MINISTER & SUPPORT STAFF BIOS
Byron Fike - Preaching Minister
Byron’s primary responsibility is to help the church stay focused on Jesus and following him. He does this through preaching and teaching, counseling and advising, praying and meditating, visiting and chatting, reading and studying (though not necessarily in this order!). Byron also functions as the lead minister by helping the ministerial staff work together as a team.
Byron has been married to his wonderful wife, Liz, since 1981. They have three grown children and seven grandchildren. (They are happy to share pictures and stories with anyone indicating even mild interest.) Byron has long considered his family to be his most important ministry.
Byron’s resume reads like an advertisement for the Harding family of schools. He holds a Master’s in Theology from Harding School of Theology, a Bachelor’s in Bible from Harding University and a high school diploma from Harding Academy. In the interest of full disclosure, it should be noted that all three of his children hold Bachelor’s degrees from Abilene Christian University.
Byron believes the best part of living in Houston is the ability to swim 7 to 8 months out of the year. In addition to swimming, he also enjoys walking his dog each day and playing guitar. His most passionate hobby is watching University of Alabama football and remembering the glory days of Coach Bear Bryant, when Byron sold Cokes, programs, and posters just to get into the games free. (Byron spent most of his formative years in Tuscaloosa.)
“I came to Clear Lake Church of Christ in December of 1999 completely convinced that God had called me to this work. After serving here all these years I believe our greatest days lie ahead of us. The elders are faithful and courageous. My fellow ministers are passionate and devoted. The congregation is welcoming and together we are all seeking to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit to reflect Jesus to each other, our friends, our community, and our world.”
“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” (Colossians 1:28-29)
Donna Stone - Student Minister
Donna is one of our youth ministers and has worked with our youth in a variety of roles – first as a volunteer and now on staff- over the past 28 years. While she is also a full-time teacher at Clear Brook High School, Donna partners with our full-time student minister (and all of our Refuge parents who are the “primary youth ministers”) to lead, teach, mentor, and disciple our CLCC 6th–12th grade students in spiritual growth and development.
Donna was raised in Sealy, Texas, as the third of four daughters born to Shirley and (the late) Bill Stone. She is the “favorite” aunt (of course!) of nine nieces and nephews. Over the years, Donna has unofficially adopted a few sons and daughters who she refers to as her “children by love if not by blood” – the best kind, she says, because she can spend time with them and spoil them… and then send them home to their parents.
After graduating from Sealy High School in 1981, Donna received a B.S.Ed from Abilene Christian University (1985) and an M.S.Ed from Baylor University (1986). The rest of her education has come from the School of Life.
If sleeping could be considered as a hobby, Donna would list it. But just in case, she also enjoys reading (or listening to audible books while she travels or works out), camping (although she doesn’t get to go often enough), and watching movies. Donna loves to sing and plays guitar, mostly to write songs that make fun of graduating seniors.
“It is easy to want to worship with and serve your family, and that is what CLCC is to me – my family. No family is perfect, of course, but I appreciate the way our members strive to love each other when things are good as well as when they are hard. I have seen firsthand the way this church shows their love through action, I believe our leadership is genuinely interested in following the leading of the Spirit. This is a church who helps me continue to grow my faith, and that’s why I’m all in.”
“Many years ago, I chose to take seriously the words of Jesus when He said the two most important commands are to love God and love my neighbor. (Mark 12:28-31) I strive to love others in a way that will draw people to the heart of God. But I know that my love has to be more than just “talk” so I also often remind myself of I John 3:16-18, where John says to ‘love with actions and in truth’.
Megan Romero - Social Media and Community Outreach
Megan Romero serves with our church staff on a part-time basis, to coordinate Community Outreach. In this role, she is involved in everything from event coordination to social media to any number of special projects, providing a face and a voice for our church in this community. Megan brings a unique set of gifts and experiences to this role, including hospitality management, involvement in our Hispanic and youth ministries, a strong track record of volunteering in community service organizations, boundless enthusiasm, and above all, a heart for serving God and encouraging and helping others.
Megan has been married to her husband Jonel Romero since 2013. Jonel and Megan have raised their children Alexander, Zachariah, and Sophia Poindexter together as a blended family in the El Camino South neighborhood since 2015. Prior to being remarried, Megan was a single mom who raised three children for over six years after divorcing her first husband. Megan knows first-hand the joys and trials of being a parent. She strives to lean into God for his guidance and grace. To be a role model for all to love God and others, with all of their hearts for all of their days.
Megan has a heart for living a life of intentionality. To be the hands and feet of Jesus. To rely on God for all that she needs to accomplish his will with her life. Yet despite her best intentions and efforts, she, like all of us is human and falls short of God’s glory. With God’s love and strength, she regularly brings her faults and failures to the foot of the cross for Jesus to mend.
Megan was raised learning about God intellectually but did not come into a close emotional relationship with God until 2015. CLCC holds a special place in Megan’s heart. For it is here at CLCC, where God has revealed his heart to Megan while healing hers. Megan would love the chance to get to know you and your heart. She wants you to know and believe, that regardless of where you find yourself in life, you are God's beloved child, fearfully, and wonderfully made. Most importantly, for everyone to know, that all people are welcome and essential in the Kingdom of God.
Marco Torres - Facilities Manager
Marco's main responsibility is to keep the building in good condition, working on small projects such as painting, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc. and coordinating larger projects that are necessary for the conservation, preservation and maintenance of the building.
Marco came to the United States in November 2016 and has been married to his amazing wife Ornella since 2007. They have two children, Diego and Natalia, who they feel are a gift from God. Marco considers his family to be the greatest source of inspiration that God has given him to keep moving forward.
Marco was born in Venezuela and obtained his diploma in Accounting and his Master's degree in Tax Management. He worked as an Auditor from 2000 to 2016. He feels that God has opened the way for him to gain new knowledge and the need to reinvent himself and learn new trades. Living in Houston has given him the opportunity to make a new start, continue in a church, have a job, take care of his family, and keep doing something that he thought impossible: practice his favorite sports, Judo and Water polo, in which he is the Pan American champion. He had the opportunity to represent the USA in the 2015 FINA Master World Water Polo Championship in Montreal, Canada, with Kaos Club of California, and in 2018 he represented the USA in the Master Pan American Championship with the South Florida Club in Orlando, Florida. Now he is a TASO and USA WP Referee. He currently plays for the HOPS Club, which he considers his new Water Polo family.
"I came to Clear Lake Church of Christ in May 2017. I remember Pastor Byron asking me, 'What are you looking for or what would you like to achieve in this church?', and, without, hesitation I answered, 'We are only looking for JESUS.'" To this day I say to myself: I have seen JESUS in the elderly, my co-workers, Hispanic Ministry, members of the congregation, in Byron and his family. I have definitely seen the love and grace of God in this church. It is good to know that the pastor works hard so that we understand that we must be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit to reflect Jesus among us, our friends, our community, and our world, and thus be able to reach all those who do not know God.”
Baili Bryson - Administrative Coordinator/MDO Office Coordinator
Baili Bryson is married to Josh Bryson and together they have four children. Baili found this church by first joining the Mother's Day Out Program where the three youngest attended for five years. She began working for MDO as the two's teacher for several years and is now the office coordinator. Her family recently became members of the church and they are so grateful for the extended family they gained and the love and acceptance they feel. In her free time, you will find her at the ball field, with all the little athletes, or crafting!
Carrie Colley - Communications/Office Manager/Campus Ministry (Ratio Christi)
Carrie’s responsibilities include managing the office, maintaining the website, and communicating what is happening within our church community through graphics, and written and electronic communication. Carrie also serves as the Campus Director at the University of Houston-Clear Lake for a nationwide ministry called Ratio Christi. RC is a unique ministry that focuses on Christian apologetics and aims to equip students with philosophical, historical, and scientific reasons for following Jesus.
Carrie has been married to Michael since 1994 and they have one daughter, Ella. Carrie’s mother also attends Clear Lake Church of Christ. Her extended family is mostly in Texas, Montana, and North Carolina.
Carrie graduated from Colorado State University with a B.S. in Business Administration.
Carrie loves animals and loves to travel. She would spend every vacation visiting a new zoo if she could.
“I chose to come to Clear Lake because my mom was attending, but I chose to stay because I saw a group of people really seeking God’s heart. There was no blind following of church doctrine or tradition. The leaders of this church strive to do things to God’s glory and are constantly going back to His word to seek truth. There is honesty and acceptance here that is hard to find anywhere else."
Sandra Reynolds - MDO Director
Originally from Colombia, and fluent in both English and Spanish, Sandra is our Director of the Mother's Day Out and Preschool Program. Sandra worked as an MDO teacher for 6 years and, because she has a heart and passion for working with children and their parents, both positions are a perfect fit.
Sandra has been a member of Clear Lake Church of Christ for over 20 years. She is happily married to Michael and together they have a wonderful son, David.
Sandra enjoys cooking, the outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.
“I came to Clear Lake by chance but I stayed by choice. Here I found a family of believers looking to honor God through the teaching of His word. There is no place I would rather be and no place I would rather raise my child”
Dalton Johnson - Student Minister
Dalton is our full-time Student Minister at Clear Lake Church of Christ. He works with 6th to 12th grade students and their families to help them grow and develop a lifelong faith. His work focuses on helping students establish an individual faith identity that they can take ownership of.
Dalton met his wife, Shelby, at Abilene Christian University, and they married in May of 2014. They have a son and daughter.
Dalton has a B.A. in Youth and Family Ministry from Abilene Christian University and an M.A. in Theological Studies from Austin Graduate School of Theology.
Dalton enjoys spending time with family, reading, playing disc golf, and making barbecue.
"Since my own time as a student in a student ministry I have felt a call into student ministry. The support I received navigating these formative years helped me through several significant challenges that are were far beyond my ability to undergo on my own. It was these experiences that left me with a passion for serving students in this phase of life. I followed this call first to ACU, then to Austin and Phoenix, before having God lead me to this place. Having pursued this call for over a decade it is obvious to me that God has been at work in me in the places I have served, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us here. I truly believe the battle for the hearts, and minds of our students is won or lost in these formative years, because I know firsthand the impact good student ministry can have in the lives of students. This church has a history of doing student ministry well, and I am so excited for the part I am getting to play in what God started here a long time ago."
Nancy Shanks - Bookkeeper
Nancy Shanks is married to Philip Shanks and together they share 6 children and 6 grandchildren. She has been a member of Clear Lake Church of Christ for 5 years.
She is recently retired from being a director for The Gymnast Factory for 20 years, she also has years of experience as an account manager for Revlon Inc, Halco Marketing, and Wells Fargo Bank. She enjoys singing with the praise team. Nancy has a passion for acting and musical theater. She is also a costumer for community theater.
Esmé Elkins - Interim Children's Minister
Esmé is the primary administrator of the children’s ministry. Her responsibilities include managing Sunday school. She plans to emphasize the spiritual development of our children through teaching, training, encouragement, and reflecting Jesus. Esmé is also responsible for connecting and communicating with families and
volunteers.
Esmé’s experience includes coordinating kids' ministry for five years in Ridgewood, New Jersey. She has been a substitute teacher for various districts around Houston since 2001. She enjoys using her design degree for social media marketing.
Esmé lives in Spring Branch in Northwest Houston with her husband, son, and 3 pets.
Services Simultaneously Interpreted for the Hearing Impaired
