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The Saint Hope Missionary Baptist Church began shortly after the Civil War in the community of Spring Hope, North Carolina. We did not have a building in which to worship, and had to worship under a bush arbor. In the year 1884, Brother Austin Sills and his wife, Matilda, very dedicated members, gave to this body of baptized believers, a track of land to construct a church building, so that this organized body would have a better place to worship God. This same year, the first Saint Hope Missionary Baptist Church was built.

 

God has truly blessed Saint Hope Missionary Baptist Church.  As the membership grew they committed themselves, gave of their time and pledged their money to build a better place to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.  As a testimony of answered prayers, God touched the heart of some of the members’ landlords to give trees for timber for the building of God’s house.  Over the years, the Pettiford family and other members have donated land for building sanctuaries and creating a cemetery. 

 

There were two more sanctuaries built for everyone desiring to worship God, seeking hope and change for their life, to come and find that hope in Jesus Christ.  In the spring of 1995, we held our ground breaking ceremony for our new sanctuary which was completed in April 2000. Looking back, we can truthfully say, we have come this far by faith, and we are still leaning on the Lord in all of our endeavors.

  

 

Saint Hope Missionary Baptist Church has served the community and prospered under the leadership of servants ordained and chosen by God.   It was God himself who said: “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you knowledge and understanding” (Jeremiah 3:15).  Those pastors are:

 

Prior to1927:

Reverend Daniel Stokes

Reverend William Tucker

Reverend Wiley Burgess

Reverend Ben Harper

Reverend Frank Harrison

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1927 to 1930:

Reverend N.W. Watkins

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1930 to 1940:

Reverend C.H. Chavis

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1941 to 1950:

Reverend Charlie Richardson

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1951 to 1957:

Reverend Horace Richardson

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1958 to 1963:

Reverend Robert Burnette

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1963 to 2001:

Doctor Frank Bullock, Jr.

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2001 to 2004:

Reverend Thomas Green

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2006 to Present:

Reverend James L. Pugh

 

Finally, the members of Saint Hope Missionary Baptist Church are committed to serving the Spring Hope Community, the surrounding areas, and “unto the uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8), and we heard the voice of Jesus when he said, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee.” (Mark 5:19)