Dawne Hollis-Custer

Rev. Dawne Hollis-Custer

Pastor Dawne has been serving Newland UMC since 2019. She is a pastor in the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church for the past 16 years. Before making her home in North Carolina, Pastor Dawne was born and raised in Reno, Nevada then moved to Orange County, California where she worked as an Escrow Manager for many years until receiving her call into ministry.

In addition to her pastoral duties, Pastor Dawne helps lead the Beacon District Dismantling Racism Team and helps coordinate the Albemarle Area Methodist Coalition (AAMC), a group of AME Zion and UMC clergy dedicated to unity in the Body of Christ. AAMC meets monthly together as well as engages in joint worship services and missional opportunities throughout the community. Pastor Dawne is one of the founding members of the Stable Housing Improvement Project (SHIP) a non-profit committed to providing supportive housing solutions to all persons in northeast North Carolina.

Pastor Dawne enjoys reading, watching movies, spending time with family and friends, and is a huge fan of Duke University Basketball and NASCAR.

Pastor Dawne received her Bachelor of Arts in Ministry & Leadership from Vanguard University of Southern California and a Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School.

Pastor Dawne and her husband and partner in ministry Frank Custer live in Elizabeth City with her daughter Danielle, and grand-daughter Alex. Together they have 4 children, 10 grandchildren, and 2 (soon to be 3) great-grandchildren.