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AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH IN BUCKHEAD, ATLANTA TO CELEBRATE 150TH ANNIVERSARY ON APRIL 28

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One of the oldest black churches in the nation, New Hope AME Church will honor their legacy with a celebration including music, performances and special guests

A national treasure based here in Atlanta turns 150 years old this month. New Hope African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the oldest African American churches in the country, will celebrate its 150th anniversary during a special Sunday service on April 28 at 11:00 a.m. in their sanctuary located at 3012 Arden Rd NW, Atlanta GA 30305. The all-white attire celebration will include a number of special guests, performances and a keynote sermon from Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, Presiding Prelate of the 6th Episcopal District of the AME Church. Nestled in the heart of Buckhead, New Hope is led by Pastor David F. Richards III and First Lady Linda Richards. The origins of the church date back to 1869 when recently emancipated African Americans began gathering to worship at “camp meetings” at the New Hope Camp Ground. The congregation continued meeting there until 1872, when they were given land by a white Buckhead farmer named James H. Smith, who willed three acres of his property for a church and school for “colored persons.” The church members subsequently built a tabernacle on the property which stood until 1965. The property’s original church building was built sometime prior to 1900. The congregation continued to work as farm laborers and servants for white families in the area and lived in small neighborhoods in the vicinity. In 1927, the original church building on the property burned down. The current building’s basement was built the following year, while the new sanctuary was not completed until 1936. Across the street from the church is a 1.86-acre historic New Hope Cemetery containing dozens of graves. In 2009, New Hope AME Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places along with the cemetery located across the road. “We are so excited to commemorate 150 years of history, fellowship and community at New Hope at our upcoming anniversary event,” says Pastor Richards. “We are a small church with a big heart and we represent the little-known legacy of African Americans in Buckhead. We invite everyone to come out and celebrate with us on April 28 and experience the warm spirit that has kept this church together for almost two centuries!” For more information on New Hope AME Church, visit newhopeamechurch.org.

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From the Frontlines to the Screen: How West Texas Hospitals Became National Models of Crisis Leadership

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In the vast and often unforgiving expanse of West Texas, healthcare doesn’t come easy. Resources are stretched, patients are sometimes hours away from care, and trauma doesn’t wait for convenience. Yet, against the odds, two hospitals—Medical Center Hospital in Odessa and Pecos County Memorial Hospital in Fort Stockton—are quietly transforming what it means to lead in rural emergency medicine. Their work, now drawing national attention thanks to the Amazon Prime docuseries Desert Doc, is setting a new benchmark in crisis leadership and trauma care.

What makes these institutions exceptional isn’t just their location or their patient volume—it’s their unwavering ability to deliver high-stakes medical care with limited resources, tight budgets, and enormous responsibility. In this region, where oil rigs outnumber ambulances and car crashes are all too common, fast, effective emergency response can mean the difference between life and death.

What’s behind their success? It’s a powerful blend of visionary leadership, courageous medical direction, and a culture built on resilience and adaptability. Leading the way are CEOs Russell Tippin of Medical Center Hospital and Betsy Briscoe of Pecos County Memorial Hospital—trailblazers who have pushed the boundaries of innovation in rural healthcare. Partnering with them are dedicated physicians like Dr. Sudip Bose, whose frontline experience as an US Army combat physician in Iraq shapes his calm, decisive approach to crisis care. As seen in Desert Doc, Dr. Bose is part of a committed network of clinicians who view rural emergency medicine not just as a career, but as a calling. 

While the show Desert Doc brings these high-pressure moments to life on screen, what it also reveals is the remarkable strength of the systems behind the scenes. Pecos County Memorial Hospital, for instance, may be smaller in scale, but its impact is no less profound. Their medical staff routinely stabilize and save patients in conditions that would challenge even the best-equipped urban centers. Their coordination with air medical services, cross-training of rural clinicians, and integration of battlefield-inspired trauma techniques demonstrate a playbook that larger hospitals could learn from.

The pandemic further spotlighted these hospitals’ leadership under pressure. Medical Center Hospital quickly adapted to shifting protocols, staff shortages, and overwhelming patient volumes. Their response earned praise from both state and federal health authorities, showing that rural facilities can be agile and innovative in ways that larger systems often struggle to match.

The growing interest in Desert Doc isn’t just about entertainment—it’s a window into the reality of rural healthcare, and the hospitals and people rising to meet that reality every day. While the series centers on Dr. Bose’s gripping, real-time cases, the true story is broader. It’s about a region’s commitment to resilience. It’s about hospitals doing more with less—and doing it with excellence.

As the spotlight shines on these stories, one thing becomes clear: West Texas hospitals are no longer just local lifelines. They are national models of what’s possible when leadership, courage, and innovation collide.

🎥 Watch the Trailer: Desert Doc Trailer – YouTube
📺 Stream the Full Series on Amazon Prime: Desert Doc on Amazon Prime

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