HISTORY OF NEW HOPE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

New Hope Missionary Baptist Church was organized in the year of 1854 and a building was erected in 1886 for the purpose of worshipping Almighty God, according to the faith of the Baptist denomination.  The land on which New Hope Missionary Baptist Church was built and purchased from Thomas Riddick, June 1, 1854.  Records reveal that the first Trustees established were William Rooks, Wesley Rooks, John W. Knight, Willis Duck, Asbury Reid, Zachariah Boone, Benjamin T. Knight, Charles T. Knight, James Rooks of Elisha and James Rooks of David.  These pioneers had a burning desire to worship God and to present Him to others.  This was to the extent that they sacrificed their time, labor and talent that they might serve and help others serve by doing God’s will.

Members of New Hope began the second phase of their building program in 1906, by purchasing additional land from Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Lawrence of Gates.  Trustees who participated and were instrumental in this transaction were David R. Rooks, C. E. Smith, Alex Dildy and J. B. Holland.  Other members were very involved also.

New Hope had the leadership of several outstanding pastors in the early years.  Rev. William Reid, founder, 1854, followed by Rev. Thomas W. Babb, 1856; Rev. Washington Boone, 1880 and the Rev. Worley Melton, 1885.  Rev. Dr. C. S. Brown of Winton, pastored the church from 1886 to September 1936. Rev. Moses Newsome was called in 1937 and resigned in 1941. Rev. H. L. Mitchell served as pastor from April 1942 to December 1987.

Realizing the need for additional space, the New Hope church family started making plans for a new church in 1947.  Many church plans were presented and discussed and finally Plan 233-T, recommended by the Rev. L. L. Morgan of the Baptist State Convention was selected.  Plans were ordered and a committee was named as follows:  Rev. H. L. Mitchell, Pastor, Brethen R. M. Sumner, Chairman Deacon Board, S. D. Stallings, Chairman Trustee Board, J. T. Boone, Church Clerk, H. S. Riddick, Building Treasurer, P. J. Gatling, Building Secretary, A. T. Dildy, Early Ballard, D. F. Avery, J. J. Matthews, W. C. Goodman, Fred O. Rooks, V. H. Riddick, W. W. Copeland, W. T. Piland, W. J. Boone, II., William Briscoe, Stokely Hayes, Thomas Parker and I. A. Battle, Sr.  Ground breaking services were held on Sunday, March 6, 1955, with a challenging message delivered by Dr. P. A. Bishop, President of the General Baptist State Convention and Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention, USA.

The building committee immediately went to work and selected materials for the new building.  Mr. C. E. Pope or Rich Square, was employed as the brick masonry; Mr. Arthur James of Ahoskie was employed as carpenter.  Two of New Hope’s members were employed as supervisors:  Bro. P. J. Gatling for the carpentry work and Bro. A. T. Dildy for the brick work.

August 5, 1956 was a great day at New Hope.  Members and friends crowded the new brick church building to capacity.  The completion of the sanctuary was the result of great labor, cooperation and fellowship.  The fellowship hall including classrooms was completed in 1958.  In 1981 the sanctuary as well as the fellowship hall was completely renovated.

Along with the renovation of the church, other improvements were also made.  Some of them are as follows:

Worship service from one Sunday a month to two Sundays a month (1st and 3rd Sundays – 11:00am)
Two revivals – (Spring and Fall)
Five percent of each regular offering was reserved for the benevolence fund
One tenth of tithes was used for Christian Mission and Christian Education
The month of Mach was adopted as Tithes month
The youth were given n opportunity to attend Vacation Bible School and Lott Carey Youth Seminars at Shaw University
Sunday school each Sunday at 10:00am

Rev. H. L. Mitchell passed in December 1987 and Dr. Delanyard Robinson was chosen as pastor.  Dr. Robinson served from September 1988 until March 1990.  Under the leadership of Dr. Robinson, the following programs were started:

Weekly prayer meetings
Youth Sermonettes were held during the regular services
Purchased new Bibles for ach pew
5th Sunday Services were started and designated as Youth Days

Rev. James K. Brown was called to New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in June 1991 and under his leadership we achieved the following:

Established a Bible Study Class – Wednesday nights
Have increased our giving to ten percent of our monthly salary
Attendance and membership increased
Developed a strong youth program
A tutorial program for the youth established
Established a Pastor’s Aid Ministry
Landscaping project of the grounds
Developed an outreach ministry program
Put padding on the pews, purchased padded choir chairs and beautified the vestibule
Purchased an organ
Combined two choirs
Transportation Committee was formed
Increased Worship Service to every Sunday

In July 2008, Rev. Brown decided that he had reached his plateau with the New Hope church family.  Deeply saddened, he asked us to pray and stay together as God would send us a man servant after His heart.

Being sheep without a shepherd, the Deacons asked Rev. Hugene Fields, one of our Associate Ministers to fill the void as Interim Pastor until such time as a new pastor was appointed.  Rev. Fields accepted the challenge and under his leadership the youth period resurfaced, the Holy Soles Walking Challenge was established and with the assistance of Rev. Sherman Lassiter, our other Associate Minister, a utility shed was built and shelves were put in.

From the selections given by the Pulpit Committee in September 2009, the church voted to extend a call to Rev. Dr. John E. Taylor, Sr. as pastor elect.  Rev. Taylor accepted the call and assumed Pastoral responsibilities in November 2009.  On August 8, 2010, Rev. Taylor was installed as the Pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.  With a vision born by the members of the church, under Pastor Taylor’s guidance a ground breaking ceremony was held on July 18, 2010 for the addition of a new kitchen, fellowship hall, administrative rooms, classrooms and restrooms accessible from the front entrance to be constructed.  TO GOD BE THE GLORY - on June 26, 2011 a Dedication – Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held in honor of the completion of the new annex.

With God’s favor upon His anointed one many great things were achieved as the church was set on a new path of growth. His accomplishments include:

Re-organized Youth Choir
Added the 55+ Ministry
Added First Aid Ministry
ADT alarm system installed
Amended the by-laws
Male Chorus organized
Increased Sunday school attendance
Organized Christian Education Ministry
5th Sunday Nursing Home Ministry
Purchased portable stage
Youth Sunday monthly (4th Sunday)
Purged and updated membership
Purchase of new van
Re-implemented Homecoming
Upgraded cemetery
Landscaped grounds
Purchased new marquee
Relocated and enlarged finance room
Leadership workshops in place when needed
Purchased new visual-media equipment
Audio-visual Ministry established
Pastor’s Study enlarged
Membership increased

Through prayer, studying of the Word and much love, NEW HOPE MISSIONARY BAPTST CHURCH will continue to “March for Christ.”