Wendel Meyer named acting minister of Harvard's Memorial Church

A former colleague of the late Reverend Peter J. Gomes will lead the church during the search for a permanent successor.

Wendel W. "Tad" Meyer, who served as associate minister at Memorial Church from 1997 to 1999 and rejoined its staff as associate minister for administration after the Reverend Peter J. Gomes suffered a heart attack and stroke in early December, has now been appointed acting Pusey minister in the church following Gomes's death on February 28. Meyer "understands both the distinctive character of the Memorial Church and the rich diversity of Harvard’s larger religious profile," said President Drew Faust. "We are very lucky to have someone of Tad’s experience, intellect, and sensitivity willing and able to step in during this time of transition.”

Meyer had retired from the full-time ministry in 2009, after serving most recently as rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts, for 10 years. He said he was “honored and humbled to be asked to serve the University in this way,” and considers the assignment a "small but tangible way to honor the memory of Peter Gomes, who was a cherished friend and mentor to me and to so many others.”

Read the official University announcement.

 

Related topics

You might also like

Harvard Institute of Politics Director Setti Warren Dies at 55

The former Newton mayor is remembered as “a visionary and tireless leader” by the University community. 

Reese Witherspoon Visits Harvard—and Talks Women, Media, and AI

Reese Witherspoon discusses female-driven content at Harvard Business School. 

A History of Harvard Magazine

Harvard’s independent alumni magazine—at 127 years old 

Most popular

What Trump Means for John Roberts’s Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Faces a $350 Million Deficit

At a faculty meeting, Dean Hopi Hoekstra advocates for long-term, structural solutions.

Five Questions with David Yoffie

David Yoffie has spent decades at Harvard studying how tech reshapes business strategy and competition, from semiconductors to AI.

Explore More From Current Issue

A lively concert in a modern auditorium with an audience seated on multiple levels.

Concerts and Carols at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Tuning into one of Boston's best chamber music halls 

People gather near the John Harvard Statue in front of University Hall surrounded by autumn trees.

A Changed Harvard Faces the Future

After a tense summer—and with no Trump settlement in sight—the University continues to adapt. 

A person walks across a street lined with historic buildings and a clock tower in the background.

Harvard In the News

A legal victory against Trump, hazing in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, and kicking off a Crimson football season with style