Peter Cartwright (a Methodist), John Berry (a Cumberland Presbyterian), and John Antle (a Baptist), all preached in this precinct at an early day. Together the Cumberland Presbyterians and the Baptists organized a congregation in 1833 and in 1852 erected the first church known as the Sandridge Baptist Church, located one half mile west of the present church. Noah M. King donated the land for the church.

This church was called the Sandridge United Baptist Church of Jesus Christ. The names of the members who signed are:
Will Armstrong
Louis Kincaid
Margaret Hudspeth
Arminda Kincaid
Susanna Armstrong
Mary Thomas
Julia Kincaid
James Hudspeth
Permolia Kincaid
Frances Close
Elisabeth James
Rebecca Armstrong
George Close
Elisabeth Short
Mary Allen
Susan Henky
Thomas Kincaid

Former Pastors
1957 Eddie Burris
1958 Kenneth Thomas
1960 Charles Sprague
1960 James Harmon
1962 Elmer Ward
1963 David Church
1965 Kenneth McLaughlin
1968 Frank Chance
1969 Mel Kennaman
1974 Charles Auerswald
1977 Dennis Bilbruck
1978 James Wolfly
1980 Joe Griffith
1981 Donald R. Full
1986 David A. Baker
1989 Steve Crumbaugh
1992 Robert J. Hastings
1993 A. Alan Redfern
1995 George A Packard
2000 Delbert Penrod

The following excerpts from their business meetings:

The first business meeting was held on the second Saturday of June, 1852. Rev. William Godsby was the first pastor called.

At a business meeting on the second Saturday of September, 1853, a little over a year later, the moderator was asked to appoint delegates to the association at Clary's Grove which were James Hudspeth and William Armstrong. Rev. Godsby served the church 19 years.

Minutes of the meeting July, 1871: "The Sandridge Baptist Church met, no preaching and no business, church adjourned. John W. Cogdal, (Clerk)

September 9, 1871, the members agreed to call Rev. Pleasant Clark for one year as their pastor." Also Rev. John Curry served.

"September 15, 1873: Sandridge Baptist Church called Bro. T.G. Clark to preach once a month."

"March 8, 1879: Sunday after preaching by J.W. Taylor, ordinance of baptism administered to 23 persons, J.W. Taylor officiating."

In 1883, the pastor, Thomas Potter, officiated at the marriage ceremony of Henry Edwards and Mary Elmore."

In 1883 the first organ was purchased from Wisemiller. Flora Kincaid was the first organist. Tade Todd led the song services. Mrs. Ollie Combs and Mrs. Nettie Tuttle were organists also.

On March 13, 1898, a fire destroyed the church and most of the records. Following the fire, the members met April 7, 1898, and decided to rebuild across the road from the Wesley Kincaid residence. (This site mentioned is the present location of the church.)

At that meeting the following committees were appointed: Building Committee: James Senter, Sr. and George Dawson; Finance Committee: Charles L. Nance, Minerva Cooper and Emma Nance; Trustees: George Cooper, Milton Nance, J.R. Short, J.W. Endley and Wesley Kincaid.

"Sandridge Church in regular session opened with prayer by Bro. Senter. Church proceeded to business. Trustees to new church were to e appointed by motion and seconded. All members voting named George Cooper, Milton Nance, J.R. Short, J.W. Ensley and Wesley Kincaid. Motion was made to building committee to go and buy the land from Tersey Potter and prepare to build. Trustees to have deed made for one and one fourth acres. Motion made to adjourn. J.T. Senter, Moderator, Mrs. Wesley Kiincaid, Clerk.

The Baptist people met in the Kirby School house for their palce of worship and Sunday School each Sunday in spring and summer of 1898. The carpenter was Frank Loften of Petersburg, Illinois. The cost was to e approximately $1,500.00. It was completed in September and dedicated on Sunday, September 18, 1898 under the name of Sandridge New Hope Baptist Church.

Rev Porter of Jerseyville, Illinois, gave the service of dedication. Dinner was served in the Wesley Kincaid yard under the shade trees. There were 36 charter members. The last charter member was Mrs. Anetta Nance Tuttle, who passed away September 19, 1978, at the age of 95 years.

Mrs. George Dawson was the first one baptized and added to the fellowship of the church in the new building. The first pastor in the new building was B.F. Drake of White Hall, Illinois. The fist associational meeting was held at the new church September 1899 when it was one year old. This was the Central Illinois Baptist Association. Membership at this time was 44 members.

In 1908 the first furnace was installed. At a business meeting May 14, 1910, a motion was made and carried that the trustees paint the church and repair plastering. Motion made and carried that Bro. Isley supervise the putting up of the hitch racks. One post remains on the east side of the yard.

September 1916. "At a business meeting it was voted to write to Bro Hudson and find out if h e will accept the church for the same price as the year before and leave out getting to that early train on Monday morning."

The basement was completed in 1925.
The church was wired for electricity in 1938.
In 1940 New Hope voted to sever all connections with Central Baptist Association citing II Corinthians 14-18.
A new furnace was installed in 1946.
New Hope Church held a business meeting July 4, 1946: "There were 19 members present. This meeting was held to decide if we would ask for fellowship in Southern Baptist Association. After much discussion, motion carried that we were ready to vote. Motion carried that we ask for fellowship in the Sandy Creek Association. All members voting. Motion carried."
August 7, 1946. Letter to Association and delegates selected. Ask Association to meet at New Hope in 1947.

The following is a list of pastors who have not been previously mentioned.
J.M. Branson
W.F. Thompson
E.B. Ashurst
Carl Hughes
Charles Hudson
Pleny Blunt
John D. Jess
Paul Smith
Calvin Bryant
F.A. Wirth
G.W. Rhodes
Jim Barrett
H.L. Mounce
George Nichols
Loren Morgan
James Duty
E.L. Banta
George M. Eades
Thomas Crain
Ronald Beath
Leo Simmons
George Hart
Frank Day
J. N. Fitch
Jams Ishmael
W.C. Thompson
M.M. Hughes
R.C. Jostes
Baskell Monroe
Henry Ballard
T.J. Bierbaum

During the years in existence of the church the following family names have been associated with it.

Ahrenkiel, Atterberry, Beard, Birchfield, Brown, Carpenter, Cogdal, Cox, Cundiff, Dawson, Eachels, Ensley, Finn, Frederick, Gilmore, Hagen, Hatfield, Higgins, Hollis, Hopper, James, Kincaid, LaMaster, Leebold, Marcy, McClure, Murphy, Nichols, Ogden, Pillsbury, Reed, Sewell, Shultz, Spurgeon, Alexander, Atwater, Bearden, Boehm, Browning, Cashnew, Combs, Crain, Curry, Delvins, Edwards, Entrekin, Floweree, Frick, Goldsby, Hall, Henky, Hill, Holman, Hornke, Jones, King, Lancaster, Love, Martin, McLaughlin, Nance, Nissen, Owens, Pritchett, Richardson, Shear, Simons, Stalh, Allen, Bailey, Bell Boeker,Caldi, Cooper, Crumbaugh, Daniels, Dowell, Elliott, Estell, Focus, Fry, Greenhalgh, Hamblin, Heyen, Hohimer, Hoover, Hudspeth, Justice, Kirby, Lascelles, Maltson, McDole, Miller, Nation, Nolan, Packard, Rapien, Ring, Short, Smith, Sith, Armstrong, Barton, Binger, Branson, Caldwell, Close, Corbin, Cummings, David, Duff, Elmore, Filkin, Fornoff, Full, Gurgett, Harris, Hibb, Holliday, Hopkins, Isley, Kennedy, Koehne, Lee, Manaham, McKinney, Moody, Neely, Noland, Penrod, Reagon, Senter, Showalter, Spears, Thomas, Thompson, Trenary, Watkins, Wolf, Todd, Trippett, White, Worthington, Toncray, Tuttle, Wilken, Wright, Trailor, Vogle, Wiseman.

March 1951: Love seat and chair for church platform paid for by Mrs. Ed Wilkin, $15.00. They are still in use.

July 20, 1952: New Hope Baptist Church celebrated its Centennial Anniversary in their own building.

October 3, 1956 business meeting -- Voted to join Capital City Baptist Association.

October 2, 1957 -- Wrote Sandy Creek Association informing them that we have joined Capital City Baptist Association. During the following years the congregation slowly dwindled to a few precious souls, who were faithful in keeping the doors open.

In 1976 New Hope Baptist Church was named in the will of the Harbison estate. The amount was nearly $5,000.00 which was put into a savings account. During the 1977 the building was insulated. In 1978 it received a termite treatment. We know the Spirit of God works in mysterious ways. In the heart of a former member burned the desire to see New Hope flourish again. In the fall of 1978, with James Wolfley as pastor, the few members met to discuss what lay ahead. By faith…they plunged ahead with a renovation program. Money had to be borrowed. Letters to former members and friends of the church were mailed, dated November 22, 1978 asking for contributions and prayers. All replies were favorable. Little by little the attendance started climbing. The Spirit of God was at work in the Sandridge community. Fourteen attended, then 20, 35, 55 and 58 on December 26, 1978. In early December the first work was underway. The old furnace was taken out. Two new gas furnaces were installed. A well was drilled. Septic tank, rest room and water system were added. New electrical system and interior were completed. Carpeting was installed. From January 7 to March 18, 1979, the congregation met in the Oakford Hall for services. During May of 1979, with the Lord's help, the church put up 3 signs, added air conditioning and enlarged the front entrance. New hymnals were purchased. September of 1979 saw the old slate shingles come off and new shingles put on the roof and steeple.

June 1981. The basement improvements included a suspended tile ceiling with new wiring and lights, new windows, (eliminating four windows), another sump pump added and walls painted. We were always able to repay the loans in record time. The Lord provided for our needs. Today we owe not one penny.

November 1, 1981, Donald R. Full became our pastor.

March 1982. The siding and storm windows were added. The old brick chimney was torn down and a modern one put up. Two ceiling fans and a used organ were purchased. Partitions were made to divide the basement into Sunday School classrooms.

April 18, 1982, pastor, Don Full was ordained to the gospel ministry.

In September of 1982 a "new pew" fund was started and began to build a little at a time. In February 1983 we ordered new oak pews. When delivery was made in May, the Lord had provided again. We paid for them, in full. We had sold the old pews to individuals. Our latest purchase was a new piano. A faithful servant of the Lord made a large contribution toward the purchase. Now, new hope at New Hope is more than a name. It's a reality.

November 20, 1983, the Sesquicentennial year was celebrated. Former pastors, members and friends attended and took part in the day long service.

1984 - Five persons were baptized and joined New Hope Baptist Church.

1986 - One added to membership by profession of faith and baptism. October 26 was Don Full's last service as our pastor.

February 14, 1987, New Hope received $2,357.70 from Viola Hill Estate. David A. Baker became our pastor. June 28, David Baker was ordained.

Through all the years the church battled the high water table in the area. Deciding enough was enough, the church voted to build a fellowship hall on the west side of the building. Through the summer of 1987, volunteers worked long hours to help complete the project, including a kitchen, nursery, bathroom and office. Folding doors make it possible to accommodate five classrooms. This year we added one for baptism and membership.

1992. We added for baptism and membership.

1993. Three of our young people professed faith in Jesus and asked to be baptized and joined New Hope. In November, a new gas furnace was installed. This was the first year for Mt. Olive Baptist, Oakford Methodist and New Hope Baptist to hold joint Thanksgiving services. The offering collected goes to charity. The service location and speakers rotate among the churches each year.

1994. We received one candidate for baptism and membership. In the fall, new front double wide doors were installed and the foyer was remodeled.

Summer 1999. Other recent pastors have been Elmer Ward, Charles Auswald, Joe Griffith, Robert J. Hastings, Steven Crumbaugh, David Baker, Allan Redfern and Allen Packard.

March 1, 2000, Rev Delbert Penrod became our pastor with his wife Barbara. In May, the wooden crosses were donated in memory of our former pastor, G. Allen Packard, by the Brown family. In November new carpeting was installed and new hymnals were purchased.

In the Lord's Name -- and with pastor Delbert Penrod and his wife, Barbara, to shepherd us, New Hope Baptist Church looks forward to proclaiming His Love. This was the vision and faith of our ancestors 170 years ago and it remains our vision today.

Amen, Come Lord Jesus!