Canon Myra B. Garnes

The Episcopal Church Department of Faith Formation is pleased to announce the hire of Canon Myra B. Garnes as its new officer for youth ministry. Garnes was selected after a full search and discernment process and subsequent interviews conducted with the help of a search committee. She begins her role May 2.

Garnes served most recently as the canon for youth and young adult ministries in the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. Prior to her arrival in New York, she was the director of the Cathedral Scholars Program at the Washington (D.C.) National Cathedral and also served as an academic class dean and director of multicultural education at the National Cathedral School. Garnes was installed as an honorary canon to the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, New York, on Sept. 26, 2015.

She has served the larger church in several capacities, including as the Province II Youth Ministry Network coordinator, a youth ministry liaison for the church’s Office of Youth Ministry, and as a board member of Forma, a ministry of The Episcopal Church Foundation, among other roles. During the church’s 2015 General Convention, Garnes was honored with the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministries.

“This is an exciting hire and a terrific gift to youth ministry in The Episcopal Church,” said The Rev’d E. Mark Stevenson, canon to the presiding bishop for Ministry Within The Episcopal Church. “Myra brings fresh talent, energy, and perspective to a program that is one of the most important things we do as a church. I am looking forward to seeing where she helps lead us all.”

In addition, Garnes is an experienced social justice educator with extensive training and experience on issues of diversity, multiculturalism, leadership, and student development. She has served in leadership roles at multiple colleges and universities, and as a facilitator for the Anti-Defamation League’s A World of Difference Institute, The LeaderShape Institute, and the National Coalition Building Institute’s Prejudice Reduction and Leadership Models.

In her role as officer for youth ministry, Garnes will help support ministries with teens and those who work with teens across the Episcopal Church. Among other tasks, she will oversee the international Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) and Evento de Jóvenes Episcopales (EJE), train leaders and grow relationships within the Episcopal Youth Ministry Network, work with the Youth Ministry Council of Advice, and support the General Convention Official Youth Presence.

“I am thrilled that Myra will be joining the Faith Formation team. She brings a vast amount of experience and expertise, as well as a passion and commitment to this work and ministry,” said The Rev’d Shannon Kelly, director of Faith Formation. “Throughout the interview process it was evident that she is excited to dream and discern with the church how ministries with young people should grow and change given what we learned from the EYE/EJE Report and Recommendations as well as how our world has changed since COVID.”

The search committee comprised Paris Ball, The Rev’d Randy Callender, The Rev’d Annelise Castro, The Rev’d Israel Portilla Gómez, The Rt Rev’d Jennifer Reddall, Mildred Reyes, and The Rev’d Karen Schlabach.

“Their wisdom and commitment to finding a new officer for youth ministry for this moment in the church and in the world guided our interviews and discernment,” Kelly said. “I am deeply grateful for their work that has led us to this hire.”