Since 1871, members of the Pinewood community have had a place to find comfort, support, education, and both physical and spiritual nourishment at New Hope AME Church.

Compiling a complete history of a church which currently is over a hundred and forty-six years old, is a major task and a continual process.  Much is still unknown about the early history of New Hope AME Church. What is known is that our ancestors laid a solid foundation in which we can live, work, and pray. We would appreciate your adding to our knowledge by contacting us with any additional information.

New Hope is located on a five acre site which was deeded to the Trustees in the following manner:   

In January, 1871, M. H. Dubose, a Clarendon County landowner, gave one acre of land to New Hope Trustees, Charles Bracey, Samuel Canty, and James Wilder for a place of worship for the purpose of promoting Jesus Christ.

Several months later in April 1871, Clarendon County Landowners John H. Boyd and Charles R. Boyd sold, for the sum of $5.00, to New Hope Trustees, Samuel Canty, William Kennedy, Gilbert Johnson, Peter Canty and Shelby Canty, Trustees of the Colored Church called New Hope, one acre at a time.  The land was resurveyed and the plat showed a Church School on the first acre.

Seven years later, in March 1878, John H. Boyd and Charles R. Boyd sold an additional acre to the church for $6.00; the Trustees listed on the deed were James Wilder, Shelby Canty, and William Canady.

On November 30, 1901 the Trustees purchased two acres from Daniel Billups for the sum of $20.00, to erect a building to house the growing membership. The present church structure was built in 1974 and was renovated in 1998. The Historical Archives of Clarendon County lists the New Hope Church cemetery as one of the oldest black cemeteries in Clarendon County..

In its glorious history, that spans more than a century, New Hope had at its helm 38 Pastors: Reverends Blakely, Allen, Williams, Wells, Thomas, Martin, Burgess, Richardson, Ford, Brown, Hamilton, Reed, Gamble, Hodge, Barr, Williams, Oliver, Carmichael, Johnson, Wilson, Felder, Blackwell, Wrighten, Myers, R.C. Pleasant, Daniel Charles, Harold Hunter, J.C. Roberts, C. J. Corbin, Clarence B. Trescott, Gertrude H. Trescott, Charles Henryhand, Mary L. Jackson, Jack Dais, J.D. Seawright, Nathaniel Edwards, Benjamin K. Sims, Jacquelyn B. Hurston, and our present pastor, Rev. Jose O. Lozano.

New Hope AME Church has been equally blessed with officers and members, present and past, whose love and dedication to their church have been unsurpassed. Our church fathers, who by serving faithfully the needs of their time and by their sacrifice, devotion, and example, have helped to preserve the church till this present day.

Church History - New Hope AME Church

African Methodist Episcopal Church

AME 7