active church member alongside her husband Steve.
Marcela loves working at Riverbend - she enjoys worshipping the Lord while she is cleaning. Her favorite scripture is "do not be afraid...for the Lord is with you wherever you go" - Joshua 1:9.
When Marcela isn't working, she enjoys going for long walks and singing.