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This church lays claim to being one of the oldest in the State as a continuous body of worshippers. In fact, its history predates West Virginia history by five years since "New Hope Church" came into being in 1858. A legal document, although yellow with age, is still perfectly legible in a beautiful handwritten scroll and is a part of the church records today. This document reads in part, "At a Circuit Court held for Kanawha County the 26th day of May 1858: Upon application of the proper authorities of the congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, worshipping at "New Hope Church"." This New Hope Church property was situated in the lower flat woods of Pocatalico in Kanawha County, at a place called Cross Lanes, where it was intended to erect a New Church for the use of that congregation to be called "New Hope". The deed for this property was never recorded in W.Va. records. It is suspected the transfer of records were never made from Richmond to Charleston when W.Va. split with Virginia and adopted it's own statehood. Rumor still persists, that the carrier of this document met with inebriation somewhere along the line and the deed actually never reached Richmond in the first place. We today have a right to choose which we shall believe. "The New Hope Church" was built in 1858. In 1941, a new church was built on the same site and was named "Humphrey's Memorial" in honor of A. J. Humphreys. In 1956, it was again necessary to rebuild in order to keep pace with residential expansion in the community. This time, a four acre plot of land was purchased and the first unit of the modern plant was erected at a cost of approximately $70,000 (with a temporary sanctuary). The church was named "Cross Lanes Methodist Church". About the same time an educational unit was begun and the men of the church made a pledge to provide the labor. In 1966, the temporary sanctuary was abandoned and moved into a new one, which is our sanctuary today. In 1967, we passed a Christian milestone being the first Methodist Church in W.Va. to welcome an African American Minister, Dr. Ramsey Bridges, to an all white congregation. We are well prepared for our third century as a continuing congregation
of worshippers. We hope we may forever keep alive the simple trust and
deep Christian faith of those who founded the "New Hope Church" in this
community in 1868, and that God may continue to bless us with his love.
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Sunday Worship Schedule
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8:30 Early Morning Service
9:45 Sunday School
11:00 Traditional Worship Service
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