The Rev. Emily Harkins Norris ’08
Winston-Salem, N.C.

“… I was a stranger, and you invited me in.” — Matthew 25:35

After years of volunteering with a shelter ministry in Winston-Salem, N.C., the Rev. Emily Harkins Norris took the next logical step: developing a church specifically meant to serve the area’s homeless population.

The Dwelling began its ministry in February 2020 — and immediately had to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. Norris first turned to immediate hygiene needs, doubling the number of public showers available in the city. Within months, upwards of 50 people were using the shower facilities each week, where they could also receive new clothing and toiletries.

The ministry found a home in a community center, which provided access to phones, computers, and mail delivery for unhoused parishioners. Norris then decided to tackle housing head-on, leading to the renovation of 26 units in low-income neighborhoods.

“She is truly a person devoted to serving others and wanting all people to live with dignity,” wrote nominator Malinda Groth Mick ’08.

While at Wartburg, Norris was a history and history education major with no plans to go into ministry. After volunteering at a summer camp and a May Term trip to Africa hinted at a possible new calling, she became the director of youth ministries at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Waverly. She later accepted a call to serve as youth minister at Augsburg Lutheran Church in Winston-Salem, which lead to the founding of The Dwelling.

For her tireless service to the least of these and her commitment to dignity for all, the Wartburg College Alumni Board is pleased to present a 2023 Young Alumni Award to the Rev. Emily Harkins Norris.