New Hope Church History

With roots reaching deep into Preble county’s rich history, The New Hope Church has served the community by ministering the Word of God since its founding in 1808. 

Founded by the residents of the local community and the Bonebrake family, the original New Hope Church congregation met at the homes of local pioneer families. 

In 1815 it was decided that an official structure would be built in the burg of Upshur (just east of New Hope). Although Upshur is no longer visible, the cemetery on Cemetery Road (just off Route 35 east of New Hope) was the site of the original church. The log structure was a hewn log structure with primitive split log benches. The grave marker of Jacob Surface (a former preacher within the church) marks the place where the original pulpit was located. Surface had requested to be buried at the site where he preached. 

As the congregation outgrew the log structure, a new brick church building was built in 1848 at the site of the current New Hope Church building. A silver steam boat bell from an Ohio River steamer was donated to the church by the Surface family. This bell would later melt in the 1929 church fire. By 1882, the congregation had outgrown the brick building. A new wooden structure was built at a cost of $1,600. In 1903 the wooden structure was greatly remodeled. Its appearance was much like the current structure as seen today. 

Just before noon on Good Friday 1929, a fire was discovered on the roof of the church. Tragically, the fire consumed the entire building taking with it the beautiful stained-glass windows. Thanks to the brave men of the community, many of the original pews, the Bush & Gerts piano, and the original walnut pulpit were saved from the engulfed structure. By the end of the day, the building was a mass of smoldering ashes. Unwilling to be stifled by the disaster, a committee of church members met that same evening to discuss rebuilding the church. The saved furnishings were taken across the street and placed in a barn at the Ashinger home where services were held until a new structure could be built. Pledges were made from members of the community and members of the congregation to rebuild the church. Special pledges also included the purchase of all new stained-glass windows. The large iconic ‘Beside Still Waters’ window has become known as one of the most beautiful church windows in the area. 

New Hope Church serves as a continual reminder that nothing of this world is permanent. From births to deaths, from triumphs to disaster, from sorrow to laughter, and from war to peace—the church has endured two centuries of change including structural changes, name changes, and denomination changes. Despite these changes, the mission of the New Hope Church has remained unaltered and steadfast and one simply of which founder Dewalt Bonebrake pioneered: The undaunted determination to lead people to the presence of God.