Church Staff

Fred Banda, Senior Minister, and Teresa

Fred Banda came to Immanuel United Church of Christ in the Fall of 2001 after having served as the Senior Minister of First Christian Church in Baytown, Texas. Fred is proud to be a native Texan, having grown up in San Antonio, Texas and graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School. He is a graduate of Texas Christian University and received his Master of Divinity Degree from Brite Divinity School. Ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Fred has served churches in Laredo, Iowa; Houston, Kerrville, Beeville/Pettus, and Baytown. He has served in leadership positions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in its local, area and general manifestations and is particularly fond of having participated and directed camps and conferences for children and youth as well as having organized and led mission trips to the lower Rio Grande Valley. Fred loves sports, the outdoors, music and considers himself an ‘amateur’ musician. However, his first love is his wife of over 38 years and partner in ministry, Teresa, and their three grown children, Tamara, Nicholas and Camille. Feel free to contact Fred at his personal e-mail at fred406@aol.com or his cell phone: 281-239-5185.

Rev. Lori Keaton, Associate Pastor

Rev. Lori Keaton has been the Associate Pastor of Immanuel United Church of Christ since February 2004, where she participates in the full ministry of the church while emphasizing spiritual formation through church programming. She has lived for the past 19 years in Sugar Land where she and her husband, Rev. Kevin Scott Keaton, brought up three wonderful sons who are now grown and off doing their thing. Born in Fort Worth, Texas she has also lived in Marshalltown, IA, Waco and Austin, TX, Basking Ridge, NJ, and Altoona, PA. Although her background is Presbyterian, Rev. Keaton immediately found her spiritual home within the UCC and has been very involved at all levels of the denomination. She has served the denomination as a Still Speaking Trainer for the South Central Conference, as a member of the Executive Committee of the United Campus Ministry Board, and is currently a member of the Houston Association Committee on Ministry. Rev. Keaton is a graduate of Baylor University with a degree in Public Health Education and Sociology. Responding to a lifelong sense of call to ministry, she received her Master of Divinity with honors from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1983. Over the years, Rev. Keaton has held four staff positions largely in the areas of youth and education and spent twelve years providing occasional pulpit supply in a variety of settings in Texas and Pennsylvania while home with kids. Her passions are working with young people, feminist theology, and Christian spirituality. She is currently working on a Certificate in Spiritual Formation through Columbia Theological Seminary. Her joys include seeing her family who currently live in five locations pursuing their work and dreams, reading, and visiting with friends.  Rev. Keaton can be reached at pastorlori@consolidated.net or (979)793-6125.

Shay Meyer, Youth Director

Shay Meyer started attending Immanuel United Church of Christ in 1997 with her now husband, Cris Meyer, who has belonged to IUCC since he was in high school. Shay has a strong background in youth, having been extremely involved in one way or another as a youth herself at her home church in Baton Rouge, LA (University United Methodist Church), to assisting and leading in some capacity for 15 years both here and at First United Methodist Church in Rosenberg, TX. She has been coordinating and leading the high school youth at Immanuel since 2005 and was called as youth director in August 2008. She has participated in several missions including Appalachian Service Project and Habitat for Humanity. As a church member and leader, she has shared her talents by participating in choirs, big production plays, a praise team, and playing her flute. Shay is deeply dedicated to our youth and has a vested interest in their success as Christian human beings as well as their well rounded personalities in general. Along with, and under the guidance and support of the senior and associate pastors, Shay and the high school youth are flourishing and have year round activities and functions that include one and all. Shay’s husband has been her #1 support since their marriage in 2000, as well as co-youth leader at times. Currently they have one daughter, Lita. Shay is available and welcomes contact from youth and their parents. She can be reached at shay@meyerranch.net or at home (979)793-7656.