Church and Family History Research
Assistance
for Primitive Baptist Churches in Tulsa County, Oklahoma
CHURCHES:
NEW HOPE (TULSA)(1926)
New Hope Church was organized at Jefferson High school building, in Tulsa, at 2 p.m., on Saturday, January 23, 1926. Elder O. E. Odell was chosen moderator of the presbytery, and Bro. T. A. Wisdom, of the Muskogee church, as clerk. Elders C. C. Agee, Hopkins, White, and Odell, preached during the meeting. Sister P. M. Keiser was elected church clerk. The account of the meeting was submitted to the Messenger of Peace by Bryant Cash.
In 1944 a condensed history of the church at its eighteenth anniversary was published in the "Primitive Baptist." It is copied here:
At the regular session of Center Creek Association, held with Bethel Church in Muskogee, in September 1924, a small band of gospel hungry Baptists, namely, Sisters Francis Blair, Allie Cripe, Annie Williams, and P. M. Kieser, from and near Tulsa, urged Elder O. E. O'Dell to come here and preach; arrangements were made to have the meeting at Washington School, the first appointment being the fourth Sunday in November, 1924. Meetings were held regularly, with good congregations and interest, Elder O'Dell always attending us, together with other ministers, who came on various occasions - Elders Archie Brown, E. B. Martindale, Bryant Cash, J. H. White and others whom we do not recall. We wish especially to mention licentiate, Brother A. M. Sanders, who labored so faithfully with and for the church as long as he lived, which was four years from the time meetings began to be held here.
In the early spring of 1925, four members, namely, Sisters Williams, Sanders, Kiesser and Embry were requested by Elder O. E. O'Dell and Deacon Charles Chaney to secure their church letters and place them in Prairie Valley Church so that an arm might be extended here, which was done in their conference meeting in May 1925. Pursuant to request, New Hope Church was organized January 23, 1926, at the Jefferson School, (with the presbytery as shown above) with seven charter members. No pastor was called until June 1926, although meetings were held regularly. The first year was the hardest, due to conditions over which we seemed to have no control. Elder Gabe Brown served as pastor from June 1926, to 1927, when Elder O. E. O'Dell was chosen as pastor by majority vote, but did not accept the pastorate, because of it not being unanimous, but agreed that he would attend or see that we had some minister, which he did, and in June 1928, was chosen pastor by unanimous vote. We continued to hold services in different public places and a number of different private homes, all the while hoping and planning for our own church home, which was finally dedicated in April 1941, Brother G. W. Whitaker, now deceased, having been one of our strongest inspirations, not to mention his very generous financial aid, as well as aid and support in every way. Sister P. M. Kieser was elected church clerk at the constitution, which office she has since filled, with the assistance of Sister Leslie Embry, first, who moved away and resigned as assistant clerk; Sister Mary E. Cash was then chosen by the church to fill the place. Brethren W. A. Garrett and F. D. Pessels were ordained deacons on May 27, 1934, and have continually looked after the church in a Biblical manner. From the time the church was organized our regular meeting day has been the fourth Sunday and Saturday before, until October 1941, when Elder O. M. Cummings was chosen to serve as joint pastor, and who comes the second Sunday and Saturday night before.
Center Creek Association has been entertained by this church in 1932, 1937 and 1943, which was a joyous privilege to us, our church having been admitted to the association in September 1928. Our membership at this time is thirty-four, having lost twenty-three members in the several ways through the eighteen years. Elder O. E. O'Dell was elected pastor in June 1928, which place he has faithfully filled until this good day.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Anderson, Cash, Denton, Eden, Embry, Fink, Flowers, Garrett, Gray, Keiser, Marcum, Massey, Neal, Pessels, Ramsey, Sanders, Stephenson, Taylor, Whitaker (very incomplete list due to lack of records).
Copyright c. 2002. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
