Jonathan D. Laye, Senior Pastor
Jonathan was born and lived his early life near Mercersburg, Pennsylvania as the son of an itinerant preacher, Ernest E. Laye and mother Zelda. He started his education in first grade at a one room school house called Blue Springs, transferring to another one room school house for half of the third grade at Lafayette in what is known as the Mercersburg Corner. From there he transferred to the elementary school at Indian Springs, Maryland for the second half of third grade and all of fourth grade. Fifth grade was back at Mercersburg Elementary School and sixth through twelve was at James Buchanan Jr.& Sr. High School where he graduated with the class of 1963. Jonathan began preaching in the Independent Pentecostal churches in the Pennsylvania, Maryland area when he was fifteen years old. It was in tenth grade when Jonathan met his prospective bride, Linda Faye Stoner. After graduating together from James Buchanan the two enrolled in Lee College of Cleveland, Tennessee in 1963. Linda graduated with an AA degree in 1965 and taught elementary education in Bradley County Schools while Jonathan completed his education with a BA degree in Religious Education in 1967. The couple was married July 17, 1964 at the Assembly of God in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. Upon graduation Jonathan and Linda served as evangelist in the State of Pennsylvania for the Church of God from 1967 to 1968. In 1968 they were appointed as the State Evangelist for the Church of God in Maryland. In 1969 Jonathan and Linda became the founding Pastors of the Burrsville Church of God near Denton, Maryland and continued there until 1978. In 1978 – 1979, they served as Pastors of the Mount Pleasant Church of God near Foxville, Maryland and Linda graduated from Hood College with a BA degree in Early Childhood Development. In 1980 Pastor and Mrs. Laye founded Emmanuel Chapel and Linda taught elementary education in Smithsburg. From 1983 through 1985 Pastor Laye served as the chaplain of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, and was also listed in the 1975 and 1978 volumes of “Outstanding Young Men of America”. After sixty-four years of preaching and fifty-four years of pastoral work, he is still on call twenty-four hours a day to answer the calls of his flock.
- Church Administrator : Linda Laye.
- Missions Directors : Al and Addie O'Conner.
- Treasurer : Penny Frye.
- Technical Directors : Godspower , Christopher, and Michael Odogu.
- Audio Technical Director : Nathaniel Laye.
- Security Team : Timothy Garrett, Jeff Bair, Douglas Poster, Nathaniel Laye, Sherman Weedon Sr.
- Adult Bible Teacher : Douglas Poster.
- Youth Teacher : Linda Laye.
- Children's Church Teachers : Romanda Odogu, Stephanie Odogu, Tim & Bobby Garrett, Vickie Huntsberry, Cathy Souders.
- Soloist : Penny Frye, Riley Garrett, Debra Foster, Odogu Family, Jonathan Laye.
- Mowers : Andrew & Sharon Inman, Ron Zello, Nathaniel Laye, Jonathan Laye.