In the Beginning
Christian Hope M. B. Church was organized May, 1932. The following met at the home of Mother Martha Walton: Brothers, H.B. Brady Robert Berry, Dunbar Webb, Sylvester Clark, A. Varnado, Rev. R. Walton; Sisters, Mary Webb, Aquilla Brady, Selena Brown, Frances Thomas, Victoria Clark and J. Anderson. There they decided to resurrect a church that had been inactive for more than four years. Christian Hope Missionary Baptist Church was the church that had gone out of existence formerly at 32nd and Cottage Grove Avenue.
Rev. J. W. Brown of Jerusalem Baptist Church presided at the Council that resurrected Christian Hope at 3746 South State Street. Rev. Thompson was elected pastor in September 1932. Rev. Thompson resigned in September 1933.
January 1934 the Deacon Board recommended Rev. H. B. Brady for Pastor and he accepted. From the humble storefront in 1933, the people worked untiringly under many adversities and hardships. The plagues began to torture them. Water from unsanitary facilities, and from the apartments above began to overflow onto the choir stand, but their spirits were not dampened nor defeated. They had faith to believe that God would deliver.
In March of the same year the Gospel Chorus was organized with Sis. H. Smith as president. With all auxiliaries working, the church began to grow daily, and God added faithful workers.
God also worked many miracles among the membership and others who were in need of blessings. That same year God lifted the plaque of insecurity and allowed them to move to 3672 South Wabash. Here too the people continued to worship God in spite of adverse circumstances.
In 1937, the church began to plan for a new home or a location to build God a house. In 1939, the church took it’s first step in buying a new home at 3672 South Wabash Avenue. The dwelling was remodeled into a beautiful place of worship. The mortgage on the new place was burned in 1940 with the late Rev. Dr. L. K. Williams, President of the National Baptist Convention U. S. A. Inc. presiding.
At this time the church had a membership of 250, 14 auxiliaries with 26 presidents/vice presidents, 7 deacons, 4 trustees, 7 mothers, 4 associate ministers and one assistant pastor. Through the leadership of Rev. Brady, ”The Modern Day Moses”, who never lowered his rod of faith, under his leadership the church grew and God blessed the membership through all obstacles including the financial ones.