Our Pastors

Rev. Arthur G. Stone, Senior Pastor, and Wife, Judy

Pastor Art has been in pastoral ministries for 28 years. He has served at churches in Jacksonville, Florida, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Oxford, Massachusetts. Art has served as Senior Pastor at Emmanuel since January of 1995.

The Senior Pastor's responsibilities include preaching the Word, church administration, counseling and visitation. Art has had the privilege of speaking at Christian Conferences, Camp meetings and seminars across the country.

Pastor Art's education includes a BA in Theology (1970) from Berkshire Christian College, a Masters of Education from Springfield in Counseling (1982), and is a candidate for a Ph.D. in Expository Preaching from Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary.

Art resides in Rochester with his wife Judy who is a high school math teacher. They have three children, Christopher, Scott and Jenelle.

Rev. John A. Byars, Associate/Music Pastor, and Wife, Jeanne

John and Jeanne Byars came to Emmanuel AC Church, from central Florida. After this young couple married each other in 1979, they established most of their Ministry together in Florida. They started a church in Edgewater, Florida and co-Pastored with another Church of God Credentialed Sr. Pastor.That work exploded with growth in five years to over 340 average Sunday Morning Worship attendances. Working in Churches on the East Coast such as, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater, Holy Spirit called them to Central Florida in 1995. There, they served faithfully until joining Emmanuel in January, 2005. Although holding credentials with Church of God (Cleveland, TN) they have been effective to which ever denomination Holy Spirit has called through the years.

Pastor John has been ministering in music for nearly 38 years while his Bride Jeanne, has been an effective nurturing teacher and singer for 30 years. Both love the Lord and enjoy ministering to God's children in a musical southern gospel style together while Pastor John enjoys leading in a more contemporary music style such as Vineyard, Integrity Hosanna, Michael W. Smith and Geron Davis as well as our Traditional songs that held together the faith of our forefathers. The adult choir at Emmanuel presently ministers with styles such as Clint Brown, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Christ Church Choir and others alike.

We are "enjoying the journey" in the New England area and expect the Lord to be exalted and highly magnified as together with all God's children we raise our standards of belief in Biblical principals. Our God is lifted up!