OUR HISTORY

​

The Hope Mills United Methodist Church was organized out of Cotton Methodist Church in 1901, which was part of the Cumberland Charge. Services were held in the Masonic Lodge Hall on Trade Street for the first three years. This building was destroyed by fire and in 1904 a new church building was built on West Patterson Street in the heart of the Hope Mills community. In 1915 Hope Mills United Methodist Church became part of the Parkton Charge.

​

In 1952 several members appealed to Bishop Garber for Hope Mills to become a station appointment. 

Permission was granted and Hope Mills became a church unto itself with a full time minister.

​

In 1961 the church purchased a three acre tract of land on Legion Road. The ground breaking ceremony for the new church was held in 1963 on Easter Sunday, and the first service was held on Christmas Eve of that same year. The congregation moved into the new facility in February, 1964. In a sentimental gesture, the old bell from the old church was moved and still stands proudly in front of our church.

​

In 1980, a beautiful new parsonage was built on land next to the church which was given by the E.N. Brower, Sr. family. And in 1999 needlepoint kneeling cushions for the sanctuary altar were made by Dorothy H. Brower, Mavis G. Johnson, Patsy M. Thames, Mary B. Barrett, Mary Jean B. Murchison and Patricia C. Timberlake.

 

The following ministers have served our church since it became a station appointment:

2022- Present       Prentis Harris III

                                                           2019 - 2022        Ellen McCubbin

                                                           2016 - 2019        J. Robert Kretzu

                                                           2000 - 2016        Dennis Sheppard

                                                           1994 - 2000        Jay Winston

                                                           1990 - 94           Tommy Privitte

                                                           1985 - 90           Harold M. Chrismon, Sr.

                                                           1983 - 84           Michael L. Hales

                                                           1979 - 82           Samuel Brown

                                                           1976 - 78           Claude Chaffin

                                                           1972 - 75           R.S. Brodie

                                                           1968 - 71           Clyde Tucker

                                                           1966 - 68           Amos H. Stone

                                                           1961 - 65           F. Odell Walker

                                                           1960 - 61           Jack Crum

                                                           1957 - 59           Lawrence A. Watts

                                                           1954 - 56           Ralph R. Fowlkes

                                                           1952 - 53           Robert L. Barefield