Emily serves as our church secretary and also is a member of the Praise & Worship Team.

Emily was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She and her family moved to Hope Mills when she began her freshman year in High School. After graduation from Hope Mills High in 1971, she obtained her cosmetology license and worked as a stylist. She then moved to Southport, North Carolina, where she met and married Don Garris and became a stay-at-home mother.

Emily and her family lived in Florida, New York, and Virginia before returning to North Carolina in 1989 when Don retired from the United States Coast Guard. Emily began working at Crossroads in 2000.

Emily and Don have five children: Don Jr., Sam, Jerry, Ryan, and Amy. They have four grandchildren: Caleb, Jonah, Luke and Julie. They have two son-in-laws, Greg and Tim, and one daughter-in-law, Anne. Their children live in Durham, Ocracoke, Sanford, and Birmingham, Alabama.

Emily is very dedicated to her family. She feels that being a mother and grandmother is her main purpose in life. She is also very proud of her work as the Secretary at Crossroads Ministries. As a member of the church since 1995, she is excited about the growth Crossroads has experienced, and is honored to work with such dedicated leaders.