In March of 1852, a group of local German settlers formed a new congregation named Friedens Evangelical Church. That same year, they built a log structure to house their congregation. In 1878, they built a new, brick church at the intersection of highways C and P in Jackson, WI.
On June 28, 1912, another congregation formed Peace Evangelical & Reformed Church. Their church was a little further south in Jackson on the corner of highways 60 and P.
In 1957, both churches joined the newly established denomination of the United Church of Christ. Ten years later, Friedens and Peace merged and became known as Friedens-Peace UCC. Soon after the merger, Faith UCC in Slinger, WI and St. Peter’s UCC in Richfield, WI yoked with Friedens-Peace. In 1978, Faith UCC separated from the other churches.
In the 1980s, after community discussion and prayerful consideration, Frieden’s-Peace UCC made the decision to build a new church on twenty acres of land in the Town of Jackson. The land had been purchased from two existing members.
In 1990, construction began and the name “New Hope United Church of Christ” was chosen. The following year, worship began at the new church. Two small stained glass windows from the original Friedens-Peace Church remain in New Hope’s sanctuary near the altar as a reminder of our rich and local heritage.
By 2005, New Hope UCC had grown significantly and a fundraising campaign called “Planting The Seeds of Faith” was started for building an addition to the church. The goal was to create an education wing with classroom space for the children in our congregation. The campaign was a success and the classroom wing opened in 2006.