First Church of Faith Power and Deliverance The Hope Church

By Henry A. Tindal, Sr.,  Founder

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On a crisp third Sunday afternoon in October 1968 Henry Tindal was ordained by the late Bishop E.Z. Bowman, his Presiding Prelate and assigned to a “green field” called Severna Park, Maryland to start a church and evangelize the area. Even though given no financial support, he was expected to fulfill his assignment.  As a young 19-year-old student in his Sophomore year at Morgan State College, studying to become a Physician, he along with his sister Eugie, began to regularly visit the area. They were able to lead a few people to Christ including an old farmer who offered to let him use his chicken coop as a place to hold services. However, after a brief time, Pastor Tindal was led of the Lord to go to East Baltimore where the Holy Spirit would direct him as to where to start a church.

One Saturday afternoon while searching East Baltimore with his Father, they stopped on the corner of East Eager Street and Central Avenue in the heart of a run-down and challenged section of Baltimore City. That day and on that corner they saw a storefront at 1240 East Eager that was available for rent. The rent was seventy dollars a month which Henry did not have, but with faith in God that this was God’s leading he signed the month-to-month rental agreement and was granted a week to pay the first month’s rent. That same evening Pastor Tindal received a call from The Late Pastor S.O. Murray to come and conduct a revival meeting at his small church in Chapel Oaks, Maryland.  The revival was Pastor Tindal’s first, and many were Saved and joined Pastor Murray’s church. Henry was blessed with an offering of seventy dollars which he used to pay the first month rent on what would be known as Little New Jerusalem F. B. H Church.

Soon thereafter Pastor Tindal’s father who was a Deacon at the New Jerusalem F.B.H. Church began to use his skills in carpentry, plumbing and construction to convert the storefront into a chapel suitable for worship. He constructed the pulpit platform, the alter railing, and the pulpit which he built and installed.

The first service was held on the second Sunday in January 1968 with two people in attendance. My sister Eugie and myself. I gave out the hymn Eugie sang it, I preached, and she was the amen corner. We blessed the dwelling and began to hold services there every Sunday Morning.

After a few weeks, my sister Precious began to attend with us and shortly thereafter my brother George. We were soon joined by the entire Tindal family consisting of Deacon Tindal, Mother Tindal, Sisters Margaret, and Carolyn. My dear Aunt Rosa joined the church as well as my cousins Tommy and Edward Tindal.  Our Uncle Allen became a regular worshipper as well.

The first non-family person to join our church was saved in that little storefront. His name was Brother Manicul. Within a brief time people from the community began to visit and several received Christ and joined the church. Others who did not join attended the services and soon the little church begin to exert the presence of the Lord within the community.

One Sunday a young man name Richard Horne stopped in and received the Lord Jesus as his savior. He was a gifted guitar player, and he invited his mother and family to visit the church. As a result it was not long before almost the entire Horne family became members of the little church. His family included his wife, his children, his sister Janie, his brother James, his wife Betty, and their children. All of whom became members of the growing little church.

In addition others were saved and joined the church, including Brother Davis “Chug” who was delivered from a being the neighborhood drunk to a regular member of the church. There were others including Sister Johnson, Sister and Brother Brorderly, Mrs. Alice who ran the neighborhood store, Sister Mary Miller who lived across the street and was Divinely healed of terminal cancer. We will not call all of the names, but the Lord filled the that little church to the point where we begin to look for a larger building.

One Saturday in January 1970 Father and I were doing some work in our little church, and we noticed that there had been a fire in the building that we now occupy. This building housed four apartments and a church and an extra apartment on the first floor. The pastor of that church had recently completed building a New Church in West Baltimore, and was preparing to move.

We asked him about his church which could hold about twenty-five more people than our storefront, but he assured us that it was unavailable since he had promised it to another pastor.

The fire in the building had damaged one of the apartments on the third floor that required renovations. My father noticed the fire damage and said to me “let’s go ask the workman about the building.” From them we learned that the building belonged to a lawyer name Samuel Levine.

We contacted him about the building, and he told us that he wanted to sell the property and for us to make him an offer to buy it. We agreed upon a price and then he told us, “you do not need to apply for financing. I will carry the mortgage.” He continued “I have been watching you all on that corner across the street and you all seem to be good people.”

He also added that the pastor renting from him, “had no say so over what he did with his property.” The Lord must have touched his heart because he added, “I own most of Progressive Savings Bank. Go see them and tell them that I sent you, and I will self-finance the purchase.”

We did so and then Father Tindal stepped up and said to me, “Allen, I will guarantee the note in my name.”

Back then that was huge, but we now had to remodel the building. Father Tindal and I along with a young man named Brother Woodrow McCoy, who was a member of the church, along with others who volunteered as they were able labored daily and completely renovated the two first-floor apartments into one large room. Within a matter of months thereafter, we were able to hold our first service in the new larger facility.

The Lord continued to bless the ministry and over the years many were saved and added to the church. Several other renovations were completed over the years including the removal of the fire escape from the front of the building, moving the front door from the corner to the center of the two buildings, the construction of the upper-level dining area, installation of air conditioning, and so much more.

My Uncle Brother Allen Tindal played a significant role in opening up the second-floor apartments into its current multi-purpose area.

We have presented to you just a brief highlighted history of the founding of what is now First Church of Faith Power and Deliverance. Time and space will not allowed us to count each individual who down through the years have been instrumental in this historical account of this God appointed and anointed ministry.

Over the years First Church has touched and inspired the lives of many people. Some of whom are now with God in glory. Others are yet living whose ministries continue to affect lives and this community in which this church exist.

With admiration, we fondly recall the ministry of late son, Overseer Henry Tindal, Jr., who rose from birth through adulthood in this church and became the Church musician and eventually Pastor upon the retirement of his father. He faithfully served for seventeen years until God called him home in January 2024. Among the many contributes of his pastorate the name of the church was amended to include “The Hope Church.”

In January 2024 he joined that great cloud of witnesses among whom from this church included:

Those who have gone on to Glory
Our first funeral was for Brother “Churg” Davis which was conducted by Rev/Deacon Donald Davis.

• Father Tindal served as a Deacon, Trustee, and, after his calling to the ministry later served as Assistant Pastor.
• Mother Ola Mae Tindal served as Church Mother and Chairman of the Mother Board, Deacon, Chairlady of the Missionary Department and Pastor’s Aide and in many other roles.
• Mothers: Gussie Horne, Mary Miller, Grace Williams, Rosa Spencer, Effie Mcintosh, Rosa “Am Rosa” Tindal, Lacy Lee Drummond, and Mothers Boyd, Pulliam, and Bertha Kee and others served as church mothers.
• Deacons Carroll Watkins, Donald D. Davis and Father Ready Horne were members of the Deacon Board.
• Elder George E. Tindal served as Church Musician as well as the renown Overseer Henry A. Tindal, Jr and Pastor Albert C. Watkins and Richard Horne were all church musicians.
• Rev. Albert Kee, Rev. James Horne, Rev. Jesse Burris, Rev. “Madam” Carolyn Towsend, Rev. Donna Wright, Rev. Tina Thorton, Rev. Mable Burris, Rev., Trumann Smith, Rev. Sylvia Rhymer, and others were among those called into the ministry and served.

These along with over thirty-eight others now make up that “Great cloud of Witnesses” that have been called from earthly labor to eternal reward.

In the year 1975 Pastor Tindal became the husband of a beautiful young woman from Westfield, New Jersey and to them God graced four wonderful children, Henry A. Tindal, Jr., “BO”, Christiana A. Tindal., “Bebe”, Sharron A. Tindal., “Minna”, and Margaret A. Tindal., “Plan.”

The first family children has served in the ministry of this church all of their childhood until they married and moved to other states where they continue to serve in the Lord’s service. Our son, Overseer Tindal, Jr., became Pastor of First Church in 2009, and served with distinction until God called him home in January of 2024.

Instrumental in the growth and development of the church has been the dedication and faithfulness of First Lady Shirley A. Tindal who has worked tirelessly and with distinction ever since becoming a member. She acknowledge her call to preach while serving and was ordained at First Church as well as Consecrated into the Episcopacy in August 2016, and now serves as The Presiding Prelate of the Headquarters Jurisdiction of the United Fellowship of Christian Churches and Ministries which includes the state of Maryland.

Prior to her consecration she served faithfully for a number of years as Co-Pastor to Pastor Tindal and in many other positions in the church.

Pastor Tindal, Sr who was Consecrate into the Episcopacy in 1974 currently has resumed the mantle of Pastor, and serves as Senior Pastor along with Elder Carolyn Hunt, his sister who faithfully serves as Associate Pastor.

First Church has a long and storied history. This church has been the site of many revivals, weddings, funeral, conventions, conferences, and other gatherings. Most important from all of its fifty-eight years of service is the uncounted number of souls who were led to Christ through its ministry. Lives have been changed, miracles of healing from cancer, blindness and other diseases has taken place through its ministry.

In its work in the community through its Food Bank that was initially launched by Minister Patricia Sinclair and now is under the leadership of Mother Iris Bradford and Elder Denise Cofield. This ministry distributes tons of food on a regular basis.

We cherish the memory not only of those who have gone on before us, but also of those charter members who are yet laboring diligently and in so many ways in the current work of the church. Mother Bishop Shirley Tindal, Teacher Margaret Tindal, Elder Carolyn Hunt, and I are the remaining original members and who by God’s grace are determined to work until “the day is done.”  God is preparing leaders from among the present congregation to carry on this work. We thank God for all of them and will continue to keep them in our prayers, encourage and do all that the Holy Spirit will require us to do to prepare them as they take on the mantle of leadership for their generation.

This church has caught the attention of Mayors, City Council Presidents, Governors of the state of Maryland, members of the city and state House of Delegates as well as members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and other members of Maryland Government including Baltimore City Police Commanders.  First Church has been awarded many official Certificates and Documents of Recognition for its service and impact in the East Baltimore Community, the City of Baltimore, and the State of Maryland.