Tributes to Fr. Harris

The Parish of Trinity Church paid tribute to the Rev. Lyndon Harris, associate for ministry at St. Paul's Chapel, on Tuesday October 8, ahead of Fr. Harris's return to the General Theological Seminary, New York, to complete his doctoral studies.

From left to right: The Rev. Samuel Johnson Howard, vicar, the Rev. Dr. Frederic Burnham, director of Trinity Institute, the Rev. Gayanne Silver, associate for education ministries, the Rev. Lyndon Harris, associate for worship at St. Paul's, the Rev. Dr. Daniel P. Matthews, rector, and Mr. David Jette, head verger, at a parish gathering saying farewell to Fr. Harris.

Fr. Harris was recruited to the parish in 2001 to begin a new ministry to young people at the 18th-century chapel, but the attack on the World Trade Center across the street, a week before the formal launch of the ministry, forced the cancellation of the plans.

St. Paul's was closed to the public and opened to rescue and recovery workers, serving for eight months as a refuge from ground zero, where meals, counseling, and health services were available. Fr. Harris achieved nationwide renown for his role at St. Paul's.

Speaking at the Trinity farewell, the Rev. Samuel Johnson Howard, vicar, spoke of Fr. Harris warmly. "It's been a privilege and an honor to work with Lyndon," he concluded.

Head verger David Jette told Fr. Harris: "In a way you created for us the Annunciation. You brought St. Paul's out of its dusty past. into something new." The Rev. Gayanne Silver, associate for worship and education ministries, noted how Fr. Harris had been challenged in both his Trinity ministries by a steep learning curve. "God has got many things in store for you," she told him.

The Rev. Dr. Frederic Burnham, director of the Trinity Institute and an authority on the eight-month ministry at St. Paul's, cited Fr. Harris's "ability to adapt" and "to ride with the punches," but said that, above all, "he was just plain an authentic and faithful presence."

As for his the next step -- completing his dissertation - Dr. Burnham said of Fr. Harris that his previous training and his ministry at St. Paul's had prepared him, and "now you are the person who can put all that together and reflect upon its meaning to the church in the 21st century."

Fr. Harris said he was "flattered, honored, and very humbled" by the comments. However, he saw the ministry to ground zero workers as an example of "all of us working together. it's something that came to us and together we made it happen. It just about killed us, but it was a great privilege."

Fr. Harris will also undertake teaching duties at General.

Fr. Harris has also been awarded the Young Alumnus of the Year award from his alma mater, Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and the "Faithful Alum" award from the seminary at which he trained for the priesthood, the School of Theology at the University of Sewanee.

Posted on October 9, 2002