Welcome!

If you've found your way here, it may be because we ran into you at the New Hope Festival in Frenchburg! The New Hope United Methodist Church does not have a building...yet. Has not held a worship service... yet. Doesn't have a congregation... yet. New Hope was born in the hearts of two pastors, Scott Wilson of the Mount Sterling United Methodist Church and Aaron Mansfield of the Morehead United Methodist Church. They knew they were called to plant a new church in Frenchburg, where there is no United Methodist Church. Out goal is no to take anyone from a church they go to now, but rather to reach out to the people who do not go to church anywhere. Scott and Aaron did a lot of praying, but realized that they had not moved as quickly as the Holy Spirit wanted them to: the tornado hit, and The Morehead and Mount Sterling churches sprang into action, sending volunteers and supplies in those first critical days. But Methodists are in recovery for the long haul. We're the first to get there and we won't leave until the work is done. So we have also given lots of time, money and people to Habitat for Humanity to rebuild homes. We intend to be in Menifee County for a long time-- not as a disaster recovery team, but as a church in the community and for the community. Our great hope is that we rebuild on a spiritual foundation: Jesus! So after the Festival, what will we be doing? Following up on people who gave their lives to Jesus at the Festival. Having events for children, youth and families. Bible study and small group ministry. Working to strengthen the spiritual lives and well-being of the families in Menifee County! I hope we'll see you soon!

How New Hope Came to Be

Pastors Scott Wilson and Aaron Mansfield caught the vision for New Hope United Methodist Church at a conference in 2011. Scott and Aaron were independently told that there is no Methodist church in Menifee County. When they met at the conference, they each told the other that they felt like the Lord had called them to plant a Methodist church in Menifee County. But the goal is not just to be Methodists. The goal is to share the wonderful love of God in Jesus' name! But the story starts way, way back. Scott and Aaron went to middle school together... in Germany! Both their dads were career Air Force men, and Scott and Aaron met at Ramstein Junior High School in 1984, then went separate ways-- Scott to the Dallas, TX area and Aaron to San Antonio, TX. They did not meet up again until 1998, after both had accepted Christ as Lord and Savior and accepted the call to preach the Gospel. They have been serving together in the Kentucky Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church for 12 years. Scott is the pastor in Mt. Sterling and Aaron is the pastor in Morehead. They have felt the Lord's hand in putting them on either end of Menifee County. That day at the conference when both felt the Lord calling them to plant in Menifee County, Scott said, "I just think we need to call it New Hope, because people everywhere need hope."