The Haven of Hope Church was
established in October of 1978, by Pastor Elsie
Lane (Briley), as the Fremont Church of God.
The church had 4 brand new KJV bibles laid at each corner of the
foundation.
Pastor Elsie labored intensely, alongside a
number of original members, (including Pastor
Hazel Carver, retired,
Pastor J Mack Taylor's grandmother, who
became Pastor Elsie's mentor and
confidant), raising funds for the new building, and to meet the
financial needs of the church. Often rising early each morning,
preparing breakfast biscuits, and making her rounds around town selling
the breakfast sandwiches.
During her stay at the Fremont Church of God, as
Pastor Elsie's mentor, Hazel Carver's
Husband, Pastor Taylor's grandfather died.
She had insurance, and the military paid for a tombstone, so she took
the tombstone money, and bought a brand new pulpit, and communion table
for the church. Now every Sunday, Pastor Taylor
preaches from behind a pulpit, with his grandfather's name engraved on
it
Not long after Pastor Elsie left the
church, several years later, the numbers drastically declined, ands they
would rise and fall slightly over the years with each new pastor.
In November of 2011, the Lord led Pastor J Mack
Taylor to the church for an interview, where the church had only
6 senior adults in attendance, for over 17 years.
The last pastor had closed the doors, by closing off the church windows,
and taking down the church sign, moving a number of old mobile homes
onto the property, along with a plethora of old farm equipment, leading
the entire neighborhood to believe it was no longer a church.
When Pastor Taylor arrived, the Lord had
blessed the church with a significant financial windfall due to flood
damage insurance, and the church was freshly remodeled inside and out,
essentially becoming a Brand new church building!
When he arrived for his interview service, there were 46 in attendance
in anticipation of his arrival, and the church unanimously voted to
bring Pastor Taylor, and his gifted, anointed, talented family, to
minister to the church. He soon discovered, the Fremont Church of God,
was the most loving, welcoming group of Christians he had ever been
blessed to meet, and they continue to be so to this day!
Sister Renee Taylor, strongly gifted with
organizational skills, quickly launched a brand new Women's Discipleship
Ministry, which took off very well, as well as
Sister Renee's gift with infant children serving the church well
in nursery ministries!
Sister Alycia Taylor, along with her sister
and brother-in-law, Rev. Sarah & Mason Carroll,
were all 3 extremely gifted musically, and set fire to the worship
format of the services, with Alycia
becoming the music minister. Mason became
the Music assistant, until Alycia's resignation in 2014 to pursue her
music and teaching education at UMO, when he stepped up into the
position of Music Minister.
Rev. Sarah Carroll became the Minister of
Youth & Christian Education, with responsibilities in Youth, Children,
and Young Adult ministries; and immediately began to see growth, but was
severely limited by a complete lack of facilities by which to best
utilize her anointing in those areas.
During the Month of September 2017, pastor Taylor
suffered complete kidney failure, and was hospitalized for
several weeks, and was completely out of commission for another 4
months, until his miraculous healing during a service in November of the
same year. During that Time, Pastor Sarah
took over the responsibilities of Pastoring the church, while
Pastor Taylor was recuperating. As such,
the church unanimously voted to call Pastor Sarah
as the Associate Pastor to the church, with responsibilities overseeing
the youth and Children's Ministries, and called
Sister Jessica Cooper as the Associate Youth Pastor, to take over
the responsibilities of youth and children's ministries.
In April 2013 the church began a building program, in which 3 modular
units were purchased, and put together to serve as a Youth Parsonage,
and a brand new Multi-purpose center, (Fellowship Hall, Youth &
Children's Ministry center), after which those ministries have begun to
soar!
Pastor Taylor's Father,
Jim Taylor, took a brief stint as Church
Treasurer, before resigning to Join Bro Thurman
Creech as co-heads of the "Men of Iron" Men's fellowship, which
has taken off exceptionally well. Brother
Jim passed away in 2019, and
Brother Thurman's health prevents him from
driving to the church. So Brother Bob Connell
is now the head of the Men of Iron men's ministry.
Since his first official service as Senior Pastor, Jan 1st, 2012, the
church has been inundated with powerfully anointed, Pentecostal church
services, and revivals. Pastor Taylor often
reflects that the growth and anointing are not because he came to the
church, but that he came to the church as God led him there because the
REVIVAL and ANOINTING of the church was already there, waiting for him
to be a part of God's plan for the church: to be a Haven of Hope for the
Hopeless in this, the last day!
Won't you come be a part of the most loving, accepting, and anointed
group of people on this side of Heaven?
Among the new ministries:
-THE FLOOD Youth Ministries services on
Wednesday evenings in the Multipurpose center
-Sunday morning Kid STORM children's church on Sunday
mornings
-Women's Discipleship ministry
-MEN OF IRON Men's Fellowship
-Praise & Worship Music Team
-Quarterly/Seasonal BIG EVENTS to minister to the local
community
-WEEKLY Sunday Night Fellowship Dinners