Dr. Dale Levan

Senior Pastor

Pastor Dale has been the Senior Pastor of Rice Church since January of 2023. He sees his work at Rice not as a job but as a God-given ministry. His priorities are preaching the Word of God, equipping the saints for the work of ministry, and leading the church to make disciples (faithful followers of Jesus Christ).

He grew up in a pastor’s home in South Carolina. His father pastored churches all over the state for 65 years. Dale repented of his sin and received Christ as his Savior and Lord at age 9. He received the call of preach and pastor when he was attending North Greenville University. He continued his education at Gardner-Webb University and then graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas with his Master of Divinity degree. He left the seminary to pastor Four Holes Baptist Church in Orangeburg, S.C. While pastoring there, he began work on his Doctor of Ministry degree from S.W.B.T.S. Since those days, Dale has pastored churches in S.C., been an IMB missionary in Costa Rica and Argentina, and before coming to Rice, pastored a church in Rome, Ga.

Pastor Dale is married to Mrs. Wanda Levan (formerly from Rome, Ga.). They have two grown children, Joseph, who is married to Nina. Joseph and Nina have a son (David), and Anna, who is married to Jim. Pastor Dale desires to be a man of God, a godly husband, father and grandfather. When he can, he loves to paint, study and collect Civil War history, fish and hunt.

Daniel and his wife, Brittany, have been at Rice Memorial since 2014. He grew up in Brevard, North Carolina, and has a bachelor's from North Greenville University in Christian Studies, and a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Student Ministry.

He serves on the board of the Lakelands FCA, is serving as Moderator of the Lakelands Baptist Association in 2024 and is the vice-chair of the South Carolina Baptist Convention's Christian Life and Public Affairs Committee. He enjoys golfing, collecting vinyl records, and eating at Cookout. He looks forward to October 21st, the official release date of Christmas Tree Cakes each year.

864-259-3184

Karon has been in children's ministry for nearly 40 years. She started her ministry at Woodfields Baptist Church in Greenwood. She joined Rice in 2005. She joined the staff as Children's Ministry Director in 2016. Karon was born and raised in Honea Path, SC. She is married to Dusty Strickland, they have two sons Robby (Jennifer) and Brandon (Lindsay). She has four wonderful granddaughters.

Children's Ministry curriculum teaches many things about God, Jesus and teaches fundamental life lessons and guidance. I believe children's ministry also teaches children to love thy neighbor, encouraging them to have a love for everyone and creating a more peace in the world.

Joyce Laughlin has been Financial Secretary at Rice for nine years. She has also been the Financial Secretary for Restoration Ministries Church of God for 20 years. She has been employed in accounting for 50 years. She enjoys spending time with family and enjoying lady's ministry events at her church. She loves spending time at the beach with her family and reading.

864-259-3181

Dionne Harris has been a Baptist Ministry Assistant for over 10 years. She has been with Rice since 2018. She grew up in Greenwood and currently lives in Ninety-Six. She is married to Richard Harris and together they have two children (13 & 11). She is currently on the secretary's board at the Lakelands Baptist Association, where she worked from 2014-2017. She is also a member of the Ministry Assistant Association for the South Carolina Baptist Convention.

She enjoys reading, traveling with her family, attending her son's band competitions and daughter's volleyball tournaments. She believes that her job is not a job but a calling and ministry that God gave her.