Greater New Hope Baptist Churchs3 oelebrales 159 Vean Rev. J.O.T Lea, Pastor and members of Greater New Hope Baptist Church in Malvern Arkansas will celebrate the 159th anniversary of their church Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. The guest church is First Baptist Okolona. Rev. John A. Hill, Pastor. In 1859 Greater NewHope Baptist Churchwasfoundedin secrecyby Rev.Balm W.Whitlow andeight enslavedcomradesintheSaginawCommunitylocatedintheSouthwestsectionofHot SpringCounty. Rev. Balm Whitlow and these eight enslaved comrades were brought to Saginaw Community from Tennessee and North Carolina by Colonel Daniel Morrison during the mid-1800 Rev. Whitlow and these eight enslaved comrades worshiped in secrecy in 1865. After the abolishment of slavery Rev. Whitlow and these eight comrades revealed they had organized a church and named the church New Hope. Rev. Whitlow and these eight comrades felt God had given them new hope, and a new lease on life with their freedom. Rev. Whitlow and these eight comrades built a brush arbor for their first place of worship after being freed from slavery. After completing the brush arbor structure for their church, these eight freed comrades elected Rev. Whitlow as the first pastor of New Hope Baptist Church As the membership increased Rev. Whitlow and the congregation built a log structure and eventually a wood frame structure in which to worshijp Rev. Balm W. Whitlow served as pastor of Greater New Hope Baptist Church for 25 years before resigning to travel and establish churches throughout Arkansas. Rev. Whitlow's ministry lasted for more than a half a century. Also during Rev. Whitlow's tenure at Greater New Hope Baptist Church, he instilled in the minds of the congregation to have strong minds, kind hearts, faith in God and ready and willing hands for a long Christian Journey. In the mid-1920s many of the African American families had moved from the Saginaw Community to Malvern. In January 1926 Rev. E.S. Moore was Greater New Hope Baptist Church's Pastor. Rev. Moore and his congregation moved Greater New Hope Baptist to Malvern to a renovated store building in the Bryant Addition Community. Greater New Hope Baptist Church is registered at the Arkansas Historical Commission as the second oldest African American Church in Arkansas west of the Mississippi River. EVERYONE IS INVITED! 1202 W. Sullenberger