After starting as a home missionary at Thistledown Race Track, Cleveland, Ohio, in 1996, Rev. Vincent Harris now ministers to more than 600 individuals who work for or whose lives are affected by the race track industry either through Thistledown or Beulah Park Race Track, Columbus, Ohio.
“Because of the cultural diversity and multi-ethnic populations of our people,” he says, “it is necessary to have church services in both English and Spanish.” Most of the people come from poor economic and social conditions, so Harris has gained access to neighborhood health clinics and mobile hospitals as well as recreational programs and facilities that bring balance to people’s lives. Children are a priority for Harris, who focuses on helping parents register their children for school and tackle child care and other social service issues. Also, because of his background with substance dependency, he has arranged with major facilities to provide individuals with inpatient treatment at no cost.
“Wearing many hats—pastor, social worker, teacher, and provider of services—
all combined into home missionary has packed me solidly with information, resources, experience, and, most of all, the Holy Spirit,” he says. “My work at the track is usually 10 to 12 hours daily.”
Harris attributes his ability to understand multicultural issues, customs, and perspectives to God and to his birth and childhood in the melting pot of New York City. In addition, he credits God and American Baptist Churches USA for allowing him to travel as a missionary to Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Mexico, Jamaica, and Canada.
Harris hopes to increase the support base of his ministry, he says, because 2008 was a deficit year. “I sincerely hope and pray that our ministry will receive the contributions and blessings to recoup this money and meet our budget for 2009,” he says.
He invites individuals and churches to visit his ministry in what is known as “the back side” to witness the love of Jesus Christ. “We will continue to keep the faith and fight for the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” he says. “And we will finish Jesus and His will.”
EDUCATION:
- M.Div., Colgate Rochester Divinity School, Rochester, NY;
- State certification in substance abuse counseling, New York State;
- Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Education, Herbert H. Lehman College, Bronx, NY
EXPERIENCE:
- Interim pastor, Fabius Baptist Church, Fabius, NY;
- Youth pastor, Delaware Street Baptist Church, Syracuse, NY;
- Pastoral intern, Hospice of Central New York, Syracuse, NY;
IMPORTANT DATES:
- November 2000 — commissioned an American Baptist home missionary
- April 1996 — ordained
- September 2 — birthday
HOME MISSION HIGHLIGHTS:
"The back side" of Thistledown Race Track is home to some 400 workers.
About 160 workers live in dormitories at Thistledown Race Track and care for the horses seven days a week.
The Race Track Chaplaincy of America program was organized 30 years ago to help men and women working at race tracks who had no religious community to turn to in times of crisis.
To learn more about the mission work at Thistledown Race Track, please contact the Rev. Vincent Harris at (216) 662-8600, ext. 215 and 286.
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