History of First Baptist Church of Bel Air/New Hope Baptist Church

The New Hope Baptist Church was originally founded as the First Baptist Church of Bel Air, Maryland.  During the summer of 1906, the Reverend
Brickhouse of Baltimore, Maryland began to speak with Negro members of the town of Bel Air to determine the need of a Baptist church for Negroes
in the area.  It was decided on and a plan was set in motion to meet for the first time as a congregation on the 14th day of October 1906.

The first meeting place was set in a house on Maulsby Street, on the western side of town.  This was a convenient spot as the population of Negroes was
largely in that section.  Due to limited resources the congregation had to make due with the location.  They worshipped there for almost 11 years, all the
while growing steadily in number and the grace of God.  On November 16, 1910 the members of First Baptist Church Family purchased the piece of
property about eight blocks away, known as Lot 47, form Mrs. Alice Ann Richardson.  When the weather allowed, they would worship on the grounds
of their future church.

Reverend Brickhouse’s service to the congregation eventually gave way to a new pastor.  Reverend Tylor was called to pastor this young flock in
1917.  Under his direction, the church continued to grow and cast their pennies, nickels, and dimes together.  During this period, they were close to
realizing the dream of having a building to use for their ministry.  Construction on the first church house began in 1917 and was completed shortly
thereafter.  The First Baptist Church now permanently relocated to the new site.  At this time, the church faced out to John Street.

Pastor Tylor’s stay was fruitful but all too brief; lasting only nine years.  He was followed by a minister from Baltimore who was a member of Faith
Baptist Church.  The Reverend W.A. Hall accepted the call to pastor First’s flock in 1926.  Pastor Hall was a visionary and a builder.  Under his
leadership, the church saw significant growth.  As the first building proved to be increasingly too small, Pastor Hall, under the influence of the Holy Ghost,
drew the design for a larger building.

Attached to the original church house, the new structure faced out onto Alice Ann Street.  The building was completed in September 1929.  The church
financed the project for $9,000.00; this may have been a bad time to borrow from the bank.  The members of the church at that time worked hard to
pay for the stain glass windows.  Families sacrificed in order to leave a lasting legacy, donating windows in the name of families and individuals who
helped to pay for them.

Pastor Hall was called to pastor another congregation after having served First for about 11 years.  He was succeeded in 1937 by the Reverend
William Ford, also from the Faith Baptist Church of Baltimore.  His emphasis was on evangelism.  Pastor Ford served until his death in 1945.
















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In 1962, the congregation reorganized the church.  The members at that time had to choose a name for this restructured organization.  Several names
were suggested but the name NEW HOPE seemed to fit the bill.  Reverend Woodfolk became its first pastor under the new name and charter.  He
served         until his demise in 1967.

At that time, the congregation called on one of the sons of New Hope, Reverend Charles Copeland to serve as interim pastor.
Upon election and ordination, Pastor Copeland took the responsibility with a committed spirit.  He is recorded as the longest serving pastor in the history
of the First/New Hope church life.  Under his ministry, two major renovations took place to bring the sanctuary and the fellowship hall into order.  Pastor
Copeland became very active in civic causes.  He served the community and the church with great distinction.

New Hope has supported many other organizations and ministries in Harford County and surrounding areas.  Some of these benefactors include the Fuel
Fund, Anna’s House, the NAACP, Neighbors in Need, Bea Gaddy, and others too numerous to mention.  We’ve also celebrated Thanksgiving with our
own dinner give-away for many homeless and needy persons and families.  While we’ve been a soft voice, we have always has something to say and
have been available to support our words with action.

During the early years, New Hope was also a part of the Colored School System.  New Hope held classes for two grades of the historic Bel Air
Colored High School.  Many students attended Baccalaureate services and graduation ceremonies.

New Hope was also the place where the Pioneers of Gospel Music made their Harford County stops.  If they were coming through, you knew that they
would be stopping at New Hope.  The voices of The Soul Stirrers, Dorothy Ward and the Ward Singers, The Original Five Blind Boys of Alabama, The
Swanny Quintet, The Dixie Humming Birds, The Harmonizing Four and many more made their appearance at New Hope.

Pastor Copeland retired from the pastorate in June 1997.  The church elected another son of New Hope to succeed Pastor Copeland.  Reverend Mark
R. Nolan was elected to serve God’s people at New Hope.  Pastor Nolan’s vision is to encourage the church to a higher level in Christ.  The church
body has been growing steadily by the grace of God.  Many new ministries are underway.

New Hope has gained many new ideas, visions, goals, and direction.  We’ve truly become the church with a heart in the heart of Bel Air.  A people
determined to live the word of God.  Our storehouses are overflowing; our fruitful new ministries have flourished.  We have also witnessed the licensing
of women to preach the word of God.  God has smiled on New Hope, and He’s not done with us yet.  We now celebrate 8 A.M. and 11 A.M. Sunday
Worship.  Our other ministries from Agape Dance to Women’s Fellowship, Prayer Service, Bible Study, etc are held from Monday through Saturday.  
We welcome everyone to join us as God directs you, to study, learn, worship, and grow, “that we may abound in hope.”  (Romans 15:13)

As we celebrate our 100th year of ministry and service to God and the community, we stand more ready than ever to declare the acceptable year of our
Lord Jesus Christ.  It has only been through His grace that we have come this far.  We are trusting the Lord to allow us to continue to call men from sin
to repentance until the roll is called up yonder.  To God be the glory for the great things He has done!
He was succeeded by the Reverend Thomas B. Scott,  
who served from 1945 through 1959.  Pastor Scott also hailed from
the faith Baptist Church
Reverend Thomas B. Scott
When Pastor Scott retired from the pastorate and the Reverend Jessie Woodfolk took over in 1959, the financial woes of the past had come to a
head.  The mortgage had foreclosed.  The congregation was bankrupt.  The church building was about to be lost.  Pastor Woodfolk was extremely
instrumental in rescuing the assembly from collapse.  Being led by the spirit of Christ, the congregation closed out the chapters that read First Baptist
Church to open a new chapter in the life of the church.  A chapter of HOPE.