Our History

The New Beginning Ministries Church was organized and founded by Pastor Erastus Godfrey on March 4, 2004. The church met at the J. Craig Recreation Center for the first Sunday morning service. The Deacons were Brother Tom Grayson, Brother William Looney, and Brother Joseph Looney. On May 2, 2004, the church accepted the name, “New Beginning Baptist Church.” On Sunday March 10, 2004, “Baptist” was removed from “New Beginning”, and “Ministry” was added making the name “New Beginning Ministry.”

On April 3, 2005, the New Beginning Ministries Church moved to the Landmark Center, 906 Poplar Street. In the year 2007, God began to move and on July 26, 2007, the New Beginning Ministries Church purchased a church building, a parsonage, and a parking lot at 212 East 5th Street. Prior to this, Lady Elect Annie P. Godfrey received a God given vision for the new church location for New Beginning Ministries. The New Beginning Ministries Church met Sunday, July 29, 2007, for their first Sunday morning worship at the new location. After four years of fellowship, the New Beginning Ministries Church Family celebrated their first Church Anniversary on March 16, 2008. Pastor Berlin Norris and Early Rose Baptist Church were our guests.

As of March 15, 2009, the New Beginning Ministries had seven Ministers of the Gospel on its staff, licensed by Pastor Erastus Godfrey. In 2009, Pastor Godfrey appointed Bro. Andrew J. Harrison to serve as a Deacon of the New Beginning Ministries Church. Also, in 2009 the New Beginning Outreach Ministry began to serve by helping many people in need of food and clothing under the direction of Sis Annie P. Godfrey. On November 17, 2011, Ordination Services for Deacon Andrew Harrison was held under the direction of Pastor Erastus Godfrey. As of January 2014, New Beginning Ministries was listed in the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institute through Story Corp. In 2015, Pastor Erastus Godfrey appointed Bro. Lew Murphy to serve as a Deacon of the New Beginning Ministries Church. As of January 2016, The New Beginning Ministries Church launched its first Cancer Care Ministry through Cancer Treatment Centers of America. On April 25, 2016, the church’s Senior Citizens received a letter from Pres. Barak Obama in honor of their faithful services by request from Minister Mary Thompson. On October 9, 2016, the New Beginning Ministries Church celebrated their Mortgage Burning Services. In 2018, Pastor Erastus Godfrey appointed and ordained Bro. John Streeter as a Deacon of the church. On October 27, 2019, Assistant Pastor DeForest Godfrey was installed as the Pastor and Pastor Erastus Godfrey was consecrated as the Overseer and Founder during the Affirmation of Consecration Service.