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Hope Baptist Church Originally called Shiloh Baptist Church, this congregation was constituted in 1885 with eight charter members, who first met in the Riggs Schoolhouse. The exact location of the schoolhouse is unknown, except that it was in Lavaca County. The original members were: M. L. and M. Newsom, Daniel and Moneroy Fitch, J. L. and A. A. Moore, Adie Riggs and R. A. Anderson. They held worship services once a month, and baptisms took place in Clark's Creek. Church minutes record the formation of a building committee in 1896. The first worship service in the new sanctuary occurred in December 1896. Over the years, the congregation enlarged their space with additional facilities as they grew. A new building eventually replaced the 1896 structure. In 1920, the members of Shiloh Baptist Church agreed to change their name to Hope Baptist Church to reflect the name of the community in which they worshipped. Seven years later the congregation hosted the annual meeting of the Guadalupe Baptist Association. Throughout its history, Hope Baptist Church has focused on outreach to the community and has been involved in both local and worldwide mission activities. It continues to uphold the ideals and traditions of the founders in its worship and Sunday school programs. (2001) |
