Leadership

PCS ELDERS

Elder - Teaching Pastor

Mike Garlem

Mike serves as the teaching pastor at Pillar Church of Stafford. Mike met Anna while attending Washington Bible College in 1998. They have been married since 2000 and have two teenage boys, Jackson and Elliot. Mike has been a carpenter since he was a teenager and has owned several construction companies. Mike served in multiple areas of ministry through the years: music, building and grounds maintenance, youth, and teaching. Mike’s passion is to see lives fully shaped by the gospel of Jesus Christ. In his limited free time, Mike enjoys watching his boys play basketball, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, and training Brazilian JiuJitsu.

Elder - Executive Pastor

Jon Blakemore

Jon Blakemore has served as our Executive Pastor since 2026 and as an elder since 2024. He and his wife, Karen, have been married for over 20 years and have three children, Michael, Kate, and David. Jon has owned his own construction company for many years. He, Karen, and their family have served at Pillar Stafford since our launch in August 2021. Jon previously served as a deacon at New Life Community Church. In his free time, Jon enjoys nerdy stuff and dreams about motorcycles and music.

Elder - Care

Dale “Hutch” Hutchinson

Hutch serves as an elder of care and counseling and finance. He’s been married to Nancy for 27 years and they have three adult children, Vanessa, Matthew, and Brent. Hutch retired in September of 2023 after 46 years of federal service including the USAF, CIA, and NGA. Hutch and Nancy joined Pillar Dumfries in 2016 where Hutch served as an elder. They then joined the core team at Pillar Stafford and have been serving since that time. Hutch and Nancy care deeply for others and both partner in discipleship and counseling for those in need. They are trained through the Biblical Counseling Foundation and Nancy has a CCEF background. The Hutchinsons love to travel and are looking forward to traveling much more during retirement. Hutch dabbles in plastic models.

Elder

David White

In addition to serving as an Elder, David serves in our music ministry and he and his wife Mallory teach children’s church. He and Mallory have been married since 2010 after meeting while working at a Christian camp in Georgia. They have five children, Zackery, Selah, Serah, Shiloh, and Beth. David is currently serving in the Marine Corps as an aviation logistician. He was raised in a gospel-centered home and church and has served through the years as a Sunday School Teacher, on worship teams, in youth and college ministries, and as a camp counselor and small group leader. David enjoys camping, hunting, and any activity in or near the woods and water.

PCS DEACONS

Deacon of Benevolence

Bob Hunt

Bob Hunt serves as Pillar Stafford’s Deacon of Benevolence. Bob and his wife, Barbara, have been married for over fifty years and have two adult children. Bob is retired after many years as a consulting firm executive. Bob and Barbara have been members of Pillar Stafford since the beginning and have served since then. Bob enjoys music (playing guitar on our worship team), bird watching, and hunting. 

Deacon, Music Director and PCS Admin

Anna Garlem

Anna serves as a deacon, the Music Director, and Church Admin (a catch-all position that includes a little bit of everything–social media, church-wide communication, maintaining the church calendar, setting up events, and other miscellaneous things). She met her husband, Mike, at Washington Bible College. They have been married since 2000. They have two teenage sons, Jackson and Elliot. In addition to her church roles, Anna teaches piano lessons from her home. She has also worked as a school music teacher, church music director, and church admin in a previous church. She has served in the church since she was a teenager, both as a volunteer and a staff member. Anna enjoys running, cycling, hiking, cooking, and reading in her free time.

PCS MINISTRY LEADERS

Kids Ministry Leader

Karen Blakemore

Karen is the director of Pillar Stafford Kids ministry. She has been married to Jon since 2002 and they have three teenagers, Michael, Kate, and David. Karen is a registered nurse with a patient care background in the ICU. She currently works in hospital leadership to improve quality and patient outcomes. Karen came to know Christ as a child in children's ministry, which is one of the reasons she is passionate about teaching and showing the gospel to children. The Blakemores have served in various ministries before becoming part of the core team that started Pillar Stafford. Karen enjoys reading and spending time with her family in her downtime.

Connections Team Ministry Leader

Manny Carrabis

Manny heads up our Connections Team at Pillar Stafford and serves on our AV team. He and his wife, Faith, have been married for 25 years. They have two children, Michael and Grace. Manny retired from the military after serving for many years. Manny has been a Christian for five years and has served at various churches for many years. He has been with us at Pillar Stafford since our launch in August of 2021. In his downtime, Manny enjoys making things and spending time with his family and friends.

Youth Ministry Leaders

Phil & Katlyn Williams

Phil and Katlyn serve as youth group leaders at Pillar Stafford where they enjoy leading our teens in exploring God’s Word and seeing how He has called us to live. Phil and Katlyn have been married since 2016. They are brand-new parents to their adopted son, Isaac. Phil is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and is a Captain in the Marine Corps. He currently works as Officer in Charge of the Marine Corps Shooting Team. Katlyn is a graduate of Liberty University and worked as a graphic designer before becoming a stay-at-home mom. She has served as a volunteer in children’s ministry through the years as an AWANA leader, in VBS, Sunday School, and BSF School Program. Phil and Katlyn have been involved in Pillar Churches since 2016 attending Pillar Jacksonville, Pillar Hawaii, and Pillar Okinawa. Phil enjoys cycling (especially mountain biking), competitive marksmanship, board games, and coffee. Katlyn enjoys photography, being outdoors, and serving her church family.