Rev. Dr. Lorna L. Wilson was born on August 24, 1955, in Long Branch, NJ to the late Cleopatra and Harvey L. Wilson. She grew up in Middletown, New Jersey. Lorna received Christ as her Lord and Savior in January 1981 and was baptized by Rev. John C. Smith at the Calvary Baptist Church in Red Bank, NJ. Throughout the years, she continuously shared her personal testimony of being delivered from a life of drugs and alcohol.
Lorna retired from AT & T in 2005, after working for over 25 years in various areas, including network engineering, technical support, process engineering and program/project management. She also worked part time for Jeff Morse Realty as a real estate agent and as an adjunct professor at Brookdale Community College in public speaking and computer science. She also served in Brookdale Community College's Program for Acceleration in Careers of Engineering (PACE) as a volunteer staff member teaching computer science to help prepare African-American and Hispanic high school students for college and technical careers.
Lorna had a passion for studying God's word. She completed a program of study with honors at the Jersey City Bible College, Monmouth Bible Institute (MBI) and the New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS). She earned a Masters of Divinity Degree and most recently completed the Doctorate of Ministry for Transformational Preaching program at NBTS in May 2019. Her passion for studying God's word opened many doors in the teaching ministry, including MBI, Palmer Theological Seminary, and the Academy of Christian Education at Pilgrim (ACEP).
Lorna was licensed to preach on February 4, 1996 and was ordained on September 16, 2001. She served several years as a pulpit supply pastor at the Lakewood Heights Reformed Church in Clifton, NJ. Lorna also served as an associate minister at the Pilgrim Baptist Church in Red Bank, NJ, under the pastorate of Rev. Terrance K. Porter, where she provided leadership for the Minister of Intercessory Prayer and supported the Sunday School/Bible Study and Outreach/Evangelism Ministries. Lorna was a past presenter at the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) and the American Academy of Religion (AAR). She was also active in the Intercessory Prayer ministry and was deeply blessed by that fellowship.
Lorna's hobbies included walking, writing and reading a good book. Her guiding scripture was Ephesians 4:1b, "Walk worthy of the vocation to which ye are called..."
Lorna went to be with the Lord on September 3, 2019.
She was predeceased by her sister Shirlene Davis and brother Garland Wilson.
She is survived by her son Djuan Wilson, daughter-in-law Keri Wilson, granddaughters Chloe, Sophie and Hailey Wilson; sisters Christine Washington, Nan Kelsey and brother Harvey Wilson Jr., as well as a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.
Lorna will be deeply missed by her family, friends and all who knew her.
