NEW HOPE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (LOCUST GROVE, GA.).
New Hope United Methodist Church (Locust Grove, GA.) records, 1835-2022

Restrictions on Access

Unrestricted access.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.

Source

Gift, 2022.

Custodial History

Received from Jimmy Vinson, Pastor of New Hope United Methodist Church (June 2022).

Citation

[after identification of item(s)], New Hope United Methodist Church (Locust Grove, Ga.) records, RG 134, Archives and Manuscript Dept., Pitts Theology Library, Emory University.

Processing

Processed by Patrick Daglaris and Emily Watson, June 2022.

Historical Note

The New Hope United Methodist Church of Locust Grove, Georgia, was founded in 1835 as the New Hope Methodist Episcopal Church. The land for the church was sold by Elizabeth Allen to five trustees, Claiborne Trussell, David Grant, Joseph Wolfe, James Finley, and Daniel Nolly. The lot was located in Henry County, seven miles northeast of Locust Grove. Not much is known about the church prior to 1856.

In 1856, New Hope was on the Jackson Circuit with Rev. Samuel Anthony serving as presiding elder and Rev. Morgan Bellah as minister. In 1896, the church appeared on the Jenkinsburg Charge before being added to the Locust Grove Charge, Griffin District in 1907.

The New Hope congregation has worshipped in three church buildings since 1835. The first church was a one room building used as a public school during the week, with worship services on weekends. The building was later moved across the street and functioned as a small school for many years. The second church was built in 1902 and had a seating capacity of 300. The building was remodeled numerous times between 1950 and 1972. The building burned on October 28, 1974 as a result of arson and was rebuilt in 1975 to the current building.

In 2022, New Hope disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church.

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of records of New Hope United Methodist Church (Locust Grove, Ga.) from 1835-2022. These records include membership registers, conference reports, minutes, financial records, and Sunday school reports. The strength of the collection is its membership rolls as well as its minutes and Charge conference reports documenting financial and day-to-day activities from the 1980s through the 2010s.

The records are mostly administrative in nature, but there is a history of the church updated in 2003 that provides background information on the founding of the church as well as its pastors, buildings, and districts over the years. This collection also contains photographs of a homecoming celebration after a renovation of the church in the 1970s.

Arrangement Note

Organized into 3 series: (1) Administrative records, (2) Charge conference records, (3) Membership records.