MEET OUR STAFF

Church in the Palms is led by a gifted an experienced staff team whose mission is to equip and empower our congregation for the work God has called us to do.

  • EVAN IMEL | Lead Pastor

    Pastor Evan and his family (Wife - Courtney, Daughter - Abigail, Son - Joshua) came to Church in the Palms in 2019 as our Associate Pastor. After spending nearly 5 years discipling our children, youth and adults, Evan transitioned into his role as Lead Pastor. Passionate about discipleship, and seeing lives transformed, Evan is committed to leading our Church to live out its mission to Love God, Love Others and Live the Love


    For Pastor Evan, building strong and authentic relationships within the Church community is key. He believes that a healthy and thriving church culture is one that fosters a sense of belonging and unity among its people. He desires to connect with people of all ages and walks of life and works to ensure that everyone feels valued and loved. 


    In addition to fostering spiritual growth and belonging in the Church, Evan also has a heart for reaching out to the local community and beyond. He believes that the love of Christ cannot be contained in the four walls of a building, but shared with the community around us. He seeks to inspire people to connect and engage with their friends, neighbors and local organizations to help meet the needs of the community. 


    Beyond his role as Pastor, Evan is a loving husband and devoted father of two children. His family actively serves in the church and is a wonderful example of how to live out faith in the context of daily life. There is nothing that Evan loves more than to spend time with his children, whether playing outside in their neighborhood or doing homework at the kitchen table. 


    Ext. 102 | evan@churchinthepalms.com  

  • Julius Sanna | Worship and Arts Pastor

    Julius has been married to his wife, Julia, for 24 years. Julia, a graduate of Palm Beach Atlantic University, is a licensed mental health and family therapist and the founder of Relationshipclasses.com. She is deeply involved in the community as a mental health professional. Together, Julius and Julia have four children: Jude, a sophomore studying Music Business at Trevecca Nazarene University; Jordan, a sophomore at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, majoring in theatre design; and their two daughters, Joy (10) and Joanna (9). As a family, they enjoy road trips, traveling, and spending time at the beach. They actively support Julius in his ministry through prayer and by using their own musical gifts to serve alongside him.


    With over 35 years of experience in ministry, Julius has served in various leadership roles, including Outreach Director, Worship Director, Youth Pastor, and Church Planter. His leadership style is relational and flexible, preferring a dynamic approach to worship services that prioritize prayer, collaboration with the pastor, and thoughtful preparation. He envisions Church in the Palms as a place where people from all generations and backgrounds can worship together, with artists of all kinds—musicians, poets, dancers—uniting to lift up the name of Jesus. One of his long-term dreams is for the church to produce and record original worship music by 2026.


    Julius is dedicated to mentoring the worship team, using a well-established process that emphasizes authentic relationships and gradual leadership development. His pastoral gifts include preaching, motivating, mobilizing people for projects, and providing pastoral care and outreach. He is excited to bring these skills to Church in the Palms and is passionate about seeing the church grow in its worship and outreach to the local community.


    Ext. 103 | julius@churchinthepalms.com

  • dale eby | financial manager

    Dale came to Church in the Palms after leading a Student Ministry at a church in Palm Beach County. Born and raised in South Florida, Dale earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University before beginning his ministry career. Dale and his wife Susan, an executive in social services, have two adult daughters: Kaitlin and Allie. Dale is a Mathematics teacher at Palm Beach Lakes High School. In addition to his ability to crunch numbers for our congregation and the Community Life Center, we are so blessed to have another seasoned pastor on our staff team!


    Ext. 105 | dale@churchinthepalms.com