The Rt. Rev’d Walter R. Banek is the Rector of Good Shepherd Church & School in Tyler, Texas.  He has served at this parish since 1981, initially as Headmaster of the parish school. In 1992 he was called to be the Rector. Bp. Walter holds a Bachelor of Arts in Bible-Theology from Moody Bible Institute, and a Master of Divinity from Cummins Theological Seminary, REC.  He has served on numerous boards and committees in the Reformed Episcopal Church. He was consecrated as a Bishop in the Church on August 23, A.D. 2017, and serves as Suffragan Bishop in the Diocese of Mid-America, REC, and as a member of the College of Bishops in the Anglican Church of North America.

Bishop Banek and his wife Nelda met while at Moody. Nelda Banek has served at Good Shepherd as a teacher, administrator, organist/music director. She is the author of the comprehensive Aelfred Rex Bible Story Book and has also written a companion curriculum for churches, parish schools and home schools. The Baneks have raised seven children (three adopted from Russia) and have been blessed with twenty grandchildren.

The Rev’d. Dr. Charles D. Erlandson is the Assistant Rector at Good Shepherd and an Instructor at Cranmer Theological House and head of the department of Church History.  He also oversees the External Studies Program of CTH. Fr. Erlandson served as Rector of an REC parish in Arkansas for five years before returning to Good Shepherd to teach in its high school and serve as assistant rector. Fr. Erlandson and his wife Jackie have six children and rejoice in their three grandchildren.  Fr. Erlandson also writes a daily Bible devotional, available online or through e-mail subscription, called Give Us This Day. He is the author of Orthodox Anglican Identity: The Complexity of Religious Identities in a Post-Modern World; Take This Cup: How God Transforms Suffering into Glory and Joy; and Love Me, Love My Wife: 10 Reasons Christians Must Join a Local Church.

Mr. Christopher Hoyt is the organist and choir director at Good Shepherd Church, and also teaches at Good Shepherd School. Good Shepherd has been home to Christopher since 1998, when his parents first moved to Tyler to begin working at the school. A graduate of Good Shepherd, he is glad to have returned and to serve at the parish where he was raised.

Mr. Hoyt is Adjunct Professor of Sacred Music at Cranmer Theological House. He holds a Master of Sacred Music degree from Southern Methodist University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Music Composition from the Royal College of Music in London, and a Bachelor of Music in Music Composition from the University of North Texas. He is certified as a Colleague (CAGO) of the American Guild of Organists. Mr. Hoyt served as the project manager and general editor of the Reformed Episcopal hymnal, The Book of Common Praise (2017). He is a professional composer and the author of several hymns.