Riesel, Texas church celebrates 171 years of worship
New Hope Baptist marks milestone of nearly two centuries of worship in Riesel
RIESEL, Texas (KWTX) - New Hope Baptist Church celebrated its 171st anniversary Sunday. The service celebrated the church’s longevity and encouraged other to join its congregation.
“This is a church family. A true church family,” said Dennis Kelly, the church’s deacon who has been with New Hope Baptist for 55 of those 171 years.
Kelly remembers when the church looked much different than it does today.
“When I first came here the church was probably 30 feet wide and more or less one of those shotgun churches,” he said.
Despite remaining a small congregation, New Hope Baptist has built a reputation for welcoming anyone with open arms.
“That’s one of the things about our church that I love so much is that when people come, they stay,” Kelly said.
That welcoming spirit is exemplified in the story of Robert Hannah, who joined the church in 2021 after serving a 15-year prison sentence. Hannah said his past didn’t matter to the congregation.
“This is my family. They embraced me when I got out. It was just instant love,” Hannah said, describing the warmth he felt from the church community.
Hannah believes it’s that unconditional love that has kept people coming back to New Hope Baptist for generations. “There’s just so much heritage here and a legacy of love and acceptance,” he said.
As the congregation gathered for food and fellowship to mark their 171st anniversary, Kelly emphasized that there’s always room for more in the New Hope Baptist family. “We’re ready for more people to come join us,” he said.
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