Be_Blessed
The Reverend Altonnette D. Hawkins, fondly known as “Rev. Diva”, is senior pastor of the historic Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC) in Louisville, Kentucky where she serves as the first installed female and eighth pastor in their 132-year history. Her ministry priorities are congregational revitalization, discipleship, HIV/AIDS awareness, prison ministry, support to refugees and the homeless, teen dating violence and self-care. She is widely known for her signature sermon delivery mixed with creative story-telling and soulful singing. Although she ministers to all, she is passionately concerned about helping women discern their call to ministry, live in unity, serve their community, and implement self-care strategies.
Rev. Hawkins earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ; completed a Master of Science degree in Personnel & Human Resource Management at American University in Washington, DC, and received a Master of Divinity degree at Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, DC. In addition, she received certification in Church Administration from the Institute for Church Administration in Atlanta, GA. She is a Doctoral candidate at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
In 2001, she founded DIVAS for Christ, an interdenominational social support network for women serving in ministry designed to help deepen their relationship with God, foster supportive relationships, practice self-care while actively serving in community outreach and global missions. She believes that women of faith are DIVAS which stands for Divinely Inspired Virtuous & Victoriously Anointed Sisters. Her expertise is often sought to mentor women in ministry, to conduct leadership seminars, retreats, conferences, worship services and self-care strategic planning sessions.
Rev. Hawkins is a Focus Louisville Leadership graduate, member of the Louisville Chapter NAACP, and listed among Who’s Who in Black Louisville. She is the recipient of the 2009 Bethune Community Service Award presented by the National Council of Negro Women – Louisville Section.
In addition, she serves on several boards: Prison Congregations of America, AIDS Interfaith Ministries of Kentuckiana (AIM), Kentucky Council of Churches Program Unit on Racism and Peacemaking, Kentuckiana Interfaith Coalition, Mission Behind Bars at Luther Luckett Kentucky State Correctional Facility and the Plymouth Community Renewal Center, just to name a few. Some of her past involvements include Secretary of the Interdenominational Ministerial Coalition (IMC) of Metro Louisville, Recording Secretary for the United Black Christians (Region 4) and serving on various committees within both the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ.
Hawkins is a native New Yorker born to parents Lula M. Hawkins and the late Pastor Ruben A. Hawkins. She is the oldest of eight, the mother of two sons, Robert (Chavell) and Tyree, and grandmother of three: Michael, Alexus and Chavay. Her guiding scripture is Proverbs 3: 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all of thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge the Lord, and He shall direct thy paths.” Her testimony is, “To God be the glory for the things God has done, but you ain’t seen nothing yet because…the best is yet to come!
