Pastor Dorene Norris is an anointed preacher, teacher, conference speaker, revivalist, Christian counselor, author, psalmist, and recording artist who has been in ministry for over 40 years. As the Founder and CEO of DCN Rejoice Ministries and having spent 47 years singing and 32 years preaching, she has devoted her unique gifts to promoting the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ so that others may know, love, and give Him praise.
The dynamic ministry of Pastor Norris is the manifestation of a prophecy spoken over her life at infancy through the anointed, renowned evangelist Rev. A. A. Allen. While ministering before thousands of people, he lifted her in his arms and declared that God had anointed her at birth to preach the gospel and evangelize across this nation and around the world. This profound prophecy was the seed germinated by the Spirit of God to unfold the many facets of ministry as she touches countless souls throughout her life.
Pastor Norris was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the third child of four siblings to Bishop Samuel L. and First Lady Mary C. Carruth. As a very young child accepting Christ as her Saviour, He began manifesting Himself vividly in her life. Her music ministry began as a member of the Deliverance Evangelistic Church Sunbeam Choir, a 50-voiced children’s choir. Later, her family relocated to Portsmouth, Virginia as a result of her father’s call of God to pastor Holy Light Church of Deliverance. While yet troubled by the thought of preaching, she continued ministering in song, compelling thousands into a lather of victorious praise singing in arenas with some of the gospel music industry’s notables, like Pastor Shirley Caesar, Bishop Marvin Winans, Evangelist Beverly Crawford, and so many more. Within her music, God awakened the masses until she could no longer deny the call to preach. This courageous gift of preaching began to draw those that are lost into His holy presence and strengthen the hurting so that they may also discover their God-given purpose and realize their dreams.
Diligently preaching the gospel, in 1995, Pastor Norris retired from Norfolk Naval Shipyard and began full-time ministry. Later that same year, she was ordained, and in 2003, she was elevated to Pastorship. Emanating from a bountiful gospel lineage, she serves faithfully alongside her father in the ministry as well as maintaining full-time evangelism. God has afforded Pastor Norris to realize dreams of her own. She released two long-awaited recorded CDs, “I Owe Him Everything” and “Worthy,” which feature her own original music. The Lord also presented her the opportunity to minister for Dr. Bobby Jones’ Gospel Showcase in Las Vegas, NV. She’s the author of a new book on the horizon entitled Right Where You Are,” which shares principles of faithfulness for the fulfillment of God’s divine
purpose.
Pastor Norris was educated in Portsmouth Public Schools and is a graduate of the historical I. C. Norcom High School. She continued her studies in Business and Psychology at Old Dominion University. Also, she received formal Christian education from International Pastor Dorene Christian University (an affiliate of Jamison Bible Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology and, later, in Counseling under the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC).
A devoted wife, she married her best friend and armor bearer, Robert Norris, over 40 years ago. They have a musically talented son, Raynard, a gifted organist. The whole family diligently supports her ministry and is thankful to experience what God is doing in her life.
