About Us
Our Purpose
God’s love enlivens us to rise up to be a Christ-inspired, joyous community of faith where spirit and compassion meet.
Our Philosophy
We believe in sharing the joy of the gospel daily, and living a life that embodies the spirit of Christ.
Our Vision
We seek to GLORIFY God by building a family of believers passionate about Him.
Church History
A Spirit Filled Caring Congregation
The New Galilee Missionary Baptist Church began with a vision from God sent through the late James E. Reed, who served as New Galilee’s first pastor. New Galilee was formally organized at 545 E. Canfield in January 1940. The early leadership consisted of Bro. Lonnie Johnson, Deacon Paul Jackson, Trustee Rice, Sis. R. Rice, Deacon John Avery, Deacon Willie Prentiss, and others who persevered through many trails and challenges to both establish and maintain the church. Pastor Reed served for seven years, and it was during his tenure that the church moved to 2124 Gratiot Avenue.
After Pastor Reed’s tenure, the following God sent pastors were placed by God in New Galilee to help move New Galilee forward: Rev. C.L. Battle, Rev. Albert Ridgeway and Rev. McGhee. In 1965, Rev. Robert L. Jones was called to New Galilee’s pastorate. It was under Rev. Jones’ leadership that New Galilee was able to move to 11241 Gunston to accommodate its growing membership. Under Rev. Jones leadership the church was able to burn the mortgage on its new location within five years.
In January 1982, Rev. Grady Ridgeway was chosen to serve as pastor and he served until 1988. In August 1989, Rev. Willie Brooks, Jr. was called and the church sustained its growth in numbers and in spirit. In April 1994, Rev. Horace Sheffield, III, was called to lead New Galilee to a higher level of service in the community. Under his leadership, many were added to the church and the vision of the construction of a new church edifice came to fruition.
In August of 2010 God chose Rev. Karen Gray Sheffield to shepherd his faithful people through challenges and divisions to become a true “Soul Saving Station-A Spirit Filled Caring Congregation” where the love of God is demonstrated through our behavior toward one another. And with God’s grace and mercy, and her Godly pastoral leadership, New Galilee will continue to grow through faith and determination and to heed God’s calling to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations.
