Our Pastor
A native of Brooklyn, Illinois, Pastor Lolita L. Hickman is the seventh of ten children born to the late Stephen and Alice Shelby. Growing up next door to Southern Tabernacle Baptist church, Pastor Hickman began her walk with the Lord, accepting Jesus Christ as her personal Savior, at very young age.
Early in life Pastor Hickman professed a calling to serve Jesus Christ by singing praise to His name and sharing the message of the Gospel in song. Beginning with her singing in the young adult choir at the age of 8, and onward through her adult years, Pastor Hickman continued serving the Lord in kingdom building by teaching adult Bible study class; developing and leading the praise team ministry; serving as vice president and chaplain of choirs, women’s ministry treasurer and church finance chairperson.
Graduating as valedictorian of her high school class, Pastor Hickman was awarded a four year academic scholarship by the State of Illinois, the first State scholarship ever awarded to graduate of high school. She attended Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science degree in Industrial Psychology.
Pastor Hickman's employment experiences include: Teacher; Research Analyst; Program Planner; Meeting Facilitator; Deputy Director of a Non-Profit Organization; Vice President of Small Businesses; and in 1994, founder and CEO of Organizational Resource Group, a management and training company.
In 2004, while ministering at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Rockville, Maryland, Pastor Hickman acknowledged and accepted God’s call to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After preaching her initial sermon and being licensed, at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in August 2005, Pastor Hickman enrolled in the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA. After graduating with a Master of Divinity degree with honors (Cum Laude) in 2007, Pastor Hickman was ordained to the Gospel Ministry April 15, 2007.
Pastor Hickman and her husband Norval Joseph "Joe" Hickman, Jr. moved to Savannah, GA in 2007 and affiliated with a body of believers where she was blessed to preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and provide spiritual support to members and to the ministerial staff.
In June 2012, Pastor Hickman received a call from the Lord to "plant and pastor a church” in Savannah, GA. After much prayer for clarity and direction and with complete faith in Jesus Christ, the Great Head of the Church, she moved forward to name and incorporate a new church: Trinity Baptist Church of Savannah, Georgia.
Pastor Hickman is an humble servant leader with an intense love for the people of God; she is dedicated to achieving the tenets set forth in the church's Vision and Mission Statements to ensure that each disciple is actively doing the missional work of the church as commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:19-20, with steadfast faithfulness.
Pastor Hickman and Brother Joe are the proud parents of three adult children: Tracey (Wayne) Randolph; Nichelle J. Hickman and Norval, III and one grandchild: Paris D. Randolph.
God blessed Pastor Hickman with the opportunity to serve Him in many different places and settings. Starting in Brooklyn, IL; onward to Springfield, IL; then Washington, D.C.; Gaithersburg and Clarksville, MD; Richmond, VA; and presently as Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church of Savannah, Georgia.
A favorite scripture of Pastor Hickman is Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you."