Rev. Heide Harris, B.A. Psychology, 1994

Heidi Harris


Heide Harris was born in Johannisburg, East Prussia, Germany. At the age of three, Heide became a refugee when the Russian Army advanced on the Eastern front and she fled from East Prussia with her mother, leaving her father to stay behind and become a prisoner-of-war. The family was re-united three years later. Heide grew up in Northern Germany and lived there until she was 19.

After several "tours of duty" in the U.S., Indonesia and Egypt, Heide settled in the U.S. and focused on continuing her education. While studying at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas she discovered an interest in human services and completed an internship at Austin State Hospital and worked in the Department of Rehabilitation at St. David®s Hospital. After a brief stint in Germany working with a Lutheran Children's Hospital, Heide returned to the United States to study psychology at Sonoma State University. During her time at SSU, Heide was involved with the Holocaust Lecture Series, the YMCA of Santa Rosa, the Women®s Resource Center, and the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. She graduated cum laude from SSU with a B.A. in psychology in 1994 and received the Outstanding Student Award that year as well. At SSU Heide says she "learned empathy for humanity and how precious my life is and that of others."

From SSU, Heide went on to receive a Master of Divinity from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley. While studying at Pacific Lutheran she was involved with many things including: cross-cultural study experiences in Hong Kong and Santa Fe, NM,; clinical pastoral education at San Francisco Hospital; an internship at Trinity Lutheran Church in Gresham, OR; a reconciliation retreat between Germans and Jews; and a visit to Poland with Global Mission. She has exhibited her art both at SSU and Berkeley as well as in Germany and Poland. Currently, Harris serves as Pastor at St. Andrew®s Lutheran Church in Weesatche, Texas - a rural community of German origin. Heide believes "it takes a village to raise a pastor". She says, "I am thankful for the truly diverse education I received at SSU. I am thankful to the professors and students who have been wonderful role-models and have shown care and kindness, contributing to my growth".