New Hope Baptist Church was organized on July 15, 1925 by the following people: Henrietta Bennett, Ethel Bowers, Isabella Long, John Long, Esther Mae Murphy, and Robert A. Spencer.
The first meeting was held in the Bristol Hall, located on Bristol Street near Jefferson Avenue. At that time, there were fifteen members. The Lord blessed the congregation to grow and by September 1925, church services had to move to Central Hall, on William and Jefferson streets. Rev. R. Reed was designated to organize the church officers and to preside over business matters. Having no appointed Pastor, various ministers officiated each Sunday.
In November 1925, Rev. L.A. Holloway was called to the pastorate. On September 26, 1926, New Hope Baptist Church was incorporated. Rev. Holloway resigned in 1927 and ministers of the church conducted services until another Pastor could be called. Rev. Burgess, Rev. Slearin, and Rev. McGarrah complied with the churches request.
In late September 1928, Rev. Nathanial Andrew Mason was called to pastor. Still on the move, the church had moved to an aged church building on old Vine Alley. A house and a parcel of land were purchased on Union Street and plans for a church building began. Rev. Mason, along with the church members, participated in the construction by actually laying many of the bricks that became part of the church foundation and exterior. Upon completion, the cornerstone of the first official church home for the New Hope Baptist Church was laid at 63 Union Street in 1932.
The final mortgage was burned on June 18, 1944. In the late 1950s, due to urban reconstruction, New Hope was faced with the challenge of re-locating. In November 1960, led by Rev. Mason, the congregation marched into 543 Richmond Avenue. In September 1962, after 34 years of dedicated, consecrated service, Rev. N.A. Mason, New Hope’s pioneer Pastor, was called from labor to reward.
The Rev. Joseph William Moore accepted New Hope’s call to the pulpit on May 6, 1963. He labored with New Hope for 13 years, and departed this life on February 1, 1976.
From February 1976 to July 1977, New Hope was without a shepherd. Associate ministers Rev. Samuel Byrd and Rev. Walter Peacock (along with Sons of the Church, Rev. J.B. Williamson and Rev. Charles Jennings), ministered to the needs of the church. Pastors from sister churches throughout the city willingly graced the pulpit in a spirit of love and concern for the New Hope Church family.
On July 25, 1977, the Church extended a call to Rev. Lee Roy Jefferson. Rev. Jefferson resigned on May 5, 1980.
The Rev. Paul Frederick Thompson was called to the Pastorate on November 2, 1980. After 20 years of service, Rev. Thompson retired and was given the title emeritus.
In October 2002, Rev. Herschel Chapman, Jr. was called to the Pastorate of the New Hope Baptist Church.
