Meet Our new Sr. Pastor:
Rev. Dr. Otto Harris
Effective July 01, 2023
The Reverend Otto D. Harris III, Ph.D. understands and accepts his call to be a steward and shepherd of souls and to lead disciples in making disciples of Jesus Christ.
He serves on the Metro District Committee on Ordained Ministry, the Western North Carolina Conference Committee on Episcopacy, the Board of Directors for Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center, the Board of Directors for AldersgateContinuing Care Retirement Community, the Charlotte Area Board of the American Cancer Society, and the Board of Directors for the General Board of Church and Society. He serves as the Elections Secretary for the Southeastern Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church. He served as the interim director of the Comprehensive Plan of Equity for the Western North Carolina Conference for The United Methodist Churchand as one of the directors of the Western North Carolina Residency in Ordained Ministry (RIOM) process.
He is a recipient of the Chief's Award from the Greensboro Police Department, of the Hood Theological Seminary Alumae Award for Excellence in Pastoral Ministry, and of the President's Volunteer Service Award.
He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the North Carolina A&T State University, a Master of Divinity degree from the Hood Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Studies with a concentration in Cultural Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He has participated in the Royce and Jane Reynolds Leadership Academy for Evangelism and Discipleship and the Royce and Jane Reynolds Program in Church Leadership. He serves as an adjunct faculty member of the Hood Theological Seminary.
He is an ordained Elder in Full Connection to the Western North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He was appointed as the pastor of the St. Mary's UMC in Walnut Cove, NC in 2004, of the Union Memorial United Methodist Church in 2007, and of the St. Mark's United Methodist Church in 2015.
Otto is a devoted husband to Stephanie and loving father to three children - Otto IV, Alanah, and Gabriel. He considers it a great privilege to be a servant in God’s kingdom and is comforted in knowing that his, “…help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2)