The history of NHU

New Hope United started with a vision that’s contained in our name.  A vision of doing church in new ways.  A vision of hope for the future.  A vision of divided people being united together.  Here’s a little of our story. 

In early 2012 a small group of members from Heart of Worship Church of God (Seventh Day) and Living Rock Church of God (Seventh Day) began meeting and praying together, dreaming about what God wanted to do in San Antonio. After a series of meetings together they approached the two congregations they represented, asking to be planted as a new congregation. Surprisingly, the leadership of both congregations asked instead to merge and “re-plant” together!  

In May, 2012, the two congregations merged to form New Hope United Church of God (Seventh Day). NHU was formed with a clear vision. Do Church differently. No small-mindedness, inward focus, petty divisions, or empty traditions. Instead, think big, focus-outward, join together, innovate and leave a legacy for the next generation. The vision was captured in four phrases which continue to guide us today: The Gospel Message, Passionate Worship, Discipling Believers, and Love in Action.  

For the first two years we rented facilities, first at the Dan Cook Center downtown and later at Jesus’ Church off 410 and Bandera.  These first years were spent building relationships, reaching out to the community, planning for the future, and building infrastructure.

In August, 2015 we purchased our current facility on Higgins Road, next door to an elementary school, in the midst of a suburban neighborhood within twenty minutes of most our membership. Since that time we’ve begun putting down roots and living into our mission of being ordinary people pursuing extraordinary life change in Jesus!  In 2017 we hired Israel Steinmetz to serve as our first Lead Pastor. We’ve seen incredible things as we’ve committed to pursuing God in worship, sharing life in fellowship, growing together in service, and connecting lives in our community. At the end of February, 2021 Pastor Israel stepped down to pursue other ministry ventures and we entered a pastoral search process.

All the while, God began working in the background and moving in the heart of Pastor Michael Mancha, and his family, to return home to San Antonio, after serving for 4 years as the Lead Pastor of Eugene COG7 in Eugene Oregon.

In June 2021, New Hope United welcomed home the Mancha Family - Michael, his wife Batina, and their three children Jude, Sofia, and Amelia. In August 2021, Pastor Michael began his new role as the new Lead Pastor of NHU .

We invite you to help us write the next chapter of the New Hope United story!