Dr. Craig C. Avents, Sr.

    Dr. Craig C. Avents, Sr. has been and continues to be a diligent laborer in God’s vineyard. Ordained into the ministry in 1983, Pastor Avents has spent 20+ years preaching and teaching the word of God.
    Starting his spiritual journey while serving as a Virginia State Police Officer, Pastor Avents has had the privilege of being the pastor of several congregations in the Hampton Roads area. He was the founder of the New Bethlehem Church of Christ Disciples, where he was the pastor for over 8 years. He then fellowshipped with and worked as an associate pastor at Macedonia United Church of Christ. After being there for a few years, he continued on to pastor the Bethlehem Church of Christ Disciples.
    During the summer of 1996, Pastor Avents along with a small congregation started the New Light Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The Church started modestly in the home of Pastor Avents, but was soon blessed with its current facility in 1997.
    Pastor Avents retired from the Virginia State Police Department in January 1998 to work full time in the ministry. He is a graduate of Virginia Union University in Richmond and the Norfolk Theological Seminary and College. There he received a Bachelor of Arts, a Masters of Divinity and his Doctorate of Ministry.
    Dr. Craig C. Avents, Sr. received Jesus Christ as his personal savior at an early age, and continues to work fervently to share the Good news of Christ Jesus. Psalm 37:23 states that “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way”. Truly this is a scripture that describes the path in which Pastor Avents has and will continue to follow.

Karen Goodrich Avents

    Minister Avents was born and raised in Portsmouth, VA, and is a product of Portsmouth Public School System. She is a 1988 graduate of Norfolk State University. After completion of Nursing School, she was employed as a Staff Nurse for Chesapeake General Hospital. While her desire to work closer to home, she obtained employment at Maryview Medical Center. There she worked as a Floating Nurse and later became Charge Nurse for the Woman’s Surgical Unit. Currently Nurse Avents is employed as a Elementary School Nurse in the Portsmouth City School System.
    With Christ as the center of her life, Karen Avents has successfully managed a career and a happy home. She married her high school sweet heart, Craig C. Avents, and has been happily married for over 25 years. They enjoy an ever growing family with three sons and their wives, and 6 grand children.
    Raised in a traditional Baptist home, she followed her husband in worship and ministry. Learning from the many years of experiences placed before her as a first lady, she has become a strong warrior for the Lord. She serves along with her husband and Pastor at New Light Christian Church (D.O.C.) in Norfolk, VA. Co-Pastor Karen Avents is a true servant of God; she is the Woman’s Devotional leader, President of the New Light Community Choir, Sunday School teacher, but most of all "a virtuous Woman" of God.
    Upon completion of the Christian Education course in Evangelism and Homiletics, Minister Avents is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree at Norfolk Theological Seminary and College.
    Proverbs 4:7 says “Wisdom is the principle thing, but with all your getting get understanding”. With that in mind, Minister Avents will always be a student of the Word of God. With much prayer and effort she will become a better instrument for the Lord.

Keisha Porter

    Evangelist Keisha Gordon-Porter is a native of Chesapeake, Virginia, where she currently lives with her Husband Shawn Porter and their two kids. Evangelist Porter says “As I look back over my life, I thank God for my parents who knew the importance of Church”.
    The foundation of her ministry was laid at New Community Church of God in Christ under the leadership of Bishop Ted Thomas, where she was raised and was a member until the age of 18. At an early age she accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior. She is a living testimony of one who was "Trained up as a child in the way he should go: and when he(she) is old, he should not depart from it'.
    She then became a member of Friendship Baptist Church located in Norfolk, Virginia where Gregory Norris was the pastor in 1995. During this time God was preparing her for a higher calling. In 1997 she attended New Light Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) where she became a member in 1998 until the present. It is there in the year of 2002 where God "called" Keisha into the ministry. Prior to being called she became active in several ministries. She gives God, all the glory for what He has done in her life.
    She watched as God moved her from the door as an usher, to the choir and to then to the pulpit. Under a Spirit-led Pastor, Dr. Craig C Avents, Evangelist Porter is currently the Youth Pastor and a teacher of Sunday school and Bible Study to the youth at New Light Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Under the leadership of her pastor, she has completed studies in Homiletics, Theology and the Introduction to Hermeneutics by way of the New Light Training Center.
    As God continues to work in her life she believes that He (Jesus) must increase, but she must decrease. As Christ as her example she believes as Jesus spoke, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, "To preach the acceptable year of the Lord". (Luke 4:18,19).