Aptos Assembly of God, now known as New Hope Community Church, Aptos, has a rich history within Aptos and the greater Santa Cruz and Watsonville areas. It all began in 1950 as a Bible Study in Valencia Hall, a one-room country schoolhouse and former post office, located at Valencia Road and Bean Hill Road. As attendance at the Bible Study grew, the group decided to form a church.

In 1954, Aptos Assembly of God was formed, and Rev. Warren Pine was selected as the first pastor (1954-1968). Eventually, the church moved into another old schoolhouse located at 7970 Soquel Drive. The church continued to meet at this location until 1978.

Shortly after Rev. Tim Zemanek Jr. was elected pastor (1975-1979), the church began looking for a new location to support its recent growth and vision. The church decided to purchase a ranch located at 7200 Freedom Boulevard in Aptos, across from the high school. The ground breaking for the new church building occurred in 1976, and by 1978, the first phase of construction was complete. In that year, the church started meeting in the Fellowship Hall, the first part of the building that was completed. The church’s construction was finished in 1979, and by this time, the church had roughly 150 people gathering, worshipping, and serving together.

While Rev. Stan Steward was pastor from 1979 to 1988, the church continued to grow, reaching an average attendance of 225. It also started one of the ministries the community would remember to this day: a preschool.  In 1982, the church opened the preschool that at its peak cared for over 50 children on any given day. The preschool continued to operate for nearly 30 years. Near the end of Rev. Steward’s tenure, in 1985, the sanctuary was extended to make room for everyone who now made Aptos Assembly their church home.

In 1989, the church started a food pantry under the leadership of Rev. David Colbert (1988-1992). The food pantry is still in operation today and collaborates with Second Harvest Food Bank to provide fresh produce to over 40 families twice a month.

The church changed its name to Aptos Christian Fellowship in 1997, under the leadership of Dr. Jimmie Brewer, who served as pastor from 1995 to 2007.

Starting in 2010, the church started an annual event called the Freedom Roads Music Fest under the leadership of Rev. Marshall Morse (2009-2014), which brought together visual and performing artists from throughout the community. This event continued in this form until 2013.

Later, in 2015, the church changed its name to Freedom Roads of the Assemblies of God and Freedom Roads Music Center under the leadership of Rev. Art Gorman (2014-2017).

At the beginning of 2017, the church partnered with New Hope Community Church in Gilroy, California, under the leadership of Rev. Malcolm MacPhail. In this partnership, the churches operate as one church in multiple locations: Gilroy, Aptos, and Santa Cruz. The church now goes by the name New Hope Community Church, Aptos, and has been pastored by designated campus pastors: Rev. Scott Olson Jr. (2017-2019) and Rev. Ed Delfin (2019-present). 

We are excited to be a part of what God is doing and His vision for the communities of Aptos, Rio Del Mar, Corralitos, and beyond. We believe our communities are made healthy and whole as we love God, love people, and serve the world.