In October, Rev. Dr. Eugene Downing, Jr. will mark 15 years as pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Denver. The anniversary offers an opportunity to recognize a ministry that reaches beyond Sunday worship into conversations about health, community service and the everyday demands of caring for others. Pastor Downing joined New Hope in 2011, after pastoring 11 years with the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
His path to the pulpit includes a Master of Divinity degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He is also the author of Navigating Life with God and has participated in missionary work in Haiti and Guadalajara, Mexico. Those experiences are part of the perspective he has brought to New Hope and to his work across Denver.
One measure of that work emerged in a 2022 Denver Urban Spectrum story as pastors and congregations faced the strain of the pandemic, Pastor Downing spoke candidly about the emotional weight carried by those called to comfort everyone else. He urged churches to make room for honest conversations about mental health and described how a contracted, Christian therapist joining New Hope’s staff became an idea people embraced as a resource in their walk of faith. In a separate interview, Pastor Downing raised the need for rest and renewal among clergy, including sabbaticals. He reflected on learning healthier rhythms in ministry while retaining the strong work ethic of earlier generations of pastors. As result he facilitated denomination-wide, sabbatical planning classes and a sabbatical planning cohort with clergy of the American Baptist Churches, USA.
His ministry extends into the local community as Board Member of Colorado’s Community Access Enterprise, housed within the Colorado Energy Office. The enterprise supports access to electric vehicle transportation by investing in EV infrastructure, incentives, and awareness statewide. He serves as Vice Chair of Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver’s Board of Directors, a member of Denver Health’s Board of Directors, and of the Clayton Campus Activation Advisory Committee. He’s been part of the working committee in the Vibrant Denver Bond initiative regarding Parks and Recreation, led asynchronous courses for Iliff School of Theology and participated in national clergy cohorts on various subjects related to pastoral effectiveness.
In his 15 years he’s grateful for additions to New Hope’s legacy through: expanded health ministry, licensed mental health counseling on site, a community clothing closet, a reading tutorial at Steadman Elementary School, partnership with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, annual Gospel Jazz Sunday, annual golf tournament for scholarships and the church’s 501c3 status to further serve the community. Together, these commitments show a pastor whose concern for their neighbors carries into the places where decisions about daily life are made.
Ultimately, a pastor is present for celebrations and losses, private questions and public challenges. This calling asks for steady attention to people whose needs may change from one season to the next. Pastor Downing’s reflections on ministry suggest that he understands both the responsibility of that calling and the need to sustain the person answering it.
As New Hope celebrates this anniversary, it can look back on years of worship and service while considering what lies ahead. The milestone honors his 15 years with New Hope and the continuing work of its congregation in Denver.
Editor’s note: Pastor Downing’s 15th Anniversary will be held October 16 and 18. For more information and to register to attend, check out the ad on the inside cover of this issue.
