Pastor & Leadership

Rev. Dr. Myra M. Taylor

Rev. Dr. Myra M. Taylor is the former Senior Pastor of Galewood Community United Church of Christ in Chicago, IL. As a Chicago native and a product of the Cabrini Green Housing Projects in Chicago, one of Myra’s favorite Bible verses is, John 1:46, “Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Myra received her primary and secondary education through the Chicago Public School System, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from North Park University, Chicago, IL; a Master of Divinity degree (Cum Laude) from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA; and she has a Doctor of Ministry degree in “Womanist Preaching” from Memphis Theological Seminary in Memphis, TN.

Myra grew up with a passion for singing God’s praises. She sang in the young adult choir and gospel chorus at First Baptist Congregational Church (Chicago) under the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. Arthur D. Griffin, Sr. In 1991, Myra joined Trinity United Church of Christ and joined the Sanctuary choir as well as sang with a women’s ensemble known as “S.P.I.R.I.T.” (Sistahs Praising God in Song). She did not pursue a ministry/career in music because she believed God was preparing her for a different ministry platform. After accepting her call to move to another level of ministry, Myra was ordained as a deacon in 1998 under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., Pastor Emeritus of Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago.

As her spiritual journey continued, Myra completed her internship at Covenant United Church of Christ, South Holland, IL. After seminary she served as Justice & Witness Minister under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Ozzie E. Smith Jr., until her call and Dr. Smith’s blessing to become Senior Pastor of Galewood Community United Church of Christ in 2015. Rev. Myra was ordained in February 2019.

Myra is a former Dean of Students with Chicago Public Schools. Although she accepted the call to Pastor, Myra believed that her ministry was also within the Chicago Public School System advocating for the protection, rights, and proper funding for students. Myra is the first Black Woman Senior Pastor (founder and organizer) to plant a United Church of Christ church in the state of Arizona – Southwest Conference. New Hope UCC Church of Phoenix launched on Palm Sunday, April 2, 2023.