The Rev. Robert E. Harris passed away suddenly May 14th of this year. For over 50 years he had held service on the 4th Sunday of the month at Pleasant Grove and held a Wednesday night service as well as a yearly revival in November (the week of Thanksgiving.) “Bobby” as many of us knew him, was devoted to Christ’s ministry through his entire life. What strikes me is how many different ways of spreading the good news he adopted. For years you could find him, with his horse, dressed as a Circuit Riding preacher from the 1800s, maybe at a rest stop on I-40 handing out leaflets, or maybe at other places that were likely to draw passers by. His dial-a-prayer phone line was still running last I knew as a simple pre-recorded phone message that could lift a day. For some years he had a radio show, has had a tv show, had messages broadcast on shortwave in some years. He had compiled stories in a couple of books and I suppose the bottom line is he was not afraid to try new and different ways to get the message across. He established the “drive in Church” in Asheville, holding service in a local parking lot.
Among the things I will remember about him are his sermons. They invariably were 20-30 minutes, encapsulated usually 3 main points, introduced, elaborated upon and summarized. He would also love to start with a funny story. I will also remember him as the Circuit Riding preacher, in the costume of the 1800s and on his horse, that is how he took part in the Centennial celebration of our Church in 1980.
He was also fond of music, there were many a time he would approach us to write out a medley of a couple songs that he thought would go together well. He will be greatly missed.
An obituary is available at the Groce Funeral Home website.