Sunday, April 1, 2001
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Sunday, April 1, 2001 |
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New Hope serves Fayette from north to south By CAROLYN CARY
Not too many churches can say that they are situated in two locations at the same time. New Hope Baptist can make that statement with one location, known as the North Campus on its original site on New Hope Road, and the South Campus on Ga. Highway 74 south. It has grown from its 10 original members in 1880 to over 5,000 members. Between the two locations Sunday morning worshipers will total over 2,300. The second church building, constructed in 1903, served the group for 73 years and has been preserved on the grounds. Several building expansions have taken place: in 1976 a 550-person sanctuary was built; in 1978 an education building was completed; in 1983 a new 2,100-seat worship center was launched; in 1988, new office and adult education space totalling 40,000 square feet was completed; and April 8, 2001, a 65,000-sq. ft. expansion will be dedicated at the North Campus. It contains additional adult Sunday School rooms, a 500-seat dining room, a youth/student center that will seat 600 persons, and a full gymnasium. Renovations will be made to an existing building to create 11 preschool rooms, 18 new grade school rooms and add eight additional adult rooms. The project is expected to be completed in August. According to Barry Thompson, assistant pastor, members of New Hope are not ones to sit still. Not too long ago, five members went to Southeast Asia and 20 are going this summer. They will be passing out literature and sharing Christ. About a dozen members will be going back to Belarus where they will be conducting prayer walks, which is walking in the street and sharing Christ, and visiting a children's hospital. There they will visit terminally ill children born during or right after the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Previously they brought back 20 children for medical attention and treated them to an Atlanta Braves baseball game. About 40 will be heading to
England where they will perform in concerts and dinner theaters. The group
will consist of choir members, orchestra members and The youth will be heading back to New York where they will conduct Bible clubs and work with inner-city children. A new sports program, Upward Basketball, is a weekly league that attracts 300 youth. Call the church for more information. Preparation is being made for a big conference for Friday, July 13, and Saturday, July 14. The Rev. Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, president and founder of Walk Through the Bible, will give a presentation on his book, "The Prayer of Jabez." Because of his reputation in the field, an initial printing of 80,000 were thought to be enough. To date, more than two million have been printed with a current back order of two million. As found in I Chronicles, 4:9&10, Jabez was someone who kept praying to God until God granted his requests. "We are one church in two locations," senior pastor, the Rev. Dr. John Avant, has said. "But we are all one church with one common purpose." Worship hours at the North Campus are 8 a.m. and 10:40 a.m., with Bible Study at 9:15 a.m. It is at 551 New Hope Road, Fayetteville. Worship at the South Campus is at 9 a.m. with Bible study at 10:30 a.m. It is at 1592 Hwy. 74 south at Starr's Mill. Both campuses can be reached at 770-461-4337 or at the church's Web site at www.newhopebc.org.
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