New Chapel United Pentecostal Church

God graciously sent some ministers to this part of the country to set up Brush Arbors and tent meetings, which was unheard of at that time, to preach Repentance, Baptism in Jesus Name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

In the Summer of 1931, Brother Louie Hudson and Brother Hall preached an all-day meeting at Old Chapel Methodist Church, with permission, and several more services were held there. The moving of the Holy Ghost stirred many people.

Several years passed, and after moving from place to place to worship, the people longed for a place of their own to fellowship.

Around 1945, Mr. George Polk deeded an acre of land to the people for the first church to be erected. Brother Amos Taylor supervised the first church built on this soil and became the first pastor. Materials were donated by people in the community who wanted the work of the Lord to be established. The church was known as “Taylor’s Tabernacle”. Services were held here for approximately five years with Brother Taylor.

In late 1952, Brother James Burnett, Brother Carroll Martin, and Brother Roy Rowley preached a revival, and shortly afterward, the church elected Brother Burnett as pastor. During the time he was here, the first building was torn down as Brother Burnett felt that a larger building was needed. Sill Knight, Woodrow Wilson, Luther Folse, Bud Pope, and Bob Evans donated timber and had it cut and dried to use for the new building. The church at this time was an “independent” church, which meant that it was not affiliated with any church group or organization. Since the church was not owned or directed by any group or denomination, some of the Baptist people in the area wanted to pay off the debt of the church and take it.

After Brother Burnett left, the people prevailed upon Brother Troy Evans to take over the leadership as pastor of the church. Brother Troy agreed to step in and help prevent the loss of the church. The next year, the debt was paid off. Brother Troy went to the bank and borrowed enough money to seal the church and add a porch on the front. Shortly after this, he was influential in getting the church affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church organization.

The next pastor was Brother C. R. Lindsey from Laurel, Mississippi. Under his leadership, New Chapel Pentecostal Church obtained membership in the United Pentecostal Church organization on July 11, 1953, and has been New Chapel United Pentecostal Church ever since. Brother Lindsey was with us for approximately one year. He then moved on to another work in Laurel.

Brother and Sister Hillman and their family were the next to become the pastor here. The parsonage had not been built at this time, and it was not an easy task to get five girls up, dressed, and get here in time for Sunday School at 10am, but the love for God’s work drove them to travel those long miles every weekend from Leakesville, to preach and encourage us in the Lord. They stayed with us for two years.

The church then called Brother and Sister Felix Sartin to come and be our pastors. Brother Sartin, with the help of the brethren, built the parsonage so that we could have a shepherd with us all the time. They both worked hard helping us put down tiles in the church sanctuary and Sunday School rooms. Brother Sartin saw how badly we needed pews, so he purchased them, and with little assistance, put them together and then varnished them to match the beaded lumber ceiling. The living room in the parsonage was used as a young people’s Sunday School room. Brother and Sister Sartin were not only faithful in laboring with their hands, but they were compassionate toward everyone in need of encouragement, whether young or old. The Sartins were with us for six years.

Following the Sartins were Brother and Sister G. R. Travis and their daughters, Bonita and Virginia. He came here with a desire to make us a better people with a larger vision. Before long, we had a new organ and had launched a building program to add an educational department to our church. This meant digging a basement, pouring cement, and hours upon hours of work, toil, sacrifice, and challenges. There was also fun, fellowship, sweat, and tears, but God brought us through that building program with a love for Him and an appreciation for each other. When it was completed, we had six Sunday School rooms. The platform and the choir loft were carpeted with beautiful red carpet, as well as the center aisle. They were with us for five years.

The church then elected Brother and Sister Noel Coker as pastor. He came with zeal, vitality, and a will to continue the spiritual and physical work that had begun prior to their coming. Brother Coker had an inspiration for work that was contagious to others. He and Cowboy Graves built the cabinets in the basement kitchen. Brother Coker, like Brother Travis, was never too busy to listen to the advice of older men like Brother Tyrone, Brother Hawthorn, Brother Graham, and Brother Melvin Davis. Brother Coker had the entire church bricked to complete the look of the church. The Cokers were with us for just under two years before feeling led by God to move on.

At this time, God sent us a young family from Moss Point, Mississippi, Brother and Sister Floyd Odom and their daughter, LuRynda. We were blessed by their musical talents, and they worked wonderfully with our youth and with the elders as well. Brother Odom, the brethren, and his uncle, Brother Royce Earl Odom, remodeled the parsonage, enclosing the carport and converting it into a living room. Brother Odom also rebuilt the front porch of the church, adding handrails on each side. While they were with us, they had another daughter born, Amanda Faith. The Odoms were with us for four years before he accepted the pastorate at Woodlawn in Columbia, Mississippi.

In 1975, we elected Brother and Sister Malcolm “Mike” Dykes. They both worked with our young people and encouraged them to use their talents for the Lord. While they were with us, they had their first child, a son named Jonathan. Under Brother Dykes’s pastorate, we purchased padded pews and had carpet installed in the sanctuary. Also, a man by the name of Ben Cook purchased an acre of land from William Graves and deeded it to the church with the stipulation that it be used for a cemetery for anyone who wanted to bury their loved ones there. The Dykes family was with us for three years.

In 1977, Brother and Sister Nordan were elected as pastor. They had three teenagers when they came, and Brother and Sister Nordan worked closely with our young people. Under Brother Nordan’s leadership, the cemetery land was leveled, and preparation for a fence to be built around it was put into action. Brother Nordan, the men, and boys worked hard to build a protective wall by the basement. He also bought a baby grand piano for the church. The Nordans were with us for approximately two years. After the Nordans left, Brother Troy Evans and some of the young men worked to complete the fence around the cemetery.

In August 1979, Brother and Sister Donald Hickman and their son, Ken, won the hearts of New Chapel on their first visit. They were down to earth, able to communicate with the saints, sinners, young, old, rich or poor. Their musical talents were greatly needed and appreciated, but the main thing was that they reflected the love and direction that we needed at this time. We also needed a man of God with the insight that could recognize the potential that lay in this area. God used them to widen our vision and to challenge us to do, with God’s help, more than we could have ever dreamed possible.

In 1981, under Brother Hickman’s guidance and directive leadership, the construction of a new sanctuary and Sunday School rooms was started. After the completion of the new sanctuary in August 1982, the old sanctuary was renovated to become our kitchen facility and fellowship hall. At the dedication and note burning in August 1983, God gave us great and mighty promises. These promises were contingent upon the people giving themselves in true worship. Brother Hickman had a burden for a facility that would serve as a recreational and spiritual gathering place for the church families as well as those in the community. In 1992, we began construction on our Family Life Center. On August 25, 1992, New Chapel United Pentecostal Church became a Non-profit Corporation. In July 1996, we started the renovation of the sanctuary, and due to the untimely death of Donald Hickman on July 23, 1996, the project had to be completed by the church members during the interim without a pastor. We were blessed with 17 wonderful years with Brother Hickman as pastor.

Brother and Sister Ronald E. Bohde and son Darby were elected as pastor on October 27, 1996. Brother Bohde took on the burden of Brother Hickman’s dream for the Family Life Center, and it was completed. The church parking lot was paved during this time as well. While the Bohdes were with us, they another son was born, Dustin. In 2002, we were blessed when Brother and Sister Timothy Boswell came to New Chapel as Youth Pastor and principal of New Chapel Christian Academy. Sister Boswell was also a blessing to us with her vocal and musical talents. The old Sunday School rooms were converted into an apartment where the Boswells lived. It was used as an evangelist/missionary apartment later. The Bohdes pastored for approximately 7 ½ years.

New Chapel was blessed again when Brother and Sister Rodney Bankens became our next pastor on July 8, 2004. He brought a fresh outlook to New Chapel, and that was what we needed at that time. Under Brother Bankens's direction, we purchased our first 33-passenger church bus, and he also continued the church school, NCCA. In May 2010, we were blessed with a donated new 15-passenger bus. We had our church name and logo put on the bus, and a bus cover was built to keep it protected.

On February 3, 2010, Brother Bankens appointed Brother Ken Hickman as the Associate Pastor of New Chapel United Pentecostal Church. On May 6, 2012, Brother Ken Hickman was voted in as Co-Pastor, and when Brother Bankens chose to retire and move back to Louisiana, the church voted to have Brother Ken Hickman as our next pastor. On March 18, 2016, Brother Bankens conducted the Installation Service for Brother and Sister Ken Hickman, passing the Mantle of Pastorate of New Chapel United Pentecostal Church to them. Brother and Sister Bankens were pastors for 12 years.

Here we are in 2024, and God is continuing to bless New Chapel United Pentecostal Church under the pastorate of Brother and Sister Ken Hickman, who happens to be the son of one of our previous pastors, Brother Donald Hickman. Brother Ken Hickman has been and continues to lead us in the direction that God has for our local assembly. Sister Hyla Hickman is a blessing with her vocal and musical abilities, as well as their children. Most importantly, Brother and Sister Hickman have a love for the people of New Chapel and the people in this area of Covington and Jefferson Davis Counties. We have remodeled our sanctuary and foyers, updated our video cameras and recording equipment, replaced pews with comfortable chairs, installed new carpet, and updated the lighting. Brother Hickman has a burden for this church and the surrounding areas and desires to see the revival that was promised to this church when the new sanctuary was built and dedicated in 1983. We look forward to what God has in store for New Chapel United Pentecostal Church under the continued leadership of Brother Ken Hickman.