Our Elder
Rev. Tawanna B. Harris
Presiding Elder, Albany–Thomasville District
A Pastoral Welcome
A Word from Our Presiding Elder
Welcome to the Albany–Thomasville District. It is both a joy and a sacred privilege to serve alongside the pastors, laity, young people, and congregations who make up this connectional family across Southwest Georgia.
I believe the church is called to be more than present in a community; we are called to be faithful, fruitful, and engaged. Our work is to strengthen congregations, develop leaders, nurture disciples, and extend the ministry of Jesus Christ beyond our walls. We are committed to being open for God’s business through fellowship, worship, discipleship, stewardship, and service.
As we move forward together, my prayer is that each congregation will continue becoming a vibrant, welcoming, spiritually grounded church that knows its community, embraces its mission, and equips people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. There is meaningful work before us, and we will do it together—connected in faith and committed to the communities God has entrusted to our care.
Moving Forward: It’s What Disciples Do.
Her Journey
Biography
Rev. Tawanna B. Harris grew up in Newark, New Jersey. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Bloomfield College and a Master of Divinity degree, with a concentration in New Testament Studies, from the Phillips School of Theology at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Rev. Harris accepted her call to the preaching ministry in 2000 under the pastorate of Rev. Marshall J. Jenifer at Phillips Metropolitan Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Newark. She preached her official initial sermon in 2001 and served the congregation in numerous areas of ministry, including Christian education, youth and young adult ministry, technology ministry, and as Assistant to the Pastor. She was ordained a Traveling Deacon in 2005 and received her Traveling Elder’s orders in 2007.
Her pastoral ministry has included service at St. Phillip’s CME Church in Cusseta, Georgia, and Austin Chapel CME Church in Waycross, Georgia. She currently serves as Pastor of Usher’s Temple CME Church in Fort Valley, Georgia, Presiding Elder of the Albany–Thomasville District, and Bold Steps Captain for the Sixth Episcopal District.
Beyond the local church, Rev. Harris has served in ministerial formation, chaplaincy, civic leadership, education, and organizational leadership. Her experience includes service as Chair of the Committee on Ministerial Examination for the South Georgia Region, Clinical Chaplain with the Georgia Department of Corrections, Certified Police Chaplain, and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees for the Waycross–Ware County Public Library. Her professional background also includes technology, systems administration, business operations, counseling, and adult education.
Her ministry is undergirded by Philippians 3:14 and a continuing commitment to press toward God’s calling with faith, purpose, and perseverance.
Rev. Harris is married to Brother Guy Harris, her husband and ministry partner, who serves as a 6th Episcopal District Ministry to Men Leader. Together, they seek to be and develop effective kingdom citizens. They are the proud parents of seven children and six grandchildren.
Faithful Leadership
Ministry Philosophy
I understand ministry as a sacred partnership with God and with the people God has entrusted to our care. Faithful ministry must be spiritually grounded, relational, connectional, and responsive to the real needs of people and communities.
I believe discipleship is more than church membership. It is the ongoing work of becoming more like Christ and allowing that transformation to shape how we worship, lead, serve, give, build relationships, and engage the world around us. For that reason, I value ministry that equips people rather than simply keeping them busy, develops leaders rather than concentrating responsibility in a few hands, and measures faithfulness not only by what happens inside the church but also by the difference the church makes beyond its walls.
I also believe healthy ministry requires both spiritual sensitivity and thoughtful stewardship. Prayer, worship, biblical formation, organization, accountability, creativity, and wise use of resources belong together. When churches are spiritually alive, well-led, connected to one another, and attentive to their communities, they are positioned to become vibrant witnesses of the gospel.
Moving Forward Together
Vision for the District
My vision is for the Albany–Thomasville District to be a strong connectional family of vibrant churches that know who they are, understand the communities they serve, and are equipped to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
We are moving toward a district in which congregations are strengthened, leaders are developed, discipleship is intentional, stewardship is practiced faithfully, and community engagement is understood as essential to the church’s mission. Our churches should be places of worship and spiritual formation, but also places of hope, service, leadership, and transformation.
The quadrennial call to be “Open for God’s Business” gives us a practical framework for that work: Fellowship, Worship, Discipleship, and Stewardship. Our task is to translate those commitments into healthy local churches, stronger connectional relationships, and meaningful ministry throughout Southwest Georgia.
A Life of Service
Leadership & Ministry Experience
Leadership & Ministry
- Presiding Elder — Albany–Thomasville District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
- Pastor — Usher’s Temple CME Church, Fort Valley, Georgia
- Bold Steps Captain — Sixth Episcopal District of the CME Church
- Pastor — Austin Chapel CME Church, Waycross, Georgia
- Pastor — St. Phillip’s CME Church, Cusseta, Georgia
- Assistant to the Pastor — Phillips Metropolitan CME Church, Newark, New Jersey
- Instructor for Ministers on Trial — Sixth Episcopal District Christian Training Institute
- Chair — Committee on Ministerial Examination, South Georgia Region
- Clinical Chaplain — Georgia Department of Corrections
- Certified Police Chaplain and former Waycross Police Department Citizens Auxiliary Officer
- Former Chairperson — Board of Trustees, Waycross–Ware County Public Library
- Experience in education, technology, systems administration, business operations, counseling, and organizational leadership
Education & Ministerial Credentials
- Master of Divinity, concentration in New Testament Studies — Phillips School of Theology, Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, Georgia
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration — Bloomfield College, Bloomfield, New Jersey
- Associate-level study in Accounting — Halifax Community College, Weldon, North Carolina
- One unit of Clinical Pastoral Education — Academy for Public Theology
- Ordained Traveling Elder, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church — 2007
- Ordained Traveling Deacon, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church — 2005
- Certified Police Chaplain
Connect
Contact
Albany–Thomasville District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Presiding ElderRev. Tawanna B. Harris
Service AreaSouthwest Georgia