Mother Elizabeth Cottingham, Nancy L. Smith,
New Hope Dedicated Servant Nancy L. Smith was a dedicated servant of God. She earned a B.A. degree from Bloomfield College and Seminary, and later an M.A. from Newark State Teacher College, now known as Kean University. She was a certified Dean of Christian Education. At New Hope, her long life of dedicated Christian service continued. She served as Director of Christian Education, Adult Class Teacher, Youth Advisor and Instructor in the Missionary Society. In addition, she served as Dean Emeritus in the North Jersey District Missionary Baptist Association; and Commissioner of Christian Education for the General Baptist State Convention of New Jersey.
Church Mother
Sister Elizabeth Cottingham, one of the original members of New Hope, was officially installed as the first and only church mother on September 20, 1980. Mother Cottingham was born in Marion Station, Maryland and a resident of East Orange for 77 years. Mrs. Cottingham was a member of the Floral Club and other organizations. She worked with Meals On Wheels and the Salvation Army, retiring at 65. Mother Cottingham was the proud mother of 8, grandmother of 13, great-grandmother of 16, and great great grandmother of 8. She remained New Hope’s one and only Church Mother until her death February 2, 1991.
Sister Nancy received many awards for her work for the Lord in Christian Education and Community interest. She was featured on the front cover of the April, May, June 1986 issue of “BAPTIST TEACHER”, a publication of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Series-Sunday School Publishing Board of Nashville, Tennessee. Any one that knew Sister Nancy L. Smith knew she always loved and had a compassion for children. She was instrumental in setting up the Julia Slack Scholarship Fund of New Hope Baptist Church. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7
Doris Folkes Church Clerk
The first Church Clerk, Doris Folkes held the position until her death in November 1998. She was a member of the Board of Christian Education.