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ABOUT US
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What We Believe
We believe in God the Father, infinite in wisdom, power and love, whose mercy is over all his works, and whose will is ever directed to his children’s good.
We believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of man, the gift of the Father’s unfailing grace, the ground of our hope, and the promise of our deliverance from sin and death.
We believe in the Holy Spirit as the divine presence in our lives, whereby we are kept in perpetual remembrance of the truth of Christ, and find strength and help in time of need.
We believe that this faith should manifest itself in the service of love as set forth in the example of our blessed Lord, to the end that the kingdom of God may come upon the earth.
Our Vision
"A church that loves, serves, and creates disciples for Christ."
Our Mission
"Building community through prayer, worship, and relationships.
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,
just as in fact you are doing."
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Our History
Our History
New Hope Evanston, (New Hope Christian Methodist Episcopal Church) was founded by the late Prentis A. Bryson, Sr. and John D. Smith on April 12, 1912. They rented Ford’s Hall on West Railroad Ave. They secured a piano and began worshipping with five to ten CMEs in Evanston. The organizer was the late Reverend T.L. Scott, Pastor of St. Paul CME Church of Chicago.
The early members were: Mrs. Mary Freeman, Mrs. Miller, The Morris Family, Mr. and Mrs. Charles and Carrie Pringle, Mrs. Graves, Mrs. Alexander, The Collins Family, and Mr. and Mrs. Overstreet. New Hope's first church building was located at Greenbay Road and Asbury Avenue.
In 1925, New Hope Evanston was sent a Pastor, the late Bishop B.J. Smith, who was a student at Garrett Theological Seminary. He was given the task of locating members and establishing the church again. He began by having service in member’s homes, until a lot with a small three room cottage was secured at the corner of Grey Avenue and Emerson Street. The faithful members during that time were: James Lyle, Mary Lyle, Georgia Harris, Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Robinson, Amelia Belcher, Lucille Belcher, Jessie Jones, Florence King, Marie Bryant, Mary Freeman, Edward High, Mark Belcher, Mary Collins White, Rose Smith, Ella Smith, James and Minnie Rice and Minnie Jones Winkfield.
Bishops
We are happy to have pastors who have become Bishops.
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Bishop W.Y. Bell
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Bishop B. Julian Smith
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Bishop R. O. Bass
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Bishop Chester A. Kirkendoll
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Bishop E.P. Murchison
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Bishop Henry M. Williamson, Sr.
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Bishop Charley Hames Jr.
Former Pastors
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Bishop W.Y. Bell
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Bishop B. Julian Smith
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Rev. A.W. Walls
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Rev. Saffo
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Rev. Meyers
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Rev. T.H. Ross
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Rev. A.R. Davis
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Rev. T.C. Lightfoot
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Rev. H.T. Trigg
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Rev. Frank Smith
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Rev. Ernest P. Pettigrew
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Rev. O.L. Naylor
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Rev. R.D. Jackson
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Rev. S.A. Gathings
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Rev. Henry Williamson
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Rev. Roscoe McKinney
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Rev. John H. Loving, Sr.
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Rev David S. Hayward
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Rev. Terrell A. Jackson
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Rev. Charley Hames Jr.
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Rev. Linda A. Jordan
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Rev. Lavisha S. Williams
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Rev. Willie B. Weaver
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Rev. Stanley K. Evans
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Rev. Reginald T. Burke, Sr.
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Rev. Ralph Tolbert.
Our Pastor
Our Leadership
Rev. Kalif Crutcher, M.Div, MA, BCC
is the proud Senior Servant leader of New Hope Evanston. In September 2017 he received his first pastoral appointment to this church under the episcopal leadership of Bishop Sylvester Williams, Sr., Presiding Prelate of the Third Episcopal District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. In March 2011, at the age of 16 he preached his first sermon and was subsequently licensed as a Local Exhorter. Rev. Crutcher was then licensed as a local preacher in 2015. At the hands of Bishop James Bernard Walker, Rev. Crutcher was ordained as both a Traveling Deacon and Traveling Elder at the 2018 Annual Conference. In 2019, Rev. Crutcher was admitted into Full Connection granting him the rights and privileges of a voting clergy member in the CME Church.
Rev. Crutcher is currently a doctoral student at Gonzaga University looking to achieve a PhD in Leadership Studies. He has received his Master of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological seminary in May 2020. In May 2021, he received a Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling. At Garrett, he was a Pan-Methodist Fellow, Heerey Chaplain Scholar, the former Co-Chair of Garrett Evangelical Black Seminarians, former Co-Chair for the entire student body and Student Trustee.
Rev. Crutcher has earned 4 units of Clinical Pastoral Education and is a Board Certified Chaplain. He has completed a clinical chaplain residency at Rush University Medical Center and an internship with Northshore University HealthSystem. He is currently employed with Advocate Health serving as the Chaplain Manager at 7 hospitals in the Northern Region of Illinois and Southern Wisconsin Region.
Additionally, Rev. Crutcher is a former executive member of the Evanston/Northshore NAACP branch where he serves as the Health Committee chair. He is also a former member of the now defunct African American Community Partnership Group of Lake County (AACPG) where the focus is on providing healthcare education to the African American community. He is also a proud brother of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Incorporated, a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, also known as the Divine Nine.
In 2018, Rev. Crutcher was honorably discharged as a Specialist in the United States Army National Guard, where he served as both a Combat Arms soldier, and Chaplain Assistant, assisting in the spiritual care and support of over 4,000 soldiers.
His fundamental beliefs include but are not limited to destroying oppressive systems that effect Black and brown persons, regardless of religion, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. Rev. Crutcher stands by the belief that all are made in the Imago Dei, or the Image of God, and deserve to be treated as such.
Rev. Crutcher is married to the beautiful and intelligent Minister Brittney Crutcher. Together they are the parents of Cameron Michael, Layla Marie and Sophia Felecia. They also have a $25,000 endowment scholarship in their names at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, which provides annual scholarships to Black women scholars who attend the seminary.
Rev. Crutcher lives by his favorite scripture, “And we know that all things work together for the good of those that love the Lord and are called according to the Lord’s purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Our First Lady
Minister Brittney M. Adams-Crutcher, MS, ACRP-CP
is the eldest of 5 children to the Rev. Dr. Curlee and Mrs. Lisa Adams. Born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Evanston, Illinois, she started her early education in the Chicago private school system and transitioned over to the Evanston public School system mid-way through elementary school. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the first black owned and operated HBCU, Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio. In April 2019, she fulfilled all required coursework to obtain her Master of Science in Clinical Research Administration. She was also inducted in the National Society of Leadership and Success Honor Society while completing her graduate studies.
Min. Brittney has served in many ministries throughout her years as a youth; all of which provided a solid foundation toward leadership within the CME church. On the local level, she’s held the title of President for the Young Adult Ministry at St. Paul CME Church. On the district level, served as Young Adult President for the Chicago District for the 2014-2015 Conference Year. Because of her passion and love for the young adult ministry she was blessed to have kept that position for the three conference years.
God then afforded her with another privilege to be the Young Adult Vice President for the Southeast Missouri, Illinois & Wisconsin Region during the 2015-2016 Conference Year. After careful prayer, Min. Brittney accepted the nomination and was voted in as President for the Southeast Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin Region Young Adult Ministry during the 2016-2017 Annual Conference; a position held today. Throughout the years of serving her church, she felt God kept calling her to do something more. On April 29, 2017 she accepted her call into Ministry. On September 10, 2017 she preached her trial sermon at St. Paul CME Church in Chicago, IL where the title was “Finding Joy in Carrying the Cross” taken from Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV).
Outside of the CME church Min. Brittney is currently employed as a Clinical Research Manager at Endeavor Health. She formerly served as a Research Study Coordinator working in the Department of Medicine, section for Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology at Northshore University HealthSystem Research Institute in Evanston, IL.
Min. Brittney is married to her best friend, Rev. Kalif G. Crutcher. She is the proud mother of Cameron, Layla, and Sophia.
The scripture that will forever be embedded in her heart is Psalm 1:1-3, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law, day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”
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