Rev. Dr. Avis Evelyn Williams is a lifelong resident of Newton County, Georgia. She was reared by her late grandparents, Joe and Maggie Mae (Scott) Williams. Her parents were the late Emogene Williams and William Allen. Avis was baptized at the historic Bethlehem Baptist Church in 1972, the oldest black church in Newton County, organized as the Colored Baptist Church in !849, and named Bethlehem in 1850. Avis’ great-great-great grandfather, the Rev. Toney Baker was the Bethlehem’s first pastor, leading the congregation from 1850-1896.

Avis answered her call to active ministry in 2002 and was ordained in 2004 at Bethlehem. She served as Pastor of Community Transformation for Lake Oconee Community Church from 2007 to 2018. Before that, she owned an environmental, health, and safety consulting company. Pastor Avis has and does serve on the boards of numerous community organizations, including Central Georgia Technical College, Oconee Valley Healthcare, Police Who Care, and Newton County Tomorrow. She works to organize cultural, historical, and educational enrichment for local K-12 students in Putnam County. She works as an associate minister at her home church.

Presently, Avis is the Community Liaison for the Putnam County Charter School System. She holds an associate of arts degree from Oxford College of Emory University, bachelor of arts degree, a master of divinity degree, and a doctorate of ministry in theology from Emory University. She was Oxford’s Commencement speaker in 2022 and now serves on Emory’s Twin Memorial Committee, created to honor the works and contributions of formerly enslaved persons to build the University.