About us
our pastors:
Rev. Dr. John E. Cotten Jr.
Senior Pastor
​
Rev. John Cotten, Jr. was born September 15, 1971 to Deacon John Cotten, Sr.
and Sis. Sandra B. Cotten in New Haven, CT. Rev. Cotten attended Notre Dame High
School in West Haven, CT and is also a graduate of Southern Connecticut State
University as well as Christian Leadership Bible College. Rev. John Cotten, Jr. accepted
the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior on September 29, 1985, at St. Matthews
U.F.W.B. Church, under the leadership of Bishop Robert J. Gay. In 1993, He joined
Shiloh Baptist Church under the leadership of Bishop W. Vance Cotten, Sr. Rev. John
Cotten, Jr. preached his initial sermon on May 7, 1995. His initial sermon was entitled,
"Being Used by God.” Rev. Cotten was ordained in June of 1997; from 1988 to 2003,
Pastor Cotten served faithfully at his church, Shiloh Baptist, in the following capacities: a
member of Shiloh Community Development Corporation (CDC), Minister of Music,
Associate Minister, Youth Pastor, and Assistant Pastor. He also served as the Protestant
Chaplain for the Mount Saint John School for Boys.
In 2008, Rev. Cotten was elected as Vice President of the New England
Missionary Baptist Convention; he was also elected Moderator of the Levite Association
of the Connecticut State Missionary Baptist Convention, in 2013. Also, in 2016, Rev.
Cotten was elected as Vice President of The Connecticut State Missionary Baptist
Convention. He also served as Vice President of the Greater New Haven Clergy
Association. Rev. John Cotten, Jr. is currently the Executive Dean of Christian
Leadership Bible College as well as one of the founders of the Joshua Clergy Association
of New Haven, Ct. He is also the founder and president of a non-profit, Helping Our
People to Excel, Inc. (H.O.P.E.).
Since January 2003, Rev. Cotten has served as Pastor of Gospel Mission Baptist
Church, 219 James Street, Bridgeport, CT. On March 27, 2011, Rev. Cotten became the
Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, 109 Butler Street, New Haven, Ct. With the Lord’s
guidance, Rev. Cotten successfully merged the two churches together, and they continue
to fulfill the mission of saving the lost, empowering the saved, and ushering the
empowered to excellence.
Rev. John Cotten, Jr., married the former Danielle C. Tilley on April 4, 1992.
They have been blessed with four children, John III (Kiara), Matthew, Clarissa, and
Tianniah, and four grandkisses, Zoe aka “Sweet Pea”, Laila aka “LaLa”, John IV aka
“John-John”, and Jaiden aka “J.C.”.
Rev. Dr. Danielle T. Cotten
Assistant Pastor
Rev. Dr. Danielle Cotten was born on January 25th
in Neubrueke, West Germany
to Mr. Daniel J. Tilley, Jr. and the late Mary Ann Leak. Rev. Cotten attended St.
Mary’s High School in New Haven, CT. and is a graduate of Clark University in
Worcester, Massachusetts. Rev. Cotten is also a graduate of Christian Leadership
Bible College in New Haven, CT, where she is currently an instructor of various
courses.
Rev. Danielle Cotten accepted the Lord Jesus as her personal savior at an early age
and was a member of St. Matthew’s U.F.W.B Church under the leadership of
Bishop Robert J. Gay. Rev. Cotten married Rev. Dr. John Cotten, Jr. in 1992 and
they were blessed with four children. The Cottens relocated to Middletown and
became members of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of
Bishop W. Vance Cotten and worked in ministry faithfully for eleven years.
In 2003, upon her husband’s call to the Pastorate, Rev. Cotten became the First
Lady of Gospel Mission Baptist Church in Bridgeport, CT, where she served in
ministry along with her husband for eight years. There Rev. Cotten accepted the
call to ministry and in 2008, preached her initial sermon entitled “It’s all about
God”.
On March 24, 2012, Rev. Cotten was ordained in ministry and currently serves as
Assistant Pastor at New Hope Missionary Baptist in New Haven, CT, under the
leadership of her husband, Rev. Dr. John Cotten, Jr.
Rev. Danielle Cotten is blessed with four children, John III (Kiara), Matthew,
Clarissa, & Tianniah. She has four grandchildren, Zoe, Lailah, John IV, and
Jayden.
Rev. Cotten understands that ministry is about serving the Lord and His people and
only what we do for Christ will last.