Dr. Paul Aita has been JBC's Senior Minister since July 2001. Prior to that, he served as pastor of three other congregations in Massachusetts, Washington, and Montana, and as Executive Minister of the American Baptist Churches of the Northwest. His denominational service has involved him in cross- and multi-cultural ministry, as has the volunteer teaching that he and his wife did in Myanmar (Burma) during the summers of 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006.* Dr. Aita emphasizes the importance of Christian discipleship, including the study of Scripture, prayer, mutual encouragement, and the expression of one's faith through witness, service, and missions. Of JBC, he says, "This is a wonderful congregation to be a part of. Its people are friendly and caring, talented and creative, and eager to use their gifts and skills together to share God's blessings with others." *You may read about the Aitas' service at the Myanmar Institute of Theology in the Winter 2003 edition of American Baptists In Mission. Their earlier service was described in the Winter 2001 edition of the same publication. Rev. Yukio ("Yuki") Sakiyama has been Associate Minister of JBC since June 2001. His ministry is primarily to the Nichigo (Japanese language) congregation, though he is involved in many ways with the English-speaking congregation as well. A native of Japan, Yuki was employed in business for many years in that country and in the US. His duties included providing translation between Japanese and English, a service that he also provides at JBC. As a layman in Japan, Yuki was active in church ministries including the starting of new churches. Following the death of Rev. Joe Sakakibara in 2000, Yuki agreed to serve our Nichigo congregation as an intern for one year. That experience helped to clarify Yuki's call to ministry and led him to enroll as a seminarian at Seattle University's School of Theology and Ministry. At the end of the year, JBC called him as Associate Lay Minister on a continuing basis and subsequently granted him a License to Preach in anticipation of ordination. He was ordained at JBC in 2005.