Darlene Garner first
entered MCC in 1976 and has served as a Church Treasurer, Lay Delegate,
and Assistant District Coordinator before being credentialed as MCC
clergy in 1988. She has served as Associate Pastor of MCC in
Philadelphia, PA; Pastor of MCC in Baltimore, MD; and Senior Pastor of
MCC of Northern Virginia. She has been the convener of MCC’s
Conferences for African-American Leaders since 1998. Garner has
been a member of the Board of Elders since 1993 and is now the Elder for
Region 6, (the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and
South America).
Garner is a long-time community activist, having
served as Executive Director of the Philadelphia Mayor’s
Commission on Sexual Minorities; member of the Philadelphia Human
Relations Commission; founding co-chair of the National Coalition of
Black Lesbians and Gays; Chair of the first International Conference for
Gay and Lesbian People of Color; AIDS chaplain and
activist.
Darlene has four children, seven grandchildren and one
great-grandchild.
