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PASTORS BIOGRAPHY
Elder Lewis I. Nicholson, Sr. was born on March 13, 1945 in Brinkleyville, North Carolina. He moved to Newport News, Virginia with his parents in 1953. As a youth, he attended Ivy Avenue Baptist Church in Newport News, Virginia. He was educated in the Newport News Schools and graduated from Huntington High School in 1963.
Upon graduating, Pastor Nicholson entered Hampton Institute to study chemistry, however after his freshman year, in 1965, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. Throughout his military career, Pastor Nicholson served in several different countries, as well as states. During his career he received numerous military awards. He retired from the United States Air Force on January 1, 1986 after 21 ½ years of devoted service.
In September 1976, he accepted the call to become a minister. Briefly following, he was ordained as elder at the Church of God in Christ, Limestone Maine where he served as the Assistant Pastor. In 1980 - 1982 he became the Pastor of Wayfaring Church of God in Christ, San Antonio, Texas. In June 1983 - 2003, he was Pastor of Holy Tabernacle Church of Deliverance, Newport News, Virginia.
On October 12, 2003 after 20 years in ministry and dedicated service as pastor, Lewis I. Nicholson, Sr., resigned as pastor of Holy Tabernacle Church to fulfill the call and desire that was embedded in his heart to do ministry. He is the founder of Holy Tabernacle Community Housing Development and the First Community Church, Newport News, VA., an interdenominational, multi-cultural, multi-racial, full gospel, purpose driven church, with emphasis on deep expository teaching and expressive praise. After one month the membership totals 76 and is growing weekly. First Community Church is a faith community where the vision of the people is ordained and anointed of God. The Lord continues to send laborers in this vineyard to be servants. Pastor believes you must minister unto God before ministering to the people. His burden is to necessitate the call to holy living through worship, ministry, fellowship, evangelism and discipleship for the advancement of Gods kingdom.
Pastor Nicholson has many other accomplishments. His service to the community is untiring. From 1987 to 1995, he served as the Director of Criminal Justice Studies at Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA. He was one of the core faculty members for the Youth for Violence Institute at the University of Virginias Curry School of Education. He is affiliated with numerous professional organizations such as Operation Breakingthrough, Peninsula Chapter of 100 Black Men of America, Inc. He served for eight years as Chairman of the Board for the Newport News Housing and Economic Development and as President of the Newport News NAACP, 2000 -2002.
In 1998, Pastor Nicholson formed the Holy Tabernacle Housing and Economic Development Corporation. He continues to remain active in helping the community to improve the quality of life.
He is also a firm believer in education, which is supported by his transcript of degrees. The list of these accomplishments include the following:
¨1973 - Associates of Science in Police Science, El Paso Community College, Colorado Springs, CO
¨1975 - Bachelor of Science in Public Administration, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
¨1982 - Master of Arts in Administration of Justice, Webster University, St. Louis, MO.
¨At present - Doctoral candidate (Ph. D.), all but Dissertation in American Studies, William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA.
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