James Harris

Superintendent James Harris Sr. age 92, departed this life and was called into eternal rest on March 3, 2021.

Superintendent James Harris Sr. was born in Greensboro, Florida, September 2, 1928. He was the fourth of eleven children born to the late Elder Emanuel and Sister Rosa Ella Gainous Harris. The family moved to Steubenville, Ohio when he was two months old. The family moved to Alliance, Ohio and then returned to Steubenville when he was 11years old. He graduated from Steubenville High School, “Big Red” in 1946. Supt. Harris served honorably in the United States Air Force from 1950 to 1954 as a Staff Sargent.

One Sunday in July 1948, Supt. James Harris met Herdasine Jones of Hamlet, North Carolina on the church door steps in Steubenville. They were united in holy matrimony on August 28, 1952, at the Burtonwood Air Force Base, in Warrington, England. Through the years they were blessed with six children.

Supt. James Harris received Biblical Training from Malone College in Canton, Ohio, where he studied Religion. He earned his Bachelors Degree in Religious Education in 1960. In 1963, the family moved to Cleveland, Ohio and Supt. Harris was employed by Cuyahoga County Department of Human Services. In 1968, he entered Case Western Reserve Graduate School of Applied Social Science, where he received a Master of Science in Social Administration (MSSA) degree in 1970. After graduation, he served as a member of the Nomination Committee at Malone College for several years and was Chairman for one year. In 1972, Superintendent Harris received a Certificate of Merit from Malone College Alumni Association for outstanding “Service to Alma Mater”, for the development of skill basics to his profession and for practicing the highest standards of professional and personal ethics in dedicated service to humanity. He returned to Malone College where he taught Introduction to Social Work for several years.

In October 1987, Supt. Harris retired from the Cuyahoga County Department of Human Services, having served 23 years as a Social Worker and Administrator in various departments. During his tenure there, he instituted a Night Placement Program for the homeless. Other positions he held were in the Nursing Home Division, where he served as a Social Worker, Coordinator of the Hough Euclid Neighborhood Service Center and Supervisor of Investigators in the Child Support Dept.

Supt. James Harris accepted the Lord in 1949. He was called to the ministry and was ordained in August 1961. In August of 1963, he was appointed Pastor of a store front church, Emmanuel Church of God in Christ, on Wade Park in Cleveland. The church moved to a larger edifice on Giddings Rd. In 1968, Supt. Harris was led to ask Supt. James Boyd to bring the Prayer Temple Church of God in Christ family to the church on Giddings Rd. The Emmanuel church then became a part of Prayer Temple with Supt. James Boyd as Pastor.

As God would have it, August 13, 1970, Supt. James Harris became the Pastor of Jefferson Community Church of God in Christ. It was common for Supt. Harris to lead the congregation in singing “I Will Make The Darkness Light”, I Never Shall Forget The Day” and “I Want To Be Ready – Walk In Jerusalem Just Like John”. During his pastorate, many seeds were planted, many lives were touched, many souls were saved. Several ministers, missionaries, evangelists, teachers, and musicians received their call into ministry and were given the opportunity to nurture their calling and gift.

While pastoring in Jefferson, Ohio, Supt. Harris was called to be the co-pastor of Emmanuel Church of God in Christ in Steubenville, as his father’s health was failing. On December 15, 1980, Supt. James Harris became Pastor of Emmanuel Church of God in Christ in Steubenville. He pastored both Jefferson Community and Emmanuel until January 1, 2009, when he retired from the Emmanuel. He retired from pastoring Jefferson Community in 2012.

Through the years Supt. Harris has rendered service to the people of God at the local, district and state levels. He served as YPWW President and Deacon at Emmanuel. He was Chairman of the Pentecostal District in Cleveland, Ohio. He was appointed Superintendent of the Steubenville District. Under Bishop R.S. Fields’ leadership, he was Vice President of the Executive Board, Co Chairman of Christian Education and a member of the State Finance Committee. He was appointed to the State Executive Committee by Bishop Walter E. Jordan and was appointed to the State Trustee Board by Bishop Edward T. Cook.

As Supt. Harris loved warm weather, he moved to Fruitland Park, Florida. He traveled to Ohio several times during the year. While in Florida he worshipped with The Leesburg Church of God in Christ, where the late Supt. Lonnie J. Smith was the Pastor. At the Homegoing Celebrations for his nephew and sister, Supt. Harris was reacquainted with Mother Lillian Camak. The two were blessed to be married on July 29, 2018 after morning service at Mt. Zion Church of God in Christ in Columbus, Ohio. Supt. Harris made Columbus his home and attended Mt. Zion, where Supt. Nehemiah Howard is Pastor.

God indeed blessed Supt. Harris with long life. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Herdasine Jones Harris; son, James Harris Jr.; daughters, Roslyn Lockwood and Janice Chappell; sisters, Elvira Shropshire, Mary Lou Brown, Louise Carter, and Martha Ellis; brothers, Henry Tyrone Harris and Moses Harris.

Supt. Harris leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife, Lillian Camak Harris; children, Beryl (Dr. Herman) Jackson of Brownsville, Pennsylvania, Adrienne Harris of Fruitland Park, Florida, Lawrence Harris of Rock Creek, Ohio; Son in Law, Elder Isaac Chappell of Jefferson, Ohio; stepchildren, Patricia (Marvin) O’Daniel, Brenda Givens, and James Givens of Columbus, Ohio; sisters, Rosa Price and Beatrice Bridges of Columbus, Ohio; brothers, Bishop Emanuel (Joyce) Harris of Miami, Florida and John T. Harris of Columbus, Ohio; and a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephew, family and friends.

Visitation 10:00am and Funeral 11:00am Saturday, March 13, 2021 at at The Word COGIC, 115 Wilson Ave.

Interment 12:00pm Monday at Oakdale Cemetery.