Pastor Denise was installed as the Senior Pastor of Village Community Church in September 2022. Pastor Denise joined Village Community Church in 2004 under Founding Pastor, Reverend Donald Evans. In 2016, after much struggle, Denise accepted the call to preach the Gospel and preached her trial sermon in October 2016. Under the leadership of Pastor Donald V. Evans, Denise was ordained in May 2022.
Pastor Denise was born in Barbados, West Indies the youngest of two children to Kentley and Stephanie McCollin (Gibson). She has lived in the USA since the age of seven. Pastor Denise grew up in the church and fondly remembers participating in Sunday school, Children’s church, Vacation Bible School, Youth ministry, Outreach ministries, etc. She accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior as a child and was baptized at National Wesleyan Church. As she grew, Pastor Denise has always enjoyed attending church with her family and serving in different ministries. In her young adult life, Denise did not attend church, but she ALWAYS knew and trusted the Lord. Pastor Denise’s lineage consists of those who have surrendered to the call of Jesus Christ and committed to the call to preach the Gospel as her great-grandmother was a street evangelist and her uncle, one of her many mentors, is a Pastor in Barbados.
Pastor Denise attended Morgan State University and graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Social Work and earned a Master of Social Work in 2003 from Virginia Commonwealth University. In May 2024, she earned dual degrees in Christian Care: Master of Arts and Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Lancaster Bible College-Capital Seminary and Graduate School; graduating with highest honor. Pastor Denise not only serves as a Pastor, but she also considers it a great honor to work with veterans, our nation’s heroes, at the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Clinical Social Worker.
Pastor Denise preaches and teaches the Gospel with deep conviction and passion. She is also committed to community engagement as she desires for EVERYONE, as stated in Village’s vision to “come to a saving knowledge of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Pastor Denise has always been and will continue to commit to the call to “make disciples” by sharing God’s gracious gift of salvation, which is through faith in God the Son, Jesus Christ, who will transform our lives, set us free from the bondage of sin, and heal our hurts and disappointments.
When she is not preaching, studying, working, or counseling others, Pastor Denise enjoys spending time with her family and she enjoys a great laugh! She is married to Scott Twyman, and they share a daughter, Mya Christine. Denise is a “bonus” mom to three young adults. Denise loves the Hymns “Victory in Jesus” and “Because He Lives”. Her favorite scriptures are many, but special to her are Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 139, and Philippians 4:11-13.
Pastor Don with his wife Deaconess Terri Evans at his side, planted Village Community Church with this philosophy on his heart;
A Transformed You leads to A Transformed Family leads to A Transformed World
I believe the greatest joy and privilege here on earth is to shepherd a non-believer into the family of God. Through an affirming process of preaching, teaching and leadership development, our mission is to grow a new convert from simply being a new believer to being a mature disciple of Jesus Christ. And then to launch that disciple into missions and watch him or her penetrate the world and make an eternal difference for the kingdom of God.
Such a wonderful ministry given to us by God has a joy that is and becomes contagious. It produces love, connectedness, unity and service. Real ministry puts smiles on the faces of the saints, both young and old. Youth will find church fun. Adults will see the power of God moving on their jobs, within their family and in their community. People on the outside begin to wonder what is going on at the church. They are amazed and drawn to the church because she is a light in the community. Wow!
Joys are celebrated and sorrows are consoled. Every member has a peace about himself or herself because members are available for each other on a 24/7 basis in real and practical ways. The congregation has outgrown pride and pettiness and is now at a place where sharing, service and suffering has become its footprint. Their worship is much more than ritual and traditions. It includes the simple purity of an open heart toward God. True praise, true thanksgiving, true worship is offered up to God. Everyone comes to worship full of anticipation about his or her personal encounter with God. It’s High Church because traditions are observed, and it’s Low Church because all are giving way to the Spirit of God in their own way.
As the congregation departs with benediction, we are ready to face today and the week ahead. Adults are impacting their friends and the children are telling their pals about Jesus and about their church. Mature members are replicating themselves by discipling the less mature. And we see the church reproducing herself through her contagious pursuit of the Great Commission and church planting.
God offers us such a wonderful ministry and vision for His Church in rural, urban or inner city settings for small, medium or large congregations. “O Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
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Weekly Service Schedule
Sunday School @ 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Worship @ 11:00 a.m.
Thursday Bible Study @ 7:30 p.m.
