New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
After emancipation, the organization of churches by former slaves formed not only a house for worship but also a center for the economic, political and social aspects of the community. In 1893, some of the members of Saint James Missionary Baptist church in the Red Rock Community (near Gladewater) moved downtown seeking employment opportunities. Soon, reverend Louis Holoway and seven others founded a church congregation under a brush arbor. The founding members were Peter Lee, Matt Perry, Elnora Turner, Della Perry, Celia Johnson, Lou Johnson and Mollie Daniels.
Around 1896, the first church building, a small one-room building, was erected near the fork of the old Tyler highway (South Main St.). In 1911, the first church building was torn down and the congregation relocated to its present location on Roden Lane. In addition to religious priorities, education of African American children was also important to the church. The first African American school in Gladewater was held in the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church building. Over the years, the congregation and the church expanded with renovations in 1934, 1950 and 1968.
In an effort to broaden their reach, additional Sunday worship services were added as well as radio broadcasts. Through community outreach, assistance, foreign and local ministries, and disaster relief, the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church has been a beacon of hope to the community for more than a century. These east Texas pioneers made it possible for the African American community to worship and gather.