Taken from the book: The History of New Hope, Virginia by: Owen Early Harner and Wayne Edward Garner

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The beginnings of Methodism in the New Hope area are shrouded in uncertainty. The records of those earliest days, which would be so highly prized today, are non-existent. Undoubtedly the pattern was the same as those found elsewhere: small groups of believers meeting in homes and being visited at irregular intervals by the itinerant preachers who traveled in great hardship and privation from group to group, their circuits covering a county or counties in the early days.

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The first house of worship in the New Hope community was the old log building known as the Round Hill Meeting House. This building was erected prior to 1809 and used by several denominations as a (German and English) school, meeting house and burying ground. It seems the Methodists grew faster than the other denominations and
their name came to be associated with it. The subsequent Methodist houses of worship bore the name of Round Hill or Providence Meeting House.

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Just where this first church stood can not be definitely determined on the basis of present information. We do know that it was the first of three hoses of worship for this congregation. The second was a frame building situated most likely, on the present plot of the church property. In 1839, Edward Rutledge deeded a piece of ground, which is a part of the present holdings to: (the Trustees) Zachariah Johnson, Charles Batis, Samuel Harnesbarger, and Samuel Kennerly; "that they shall keep the buildings now erected thereon, or some similar and convenient building for a meeting house, a place of public worship, called the Round Hill or Provenience Meeting House for the use of the members of the Methodist Church in U.S. of America." In 1849, a contract was given to George Peters by the Round Hill Congregation, to build the present Methodist Church (at a cost of $950). This  building was erected in 1850 and dedicated in 1852.

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When the church was finished in 1850, it was a frame building: 38 feet wide, 48 feet long and 18 feet high. It had        8 large windows, 2 doors in one end for entering, 2 aisles with seats on either side of the aisles and in the center. According to the contract, “the whole of the work is to be done in a neat, plain, workmanlike manner.” 

 

Originally, a high platform extended all the way across the front of the church and the pulpit was reached by stairs.    In 1869, this high platform was cut down somewhat in height, and at the same time kerosene lamps were installed in holders fastened to the sides of the walls.

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During and following the Battle of Piedmont in June 1864, New Hope UMC was used as a hospital for Confederate soldiers wounded in the battle. A small projectile struck the building during this time, and the hole in the siding was showed to visitors until the church was remodeled in 1929.

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During the latter days of the war, the church suffered great abuse. It is said that Union soldiers used to ride their horses in one door and out the other, there being two rear doors. At one time, an attempt was made to burn the church, though the burning of churches was not a practice by the Union Army, but the group was driven off by a patrol of Confederates who were stationed as observers on Round Hill.

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A great revival lasting six weeks occurred during the pastorate of Rev. G.T. D. Collins in the fall of 1867. The church was crowded to capacity and there were many professions of faith. It was also about this time that a very successful choir was organized and the good music was a great attraction  to the services.

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The first organ was bought in 1878. Miss Kate Weller and Miss Laura Eakle took turns playing the instrument. A few years later Mrs. Sadie Kerr became the regular organist.

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In 1919, there was great agitation for the building of a new church, and a committee did some work on the plans and preparation, but the project was deferred. 

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In 1929 the building underwent a great deal of remodeling. A different entrance was provided by the addition of a vestibule and stairs and the construction of six Sunday School rooms, new floors, painting and furnishings.

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The first piano was a gift of Sam Bauserman, after the death of his wife in 1933. 

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Later Venetian blinds were put up and the oil heating plan installed in 1947.

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In 1952, the Sunday School building was added to the rear of the building. Initially this area included all classrooms, including the social hall and kitchen downstairs. It currently includes the upstairs kitchen, the library and the restrooms, with classrooms and storage on the second floor. This addition was built at a cost of $30,000.

 

The current Sunday school building, which houses 10 classrooms, was built in 1967 and the cost was $51,500.

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The current sanctuary was erected in 1978.

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UPDATES:

 

Since 1978, no major renovations have been made to the church building or parsonage, other than repairs and upkeep to maintain the property and buildings.

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In 2001, a picnic shelter was built in memory of William Harding, Sr. with donations from his family.

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In the early 2010s, the dirt road in the cemetery was paved and blacktopped, with a small tree added and a small bench for people to use for mediation and prayer.

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In the Summer of 2017, renovations began to replace the current Pastor's Office and turn it into a new Audio/Visual Room. Television monitors were installed in the Sanctuary and the current sound system equipment was upgraded.

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In 2019, a new Heating and Air Conditioning System was installed in the section of the church that has the Sunday School classrooms, the bathrooms, the kitchen, the social hall, the upstairs classrooms and the upstairs storage closets.

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New Hope Methodist Parsonage - 1905

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(Updated from the Book): Over the past 114 years, New Hope UMC's Parsonage has been home to 35 ministers and their families; from Reverend C.B. Sutton (1905-1908) to Pastor Michael Reaves (June 2019-present).

 

The cost to build the Victorian-style house was $1,800 in 1905.

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New Hope UMC's Cemetery

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This cemetery is on a sloping hill and is well kept. There are no fallen stones and none of the graves have sunken very far. There are a number of wooden and rock markers which bear no inscription. 

 

The earliest date on a tombstone is 1850. 

 

There are very few old epitaphs in the cemetery.

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The grave of Wm. H. Mauser, killed in the Battle of Piedmont, July 6, 1864 is located here.

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Source: Library of Virginia Titled Files, Survey Report, New Hope Graveyard, August 12, 1936, research made by Scioto M. Herndon

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Old Tree in the Front of the Church​

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On Wednesday evening, June 28th, 2023, the old oak tree in the front of the church was damaged by a storm and lost a large limb. Over the next several months it was decided that the tree would need to be taken down completely due to alot of rot throughout the tree.

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