Church History

This is obviously the history of New Hope Community Church, not the full 2000 years of church history! New Hope was for a short transitional period known as Hardley Green Christian Centre, but prior to this was for many years known as Hardley Pentecostal Church.

The name ‘New Hope’ reflects our desire to bring the good news of the gospel and the hope that we have in Jesus Christ to our local community through the relationships we build during our weekly activities, and ultimately to the world (Acts 1:8) through our various worldwide missions.

Early Church History

Hardley Pentecostal Church came into being around 1936, meeting at first in local homes and hired or borrowed buildings. Then in 1940 we purchased our own building (not the land) on what was the original Hardley village green, and which is now the ESSO bulk fuel loading site (where all those fuel tankers come from).

Crossing the Road

In the late 1950's ESSO bought Cadland Estate, thus becoming our Landlords, and we agreed to move to our present site in February 1958, having been provided with a wooden building of approximately the same size as the original.


Early church team all ready to deliver tracts by bicycle.
Left to Right: Bertha Smith, Frank Dyer, Florence Mann, Fred Smith,
Harry Holes, Olive Smith, Jack Dyer, Gwen Dyer, Pastor W.W.Rogers.


An old photograph of the opening of
that "new" building in 1958
 

The original founders were a group of people who believed that the experiences of the early church (as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles) were relevant to our times, and who sought the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Amongst other influences, the work of George Jefferys who went on to found the Elim group of Pentecostal Churches in this country, was particularly important and a number of the early members attended the crusades and healing services which took place in Southampton in the early 1930's.

It is interesting to note that at the time Hardley Pentecostal Church was formed, none of the early members had received the baptism in the Spirit. However, they were sure that these "signs and wonders" were a gift from God for the present day - which was by no means the generally held view in the English Church at that time!

In 1940, during the darkest days of the war, Frank Dyer (brother of long-time pastor, Jack Dyer) suggested that the members emulate the early disciples who had met together over a period of 10 days after Jesus ascended to heaven, praying and waiting in the upper room for the promised Holy Spirit. This they did, and after a number of days of prayer, the fire fell on them too.

Soon after the war Frank and his wife, Ivy, responded to Jesus' words in Acts 1:8 "...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses... to the ends of the earth”. They became missionaries in one of the more needy parts of Brazil - the North East. That work is still growing and is now led by Frank and Ivy’s daughter and son-in-law, John and Elizabeth Medcraft.

Frank and Ivy's departure from Tilbury Docks
Since crossing over to our present site, we have changed things considerably, constructing a brick building and adding a pre-fabricated structure about 6 times the size of the original building. These contain offices, two church halls plus Sunday school facilities, kitchen and toilets. Here are some pictures of the major modifications that took place in 1988 when the old building was taken down, and a new one put up in its place.

Laying foundations for new church:
L to R: Jack, Robert, Keith, John Dyer

New Hope as it looks today
Pastors old and new

Over the years the church has had a number of leaders, these being:
  • Pastor Rogers
  • Pastor Peake
  • Pastor Harper
  • Pastor Jack Dyer - 1950 to 1980
  • Pastor Keith Dyer - 1980 to 1992
  • Pastor Mark Chafe - 1992 to 2000
  • Pastor Jim Palmer - 2001 to 2004
  • Pastor Tim Lockwood - 2004
Some recent photographs of New Hope Community Church

New Hope Community Church

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