Church in the Palms on Jog Road
Church in the Palms sits on Jog Road in Greenacres, Florida, in the heart of Palm Beach County. The congregation gathers around a simple call that the church calls its heartbeat: Love God, Love Others, and Live the Love. That motto shows up in everything from the worship music on Sunday mornings to the groceries distributed from the parking lot on Saturdays, and it shapes how the leaders and members welcome the people who walk through the doors for the first time. The church describes itself as a community of faith, hope, and love where everyone belongs and grows together in Christ, and it invites both the curious and the lifelong believer to come as they are.
Sundays at Ten: Contemporary Worship
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:00 AM and runs about 75 minutes. The service is contemporary in style, with a worship team leading modern music, followed by prayer and a practical message from the Bible. Lead Pastor Evan Imel and Worship and Arts Pastor Julius Sanna share teaching duties, and the sermons are also available through a large online library that stretches back years. For those who cannot be there in person, services are livestreamed on YouTube.
Children are welcomed into Sonshine Island during the service, and middle and high school students gather for Student Ministry right after worship ends. Free parking is available on site, the building is wheelchair accessible, and reserved parking spaces sit close to the entrance for those who need them. People wear everything from jeans and t-shirts to business attire, and greeters make a point of helping newcomers feel at home. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and on Saturday and Sunday by appointment.
Sonshine Island: Kids from Nursery through Fifth Grade
Sonshine Island is the children's ministry at Church in the Palms, and it serves kids from birth through fifth grade during the Sunday 10:00 AM service. The name reflects the church's desire to be a bright, welcoming place for children, and the program is built around age-appropriate lessons, games, crafts, music, and Bible stories.
Parents check their children in through a secure system before the service begins. Every volunteer who serves in Sonshine Island is background checked, and a two-adult policy keeps kids from ever being alone with one adult. Security personnel are stationed in the children's wing during services, and every volunteer has completed child safety and protection training. The goal of the ministry is to take the lessons children hear each Sunday and help families carry them into daily life throughout the week, with resources available for parents to reinforce the teaching at home. Parents who want to learn more can connect with the kids ministry team by phone at (561) 294-1358 or by email.
Student Ministry for Middle and High School
Student Ministry exists for middle and high school students, gathering every Sunday from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM in Room 115 after the morning worship ends. The hour includes interactive worship, fun games and activities, teaching aimed at teenagers, and small group time. The students also meet in smaller groups during the week for Bible study, accountability, and deeper friendship with trained adult leaders.
The church's vision for Student Ministry is simple: give young people a place where they can encounter God, build genuine friendships, and grow in every area of their lives. Events and small groups round out the program, and parents stay connected through a parent resources page. The ministry can be reached by email or by calling the church office, and students are encouraged to live out their faith, extend love, and live life with purpose as they move through their teenage years.
LifeGroups: Where Life Happens During the Week
LifeGroups are the small group ministry at Church in the Palms, and the church calls them the place where life happens. Groups gather in homes, at the church, and online through Zoom, and they meet on different days and times to fit a variety of schedules. Some groups dive deep into Bible study, others focus on life issues, parenting and marriage, or young adults, and a couple are designed specifically for men or for prayer.
The current lineup includes the OnLine LifeGroup on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM, which meets on Zoom and discusses the previous Sunday's sermon. The Adult LifeGroup meets in person at the church on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:00 PM in the office conference room for Bible study and fellowship. The Men's LifeGroup gathers on Thursday mornings at 9:00 AM in the office conference room. On the second Tuesday of each month, the Prayer LifeGroup meets at 1:00 PM for a song, a short devotion, and extended prayer for the church, church families, and the community. On the third Thursday of each month, another Adult LifeGroup meets at 10:00 AM in the office conference room, led by Jerry Barrantes, and the group often goes out to lunch together afterward. New groups start throughout the year, and Lead Pastor Evan Imel helps newcomers find a group that fits their season of life.
Wednesday Prayer and the Prayer Ministry
Wednesday nights hold a special place in the rhythm of the church. Prayer gathering takes place at 7:00 PM, and the prayer ministry also runs a Prayer Wall where anyone can submit a request or a praise report. Members of the church pray through these requests regularly, and prayer warriors are available for healing prayer and ongoing support. The Prayer LifeGroup on the second Tuesday of each month adds a more focused hour of intercession for the church and the surrounding community, opening with a song and a short devotion before settling into extended prayer.
Parent Life: Walking with Young Parents
Parent Life is one of the church's signature community ministries. The group meets on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:30 PM in Room 115, and it is built around expectant and parenting teenagers, walking alongside them through one of the most demanding seasons of their young lives. Through relational, holistic ministry, the church pairs these young parents with caring adult mentors and partners with local organizations to help them thrive physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
The aim of Parent Life is to see young people thrive in every area of life, to encourage them to continue their education, and to introduce them to the hope of the gospel. The church describes it as a passion to make young parents feel seen, heard, and valued, with mentors who serve as a steady voice and a supportive presence during pivotal seasons.
Saturday Morning Food Pantry with C.R.O.S. Ministries
Every Saturday morning from 8:30 to 10:00 AM, weather permitting, the parking lot of Church in the Palms becomes a mobile food pantry run by C.R.O.S. Ministries. C.R.O.S. operates seven food pantries serving multiple locations in Palm Beach County, and the church hosts one of them. The pantry is open to anyone in the community who needs food, and volunteers from the church help distribute groceries each week.
This ministry reflects the conviction of the church that the love of Christ cannot be contained inside the building. By opening the parking lot to neighbors who are struggling with food insecurity, the church lives out its call to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the local community. C.R.O.S. Ministries accepts food donations at the pantry location during program hours and at its administrative office and warehouse in Lake Worth Beach.
CITP Crafts: A Monthly Gathering for Card Makers
On the third Saturday of each month from 10:00 to 11:30 AM, ladies gather in Room 108 for CITP Crafts. The gathering started as a card making group, with members creating cards for the church family, and it has expanded to include sewing, crafting, and a wider range of creative projects. It is a small but steady rhythm in the life of the church, giving members a chance to use their hands, encourage one another, and serve the broader congregation through their work.
What Church in the Palms Believes
The beliefs of the church are gathered under several core statements. The church teaches that there is one God, creator and sustainer of all things, infinite in power and knowledge, perfect in justice, goodness, and love, and eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Bible is received as the inspired and only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
About humanity, the church teaches that God created the first man and woman in perfect relationship with Himself, and that every person has sinned and faces the judgment of God. About Jesus, the church affirms His deity, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal return in power and glory. Salvation is understood as forgiveness and reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ alone, resulting in regeneration by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's present ministry indwells the Christian and enables a godly life. The resurrection of Jesus guarantees that everyone who has faith in Him will be resurrected to eternal life, while those who do not will be resurrected to eternal separation from God. Believers are also described as spiritually unified in the Lord Jesus Christ.
A second set of core values shapes the daily life of the church: Transformation through worship, Living Truth by applying the gospel to every area of life, Intentional Community that builds authentic friendships, Unity and Diversity that celebrates every follower of Jesus while embracing what each person brings, Empowerment that shares ministry, Joyful Generosity of time, talents, and resources, the Mission of God that joins His work in the world, Invitation that welcomes those who are not yet part of the church, the Whole Gospel that announces abundant life now and eternal life to come, and Partnership that multiplies impact locally, regionally, and globally.
The Leadership Team
Lead Pastor Evan Imel came to Church in the Palms in 2019 as the Associate Pastor, and after nearly five years of discipling children, youth, and adults, he stepped into the role of Lead Pastor. He lives in the community with his wife, Courtney, and their two children, Abigail and Joshua. He is passionate about discipleship, belonging, and reaching beyond the church into the surrounding neighborhood, and he believes that the love of Christ is meant to be shared with friends, neighbors, and local organizations, not kept within four walls.
Worship and Arts Pastor Julius Sanna brings more than 35 years of ministry experience to the team. He has served as an Outreach Director, Worship Director, Youth Pastor, and Church Planter, and his leadership style emphasizes authentic relationships and gradual development of the worship team. Julius and his wife, Julia, have been married for 24 years and have four children, and his family actively supports his ministry through prayer and through serving with their own musical gifts. He envisions Church in the Palms as a place where people from every generation and background can worship together, with musicians, poets, and dancers uniting in worship.
Plan a Visit to Church in the Palms
The church is located at 3812 Jog Road, Greenacres, FL 33467. The phone number is (561) 967-2567, and email reaches the office at office@churchinthepalms.com. Online giving is available through a secure portal, the sermon library goes back years, and the church can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube under Church in the Palms.
For first-time visitors, the church offers a Plan Your Visit page with information about what to expect, where to park, and how children and youth are cared for during the service. Greeters welcome newcomers at the door, the worship team leads contemporary music, and the message is designed to be practical and rooted in Scripture. Childcare is available for infants and toddlers, Sonshine Island welcomes kids from Pre-K through fifth grade, and Student Ministry gathers middle and high schoolers after the service in Room 115. The facility is wheelchair accessible, parking is free, and the building is easy to find on Jog Road. Whether someone is exploring faith for the first time or has been a believer for decades, the church extends the same grace and welcome, and the invitation is the same one the church has carried since it began: love God, love others, and live the love.