Church History
Liz W. Chamberlain - Church Historian
The United Methodist Church shares a common history and heritage with other Methodist and Wesleyan bodies (from the history of the United Methodist Church).
The first record of Hope United Methodist Church (HUMC) was in 1844; however, the church was organized as Southfield Methodist Episcopal Church in 1852. The first meeting was held in a log school house, and afterwards in a house on Farmington Town Line Road. After this, meetings were held in barns during the warm season. On October 6, 1853, the church was incorporated as a Methodist Society. The church lot was donated in 1855 by Archibald H. Green. The first meeting recorded for the election of Trustees was held in the church building on May 18, 1857. The deed, given by A. H. Green for the sum of $28.00, to the Methodist Episcopal Church of Southfield was dated September 2, 1863, and recorded October 27, 1863.
On July 16, 1946, Southfield Methodist Church purchased property for the sum of $6,500.00 to build a new church. A building fund drive was held in 1958 for the new church. $49,000.00 was raised, and on May 28, 1961, consecration service was held at Southfield Methodist Church for the new building at Civic Center Drive and Berg Rd. Membership was approximately 250. The pastor was the Rev. Robert B. Secrist.
In 1968, the Methodist Episcopal Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form the United Methodist Church. Southfield Methodist Church then became Southfield United Methodist Church. On June 8, 1975, Southfield United Methodist Church and St. Mark's United Methodist Church (the former St. Mark's Evangelical United Brethren Church) merged their small congregations to form Hope United Methodist Church.
The former St. Mark's church, parsonage, and property were sold and the merged church occupied the church building and facilities of the former Southfield United Methodist at the southeast corner of Civic Center Drive and Berg Road. Approximately 160 charter members were recorded.
Hope United Methodist Church was then already 131 years old and had seen some 82 circuit and tenured pastors when Dr. Carlyle Fielding Stewart, III was assigned as pastor in June, 1983. Hope's membership was approximately 200. Although the ethnicity of the church was 100% Caucasian at the time, Dr. Anthony Shipley, then District Superintendent of Detroit West District, along with Bishop Edsel Ammons (both, African American), sought out and offered Dr. Stewart the pastorship. A demographic study had clearly indicated that a significant number of African Americans were buying homes in the Southfield area. That demographic study proved to be true.
In December 1985, the first significant number of African Americans was elected to church leadership positions. Still among us today from that leadership slate are Sherry Evans Scaife and Liz Chamberlain. A significant number of dynamic African American leaders followed in the next few years. This leadership transition period was also the beginning of the racial transition, which continued through 1989.
On August 9, 1994, Hope held its last formal worship service at the Civic Center Drive and Berg Road location. Having purchased its current location, the former North Congregational Church for $3.4 million, Hope church members, led by Pastor Stewart, church leaders, and local and state dignitaries, made a dramatic and historic statement by walking down Civic Center Drive to its current location. Just as historic was the burning of the mortgage ceremony held in 2001, ridding the church of the $3.4 million debt.
Between 1989 and 1994, Hope United Methodist Church experienced phenomenal growth. That growth continues today, with current membership over 4,600. Regular weekly attendance increased from approximately 40 parishioners in 1985 to over 1,200 in 2002. Clearly, HUMC has been blessed with a membership explosion. Because of the ever-increasing membership, a number of significant changes have been made over the years, notably:
A second worship service (7:30 a. m.) was added in 1993. The former 10:00 a. m. worship service was moved to 10:30 a. m. With the move to its current location in 1994, a children's worship service (Jesus Junction) was established for ages five to 12 years. A worship service for youth was added in 1997. This R. O.C. K. (Radicals on Course for the Kingdom) worship service is for ages 13 to 17. A mid-week service was also added since the move to the current location.
The church has grown from two choirs in 1983 (Chancel choir and Bell choir) to a full music ministry to include the following choirs: Gospel, Carlyle Fielding Stewart III Children's, The Voices of Hope (youth), and Male Chorus.
HUMC has grown from offering one weekly Wednesday night bible study class to a variety of classes offered Monday through Friday, with a focus on adults, youth, children, women and men.
HUMC's spirit-filled worship services, phenomenal growth, and other significant changes can only be attributed to the Holy Spirit, an abiding faith, and to its gifted and anointed senior pastor, the Rev. Dr. Carlyle Fielding Stewart, III. Dr. Stewart is clearly a visionary as well as teacher and preacher.
Hope's rich history, especially its spiritual growth, can be summed up by its mission statement:
"Hope United Methodist Church is a word-centered, Holy Spirit-directed body of Christian believers who evangelize, disciple, empower, nurture, and educate souls for Jesus Christ."
