Star of Hope Baptist Church

A brief History of the Church


In 1916, the demand for labor in the Tacony community was critical. To get more workers, the Henry Disston and Sons Manufacturing Company sent one of its workers, to Rice, VA. to recruit men for work. As a result, several families moved from Virginia to the Tacony section of Philadelphia. Many of the people who settled in Tacony had strong Christian backgrounds and their spiritual interests soon lead to the organization of a Mission, which met from home to home.

In 1917, the congregation rented a small brick storefront building at 6912 State Road . It was there, by unanimous vote, that they called their first pastor. In May 1918, the membership moved to the former elementary school building located at the corner of Wissinoming and Disston Streets. Later the extension of Interstate 95 required the membership to relocate; thus resulting in the move to the current site at the corner of Hegerman and Friendship Streets. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new site took place on October 1961 and the congregation moved into its new House of Worship on Sunday November 18, 1962. In addition to the main sanctuary, Star of Hope has since been blessed with an annex and a banquet facility – Hope Hall.


God has blessed Star of Hope with 15 spiritual and innovative leaders. In 1986 Rev. Hubert B. Barnes, was called to pastor and continues to serve God in that capacity today. Under Pastor Barnes’ dedicated and Christian leadership, Star of Hope has been blessed with several sons and daughters in the ministry.

Star of Hope has always felt the need for community involvement and service to mankind. The church is an active participant in the community and is recognized as a faithful and generous benefactor to missions. With a burden to reach the unsaved, and advance the cause of Christ in the lives of His people, the church stands as a Star of Hope in a world that needs desperately to know the redemptive power of Christ.