Forma Leadership

Sarah Bentley Allred

Sarah Bentley Allred is the Senior Formation Associate for Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS). Her portfolio includes serving as the Building Faith Editor and the Forma Convener.

Sarah grew up in a small church in the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia where she participated in everything from the Christmas pageant to the children’s choir. During college, she began her formal ministry with young people as a counselor and then chaplain at Camp Kanuga.

Since college, Sarah has served in the area of children and youth ministries in three congregations and received an MDiv from Virginia Theological Seminary. In addition to her work with VTS, Sarah serves as a Godly Play Trainer, leads MasterClasses for Vibrant Faith, and serves on the Commission on Ministry in the Diocese of North Carolina.

When not working, she enjoys exploring the world with her husband, Richard, and their dog, Grace. She loves local coffee shops, board games, long naps, the beach, and writing. Learn more at sarahbentleyallred.com.

Wallace Benton

Meet Wallace Benton, who grew up at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church outside of Atlanta, Georgia as a precocious, loud, and mischievous child. When he graduated high school, he continued his education at Georgia Institute of Technology (the one true college in the state of Georgia) and studied International Affairs with the expectation that international law was in his future. After graduating and a stint working for a law firm, Wallace found himself volunteering and then, employed, as the Youth Minister at St. Edward’s Episcopal Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Currently, Wallace serves as the Youth Director at St. David’s in Roswell.

You may recognize Wallace as a member of Forma’s Council of Advice. He is also highly involved with EYCDIOATL (Episcopal Youth Community of the Diocese of Atlanta). Listen to him as one of the hosts on their podcast about youth ministry.

Wallace felt a call to serve others while serving as a high school team member at the middle school retreat weekend, New Beginnings. It was one of the few opportunities where he got to choose to serve, instead of being told to serve others or the Church. New Beginnings served to be a jumping off place for his relationship with God and the Church, and it also kept him connected to the church during his college years.

Wallace offers one piece of advice for new Christian formation people: “Connect as much as possible. I would not have had success in youth ministry without remembering the people who supported, challenged, and taught me along the way. Even if there aren’t people in your area or diocese you can talk to about your ministry, reach out to other local formation people from other denominations for advice about what works and what doesn’t. Forma has been a phenomenal outlet for me to learn and observe formation people from around the country who have been doing ministry longer than I have been alive.”

Wallace Benton enjoys spending time with his wife and rival youth minister, Sally; playing hide-and-go-seek with his dog, Bishop; hiking; and reading. He believes that relationships are the most important aspect of his ministry with youth and their families and puts diocesan ministry as a cornerstone of his own ministry.

Christine Fentress-Gannon

Chris (she/her/hers) is a native New Yorker, born and raised, who transplanted to Michigan almost twenty years ago, serving churches and centers in and around the Birmingham, MI area. Ordained to the Priesthood during the pandemic she continues to serve as the Associate for Formation and Outreach at St. James Episcopal Church, where she has been for eleven years.

A favorite when playing “2 Truths and a Lie” with any group of new people, Chris often shares that she is a graduate of the New York City Police Academy in 1987. While walking beats in Times Square and Chinatown she earned two commendations. And that would be one of the ‘truths,’ although she admits that it seems like a lifetime ago!

She grew up Roman Catholic and was extremely active in the church but quickly realized that as a lesbian her gifts and talents were not fully welcome. Finding more opportunities to serve in the Presbyterian Church (USA) she worked with youth and young adults and began the ordination process. Chris attained her Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2002. She found her way ‘back home’ into the Episcopal Church through St. James in 2010 in the Diocese of Michigan.

The pandemic has reignited for Chris the importance of the church’s need of a focus on its digital ministry and presence, exploring the ways in which we can creatively and effectively use technology to continue the work of Christ and the church in the world.

Chris has spent her entire career working in non-profits as a reference/computer assistant in a public library, in child guidance and teen center work, and with day camp and after school programs. Sharing the words of Kenda Creasy Dean, one of Chris’ seminary professors, Chris wholeheartedly believes that “the church’s job is to till the soil, prepare the heart, ready the mind, still the soul, and stay awake so we notice where God is on the move, and follow.”

Chris and her wife, Sara, have three young adult children and two rescue dogs. When not hosting backyard BBQs or creating charcuterie boards for ‘book club,’ they enjoy vacations at the beach with friends and family. Let’s go Mets!

Emily Gowdy Canady

Meet Emily Gowdy Canady (she/her/hers) who was born in Charlotte, NC and now lives in New Bern, NC. She graduated from Converse College with a BA in History and French and went on to earn an M.Ed in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Auburn University. Growing up at St. John's Episcopal Church in Charlotte (she was baptized, confirmed, and married there), she remembers many Sundays around the age five of being allowed to use her dad’s Cross pen to draw on the bulletin during the sermon. She enjoys crafts and cooking and is a dedicated runner with three half-marathons under her belt.

A member of Forma for seven years, for a long time she didn't think it included youth ministers. Once she learned it did, she was excited to be part of the organization. Forma has provided her with “an incredible network of colleagues across the church. Forma has given me some of my closest friends and partners in ministry. I am forever grateful for those gifts.”

Emily recently became the Missioner for Lifelong Christian Formation in the Diocese of East Carolina after ten years serving youth, young adults, and campus ministry in that diocese. Prior to that she served as a youth minister at St. Columba's in Washington, DC. In 2017 she earned the Certificate in Lifelong Formation through Forma and Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS). Focusing on lifelong Christian formation has been fun and energizing. One of the things Emily has loved most during this time of COVID has been making more connections with parishes and connecting congregations to each other. She offers a monthly Zoom gathering for formation folks at two different times to accommodate as many schedules as possible.

"The first year takes a year," was the advice given to Emily by the rector who hired her at St. Columba's; she passes that wisdom along to those who begin a new ministry. “I have always taken it to mean you can't do it all in the first year. You still have to learn where the copier is and remember the WIFI password. You have to take the time to learn people's names and listen to their stories. You have to see what works in the existing ministry to know what really works and what doesn't before you can jump in and change things.”

Psalm 139 has long been one of her favorite pieces of scripture. It speaks to her of the depth of God's relationship with each of us; God created us all in God's image and we are all remarkably made as a result. It reminds her, even in times that we have experienced this year, that God is never far, no matter how far away from God we might feel. Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. (vs. 7-10)

Even in this crazy time, as Emily is at home most days (like most of us) working while her kids are in remote school, she looks forward to the extra time with them. She has found out so much more about them, more insights into their personalities, and has been fascinated to see how they learn. She will be glad when they can go back to in-person school on a regular basis – it's not a picnic every day – but she has been able to see a whole new side of both of them.

Kate Huston

Kate is the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma.

Kate first felt a call to professional lay ministry in the Episcopal Church while in college and serving as a counselor at St. Crispin’s Camp and Conference Center before going on to work as the youth minister at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Kate grew up in SW Oklahoma City and attended the University of Oklahoma where she received her BA and MA in Political Science. In 2015, Kate received a Certificate in Leadership in Lifelong Formation from FORMA (the network for Christian Formation in the Episcopal Church) and Virginia Theological Seminary. Kate has also served as the Assistant Secretary of Convention for the Diocese of Oklahoma, Secretary of Province VII, and as a Deputy to General Convention in 2012, 2015, and 2018. Kate is passionate about forming disciples and working with young people in the church.

Kate has one daughter, Brigid, and you can usually find them cooking together in the kitchen, reading a book, or watching a movie. Their family also includes Sully, a rescue Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Shepherd mix, and Oliver, the tabby cat.

Board Term ends: Jan. 2021 - is able to extend to 2024

Patrick Kangrga

Meet Patrick Christopher Kangrga (he/him/his), whose start in ministry was through the Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) in the dioceses of Maryland and Massachusetts. For two years he had the opportunity to “try on” youth ministry and found it to be “the most challenging and craziest thing I ever did. I absolutely loved it.” Born and raised in Arkansas, he has lived and worked in ministry in Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, California, and Mississippi. He currently resides in Jackson, MS where he ministers with 6^th-12^th graders as Director of Youth Ministries at St. James’ Episcopal Church. Most of his free time is spent with his partner, Laura, their dog, Sunday, and recent rescue cat, Jackson.

Patrick didn’t grow up going to church and didn’t really participate in a faith community until his young adult years. However, an early memory that sticks with him is from late in elementary school or middle school when he attended a neighborhood friend’s church around Christmas time when everyone sang “Go Tell It On the Mountain” around a piano.

During his second year with ESC in 2014, his host site supported the cost of his attending his first Forma conference. Since then, Forma “has given me a network of colleagues who I look to for inspiration and trust and whom I respect immensely – not to mention a group of people whose friendship and partnership I find invaluable.” Patrick has been an integral part of Forma in recent years as part of the conference planning team and was appointed to the Council in January 2020. His words of wisdom to anyone in the formation field: “You are not alone. You don’t have to do it alone. Reach out and connect to people. Reach out and connect with lay people and colleagues in your congregation. Reach out and connect with other ministers of all kinds and orders in your city and diocese or region. And reach out to the wider network of ministers available to you through the whole of your denomination. For me, Forma has been the best place to do that and the start to being able to find connections and networks other ways as well.”

At the moment Patrick is listening to a lot of Christmas music, including Mariah Carey’s “Joy to the World,” and one or possibly a dozen too many Hallmark movies. When the world is not in the midst of a pandemic, Patrick loves to travel domestically and internationally. Asked what his claim to fame might be, he shared that he learned to scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef. But then came this caveat: “Honestly, I don’t know that I want a ‘claim to fame.’ Don’t get me wrong, I want to live a unique and adventurous life. I am ambitious in my work and ministry. If people remember anything about me after my time on this world, I hope that it is that I was a loving and faithful person, I constantly strived to be better, and I failed miserably at it – but I got up each day and tried again and prayed to God for help. I hope I would be seen as one who was a fierce advocate for youth and other people, as well as a half-decent manifestation of God’s love. I really think that would suffice. But it’s also really hard work. The hardest work I know. “

Marvin McLennon

Meet Marvin McLennon (he/him/his), a “cradle” Episcopalian born and raised in Little Rock, AR where he grew up attending St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. After high school, he went to Hendrix College, a liberal arts school in Conway, AR where he studied communications with an emphasis in broadcast journalism. After graduating in 2013, he joined the Episcopal Service Corps in Baton Rouge, LA. Moving back to Little Rock in 2016, Marvin began working at Christ Episcopal Church where he is today, serving as the Director of Children’s and Youth Ministries. The favorite parts of his ministry are the surprising deep conversations that occur in youth group. Seeing the gears turn in young people’s heads and watching them connect the dots months later is very rewarding.

In his free time, you’ll find Marvin playing “Dungeons and Dragons” and other board games along with spending time with friends. He plays guitar and also nerds out over video games and comics. While he enjoys reading, he has a bad habit of starting one book and then another, and then another without finishing any of them. While currently watching season 2 of The Umbrella Academy, he claims his (unfinished?) reading stack includes How to Ruin Everything (a collection of essays by musician and poet George Watsky), The Art of Gathering by Prya Parker, and Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff.

Marvin has been a member of Forma since 2016. He shares, “Forma has been an invaluable

resource that has given me so many wonderful ideas and has helped me form so many wonderful friendships that I am grateful for. I come back from every Forma meeting feeling rejuvenated, reminding me that I am a part of a large, wonderful Episcopal family.” He encourages others who are new to their formation ministries to spend their first year building relationships with your youth, children, and their families.

Some of Marvin’s earliest memories of church include sitting with his family during worship, playing in the pews with his friends, and hearing the choir sing while watching the organ director’s hand frantically conducting just above the back wall of the altar. He regularly attended youth group as soon as he was old enough, was a member of the youth council in the Diocese of Arkansas while in high school, and during his college summers worked as a counselor at Camp Mitchell. You can understand why Marvin might say the Episcopal Church has always been a part of his life.

One of Marvin’s favorite Bible stories is from 1 Kings 19. After strong winds and an earthquake, Elijah hears God in the silence. It reminds him to strive to slow down and try to be truly present in quiet moments. One way that helps him is an app (1 Second Every Day ) he discovered in 2019 that encourages you to record one second a day. He has been doing it ever since. Continuing this practice in 2020 has helped him look back at all the special occurrences that do happen every day.

If you ever get a chance to meet Marvin in person, ask him about the cookbook he published with three college buddies - The College Guide to Smoothies. Turns out he is a wiz at combining unusual items from a campus cafeteria and turning them into pretty good smoothies.

Missy Morain

Ms. Missy Morain has been a lay professional in the Episcopal Church for 20 years, currently serving as the Director for Program Ministry at The Parish of St. Matthew, in Pacific Palisades, CA, part of the Diocese of Los Angeles, where her work grows out of her passion for life-long Christian formation. At St. Matt's she engages in ministry with parish school students, the parish summer day camp, attempting to corral 300+ members of the parish BSA program, engaging in digital innovation, and coordinating life-long formation programming. She also currently produces the 6 camera, live stream worship services each week. Missy has led Forma’s advocacy efforts at General Convention and beyond for more than a decade, focusing on Christian formation and lay/clergy employment issues, and she is delighted to return to the Forma board for another term. Missy lives in Los Angeles, where she loves riding her bike to work, keeping her local independent bookstore in business, and being a fairy godmother.

Br. Ángel Gabriel Roque, BSG

Angel Gabriel Was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Studied Classic Arts in the capital city Of San Juan from the age of six where he specialized in classical painting, history of the arts and specialized in Ceramic sculpturing. . Angel moved from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in the fall of 2003 where he studied culinary arts and management at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, International School of Culinary Arts. Angel Worked as a chef, sous chef, baker in restaurants, hotels in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Angel also volunteered and worked full time with youth and young adults as a HIV prevention counselor for Mpowerment sponsored by the CDC. Angel worked as a Youth Pastor at St. Mary Magdalen in Coral Springs/Parkland Florida for approx. 3 years. Later, Angel was called to become the Director of Parish Ministries at Saint Bernard de Clairvaux Episcopal Church in North Miami Beach Florida. He held the office of President and senior verger for the R. K. Rollason Convocation of Vergers of the Diocese of Southeast Florida. In his former Diocese he was also an active member of the Young Adult Ministry and a member of YAM Council. Before his move to NM Angel worked full time in Behavioral Health as a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist for the South Florida Wellness Network and was stationed in Henderson Behavioral Health’s Crisis Unit specializing in substance addictions with special focus on Opiate addiction, Sexual Trauma and eating disorders. Currently Br. Angel is a Board member of Care Resource, an agency that was formed to provide a response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 1984 and that still serves communities in need in Southeast Florida. Angel also serves as a member of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music of The Episcopal Church (SCLM) appointed to the Subcommittee on the Calendar. In January 2021 Angel accepted the call to serve the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande as the Diocesan Missioner for Youth and Young Adults, working with youth, Young Adult groups, youth ministers, campus ministries, formation creation and camp ministries for the Diocese. Angel arrived in the city of Albuquerque on Holy Wednesday of 2021 with his very fluffy dog KOKO. Angel is also a Professed Brother of The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory, an Episcopal Religious Community and worships at, his home parish The Cathedral Church of St. John in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Melina Smith

Melina Luna Smith is the founder of StoryMakers NYC.

I enjoy mixing together ministry, creativity, and imagination with the hope of creating Gospel content for niños.

Over the last 10 years, I have dabbled in interiors, and floral design, with the constant backdrop of children’s ministry at Calvary St. George’s Church. Over the years, I have loved gathering and working with artists with the intention of retelling the stories of the Bible. I have thought over the years, why hasn’t design, beauty, and imagination been maximized when sharing the greatest stories ever told.

Together with a team of writers, artists, and jacks-of-all-trades, we are humbly approaching the Bible with the intent to create content to foster connection and more fun. Our team believes that when we play, imagine, and create together, learning takes deep roots.