The Reverend Canon John T. W. Harmon is the 14th Rector of Trinity Parish in the Nation’s Capital. He was born in Cape Palmas, Liberia, West Africa.
Before accepting the call as Rector and Pastor of Trinity Church in 2000, he served as Rector of Saint Stephen’s, Petersburg, Virginia; Assistant Rector of Grace Church, Norfolk, Virginia, and was the Episcopal Chaplain at Norfolk State and Virginia State Universities.
He served as the Provincial Chaplain to the Order of Daughters of the King for six years, and as Diocesan Chaplain of the Order from 2003 to 2010. He represented both the Dioceses of Washington and Southern Virginia as a Deputy and Alternate to several General Convention. He served also as a member of the Standing Committee and Commission on Ministry in the Dioceses of Washington and Southern Virginia and was President of the Standing Committee in Southern Virginia.
He is a graduate of Saint Paul’s College, Virginia Theological Seminary and Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education. For ten years, he served as a member of the spiritual faculty with the CREDO Institute.
In his current ministry, he is the founding Rector of TEAMM for Children. TEAMM (Trinity Education Arts Music Ministry) is an outreach ministry to children that seeks to enrich their lives and support their growth, development, and achievement through a comprehensive program of experience and instructions in academics and the arts. Scores of students from the community are enrolled in this ministry throughout the year.
He is also the founder and President of the Trinity Development Corporation whose purpose is to help empower the underserved of the Washington, DC areas to achieve self-sufficiency through counseling, and education and improving access to adequate health care. Trinity Development Corporation is also a leading provider of HIV/AIDS education and prevention services and operates six centers in various wards of the District of Columbia. This ministry that addresses health disparities has realized almost two million in funding from local and federal sources.
He served previously as Rector of St. Stephen’s Church and founder and Chief Executive Officer of “Preserving Life, Ensuring Future Generation Ministry,” a parish-based HIV/AIDS education and prevention program that received over $100,000 in grants. The program reached over 2000 high school and college students in Petersburg, Virginia.
John believes that every gathering of the people of God is an opportunity to be witnesses to the presence of God surrounding us. This sense of the holy requires commitment and dedication, prayerful and humble observations, and openness to the human experience of the Divine. John brings a varied experience to the church’s dialogue and offers a fresh perspective on its old traditions and a strong sensitivity to maintaining stability amidst its evolving nature. He has also led and supported disaster relief efforts in the United States, Caribbean, and Africa.
He is married to Keeva Patterson Harmon, and they are the proud parents of three young adults, Joshua, Jarena, and Justin.
To contact Reverend Canon John Harmon, Rector and Pastor, please contact the office
