The History of New Hope Baptist Church

It all began in 1921...

With faith and courage, a small group formed the nucleus of those who would be the founders of a new church came together and produced the following letter as their first official church document.

Those receiving letters as charter members were:

  • The Rose brothers, William, Church and Elijah with their wives Eliza, Emma and Maggie and William's son Edward.
  • Sister Nancy Hannah and her daughter Willa, as well as her father, Brother L. Davis.
  • Brother and Sister J.C. Collins and Sister Collins' son and daughter, Vernon Cole and Pauline Cole.
  • Brother and Sister J.]. Jackson, Neal Rolla, George Anderson, Henry L. Broils, Burnett Wilson and Oscar Triplett.
  • Other charter members were: Sister Ella Scott, Brother A.S. Peters, Sister Mollie Scott, Brother William Coleman and Brother James Vernon.

On January 15, 1922...

The group gathered in a building at the corner of East 22nd Avenue and Arapaho Street for the purpose of organizing a church and their first worship service.

J.J. Jackson, acting as Master of Ceremonies, called the meeting to order at 3:25 p.m. This group sang the selection “Beulah Land,” and prayer was offered by Deacon A.S. Peters. They sang another song, “Lord Send the Old Time Power”. Following this selection, Reverend P.P. Mellon introduced Reverend A. Hill as Moderator, with Reverend Gravitt, Pastor of Galilee Baptist Church, who assisted with the organizing.

The Moderator, Reverend Hill, called for the letter naming those who desired to be dismissed from the Central Baptist Church and to become members of the new church. The letter was read by Brother William Rose. It was moved and seconded that this body would name this newly formed church,

THE NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH.

Reverend Hill admonished the group to “Get off Your Time and Get on God’s Time”. The first sermon of New Hope Baptist Church was preached by Reverend Joshua Gravitt titled, “What a Church Should Be.” His text was from 1 Peter 2:2. “As newborn babes, desires the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”

After the close of the sermon, when the doors of the church were opened, the following persons accepted the call:

  • Sister Elsie Barry
  • Sister A.C. Carr
  • Brother A.C. Carr
  • Sister Eliza Davis
  • Sister Charlotte Downing
  • Sister Willa May Goss
  • Brother L.H. Hannah
  • Sister Pauline Hockman
  • Sister Maud Jones
  • Brother Harry Neely
  • Sister Ida McWilliams
  • Brother Lou Williams

The first offering was $16.35.

Thus New Hope Baptist Church was Born!

Reverend E.M. Cohron was elected as the first Pastor. He led the congregation into purchasing the building located at 2531 Ogden Street as its first home. Reverend Cohron passed away in November of that same year, 1922. Select ministers served as Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church:

Reverend Frank M. Liggins

1923 - 1924

Reverend G. William Ward

1924 - 1929

Reverend T.S. Sanders

1930 - 1935

Reverend J.W. Patton

1936 - 1936