About Us

Our Ministers

Rev. Eric Elnes, Ph.D.

Senior Minister

Dr. Elnes received his Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Princeton Theological Seminary and served as Senior Pastor of Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ in Scottsdale, Arizona (www.artinworship.com) from 1995 to 2008, when Countryside welcomed him as our Senior Minister.

He is internationally recognized for creating multi-sensory, experiential worship that transcends classification as “traditional” or “contemporary.” Eric’s books include, Igniting Worship: The Seven Deadly Sins (Abingdon, 2004) and Asphalt Jesus: Finding a New Christian Faith Along the Highways of America (Jossey-Bass, 2007). He was the lead author and editor of the Phoenix Affirmations – a popular, ecumenically developed set of twelve principles that are becoming an important theological backbone of the progressive Christian movement in and outside the United States.  He can be reached at 391-0350 and erice@countrysideucc.org.

Rev. Bruce Van Blair
Interim Associate Minister

Bruce (Van Blair) will be with us until our Search Committee completes its task of finding our next Associate Pastor.  Bruce lives with his wife, Mariana, in Port Townsend, Washington – a picturesque town across Puget Sound from Seattle – at the northeast corner of the Olympic Peninsula.  He has been retired since the summer of 2006, but has kept busy writing another book, writing many “papers” in answer to questions people ask him, leading retreats and Bible Study Groups, and even sometimes preaching.  Interim work is not his thing, but Eric is a special friend.  ‘Sometimes you break your own rules for friends,” he says.

Mariana is a voice teacher, a professional musician all her life.  She is also a very accomplished photographer, and has traveled the world in search of adventure, folk songs and stories, culture and art.  They have two children:  Willene & Brennan.  Both live with their families on the Olympic Peninsula – Willene in Port Townsend, and Brennan in Port Angeles, an hour away down the Straits of Juan de Fuca.

Bruce grew up in the orange groves east of Whittier, California – before they paved paradise, and set up a parking lot, and freeways, and smog, and wall-to-wall traffic.  He was raised a Quaker, in the East Whittier Friends Church.  [Hannah Nixon and his mother were best friends.]  In his sixth grade year he had a spiritual awakening that sent him into the Ministry.  Eventually he attended Andover Newton Theological School (on one of the seven hills of Boston).  He has been Senior Pastor of seven churches:  two in Massachusetts; three in California; one in Washington state; then back to California for the mythic seventh church (Corona del Mar).  Bruce was fifteen years on Mercer Island, where he met Eric in the high school youth group there.  They have been friends ever since.

You can find more of Bruce’s writings at www.BVBministries.com (or Google:  BVBministries.)   Or, if you have a Kindle – you will discover that four of his books are available there, and another coming soon.  And for awhile at least, you can also go talk to him.

Mr. James Larrabee

Minister of Music

Jim Larrabee joined the staff in July of 2002. His undergraduate work was in Voice Performance at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, and his graduate work in Church Music at Westminster Choir College. Since 1983, he has served American Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic and UCC churches in Iowa, New Jersey and Illinois.  He is a Commissioned Minister of Music in the United Church of Christ and Vice President of the United Church of Christ Musician’s Association. He can be contacted at (402) 391-0350 and jiml@countrysideucc.org.

Dr. Ron Roskens

Ron Roskens serves the Living Waters Association of the Nebraska Conference as a licensed minister, and serves Countryside Community Church in a variety of capacities at the request of the Senior and Associate Ministers, including weddings and funerals and pastoral visitations.  He may be contacted by leaving a message at (402) 391-0350, or by email at rroskens@qwest.net.

Mrs. Rita Otis

Rita Otis is a trained Spiritual Director with a certificate in Spiritual Direction and Directed Retreats from Creighton University. She is a Commissioned Minister of Spiritual Direction in the United Church of Christ and a member of Spiritual Directors International. She can be contacted at (402) 391-0350 and rmotis@cox.net.