On February 2, 1982, a small group of Christians met for the first time at the home of Reverend Frank
and Sis. Shirley Glasford to organize what we now call – New Life Missionary Baptist Church. The
following people were the initial group that assisted in the organization of the church:
Rev. Dr. Frank Glasford Dr. Shirley Glasford
Bro. Samuel Daniel Sis. Francis Daniel
Sis. Barbara Staley Sis. Willie Bell Staley
Bro. Vincent Stirrup Sis. Wilda M. Stirrup
Sis. Melba Rose Sis. Priscilla Johnson & Sis. Birdie Hunter
With this small nucleus, the church was organized and Rev. Glasford became the Founding Pastor. As the
new Pastor, the responsibilities of shepherding the church were on his shoulders. Immediately, he
began searching for a place to worship. Pastor Glasford met with Ms. Athalie Range of the Range
Funeral Chapel located on Northeast 58th Street and 17th Ave, and she graciously offered the use of her
chapel for our Sunday morning services.
To this day, memories of the Funeral Chapel are still cherished. Many souls came to know the Lord there
and Dwan Charles, the son of our late Deacon, Bro. St. Clair Charles, and Sis. Sonia Charles was the first
child to be dedicated there. We held our first service in the Funeral Chapel on February 7, 1982, and our
first offering totaled $103.05. We held our first baptism on Easter Sunday April 11, 1982. Our first Easter
at Range Funeral Chapel became one we will never forget as we sang “Up from the Grave He Arose”, we
were literally across the hall from a room full of caskets.
Knowing the funeral chapel was not a permanent destination for New Life, Pastor Glasford was
determined to find a place of our own. Prior to finding a location, the man of God was taking time off
from his cabinet making job to look for a place to worship. Eventually, his bosses didn’t like the fact that
he was taking so much time off to do his “church work” as they called it. He later resigned. On July 11,
1982, we moved into what is now 1365 NW 54th Street. Prior to moving in and to what you see today, it
was a filthy old warehouse, but the members had a mind to work. May we never forget those who toiled
and toiled to clean up the premises to make it what you see today. We were doing a necessary work and
didn’t want to stop until the job was completed. “To God Be the Glory!!!”
Our founding pastor, the Rev. Dr. Frank James Glasford, who emptied himself, using all his gifts and God-given talents for the church, went home to be with the Lord on October 25, 2019, and after 38 years of
shepherding the flock at New Life.
Today, Rev. Glasford’s two sons, Rev. Brian and Rev. Jason, have taken up the mantle and are co-
pastoring the church founded by their father. To God Be the Glory! As we continue together in this
Millennium, we look forward to great things in the Lord. If God is for us, who can be against us?
