CURRENT ELDER BOARD

Blythe Stanton (Chairman)
Blythe has been attending Emmanuel since 1986. He has been in construction since 1967 and owns a successful business, which is devoted to the Lord. Blythe has a passion for native missionaries and serves on Emmanuel’s Missions Commission. Blythe’s wife, Joyce, also has a passion for missions and has a very fruitful ministry to our local Vietnamese community. Blythe and Joyce met at St. Paul Bible College in Minneapolis (now called Crown College) and married in 1961. Blythe and Joyce love boating, walking, and relaxing together. They have five married children and 14 grandchildren.

John Mason
John was born and raised on the East coast. He graduated High school in 1965 and joined the Air Force in 1966. He met his wife, Darlene in 1967 and they were married in 1969 and had 2 daughters, Amy and Emily. They settled in Northern California where John worked for Santa Fe Pacific Pipelines for 34 years as a terminal supervisor. John and Darlene both came to Christ in 1989 after the prayers and examples of their teenage daughters. They came to EBF in 2003 when they moved to Olympia to be near their family. They enjoy serving the church where John has been the deacon chairman and presently an elder. Darlene serves on various children and women’s ministries and together they lead a weekly life group. They have three grandchildren and enjoy living close to and being with both daughters and families who also attend Emmanuel. When they have some spare time, they like to ride dirt bikes and look forward to the day when all the family might go camping and riding together.

Russ McMillan
Russ grew up in Bellingham, Washington where he graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Marine Biology, and later received his graduate degree from the UW in Fisheries Biology. His love of the intricacies of creation led him to seek out a relationship with the Creator as a young adult. He met his wife Judy while hosting a Bible study on his sailboat which he chartered to The Firs Bible and Missionary Conference in Bellingham. Later they spent a year sailing Mexico and the South Pacific. Russ and Judy have three children: Annika, Brad, and Andrea. Russ and Judy have attended Emmanuel for over 18 years and are committed to the growing ministry with both the youth and families.

Pat Sokoloski
Pat and his wife Janis came to know the Lord while living in Seattle, Washington. He rightly defines Gods’ gift of eternal life as “the unmerited gift of Jesus, extended to all, but possessed only by those who believe Him for it .”, and the Lord on one November day in 1978, quickened his spirit and likewise brought his wife into the fold 2 short weeks later. Pat and Janis have known each other since they were teenagers and got married shortly after he got out of the US Army in 1970. They have two married children and three grandchildren. While working nights, as a journeyman Printer, Pat received an AA Degree from Shoreline Community College. For the past 28 years he has worked as an account manager selling graphic arts equipment and supplies to the printing industry. Janis works as a Para educator for Public Schools Co-operative in the Olympia/Tumwater school district. Janis and Pat love to travel to historic places as Pat is somewhat of a history buff.

 

ELDER EMERITUS

Brian Rennie
Brian was raised on the Long Beach Peninsula in southwest Washington and graduated from Ilwaco High School in 1970. Brian went on to Western Washington University graduating with a degree in Business Administration. On Easter Sunday 1971, Brian believed in Jesus Christ as his Savior. In March 1973 he married his high school sweetheart, Becky. Brian began his career in banking in 1974, and has worked nearly thirty years in smaller community banks. Brian and Becky have three married children: Stephen, Elisabeth, and Andrew. Becky has worked in the Elma School District for a number of years and enjoys a great relationship with her fellow teachers. Brian and Becky moved to Olympia in 2000, and started attending Emmanuel that fall. Brian enjoys music and helping people understand finances from a biblical perspective. Becky and Brian enjoy traveling and camping together with friends and family.