History of HBC

• Hopewell Baptist Church was organized in 1879 in a brush arbor. In 1880 when Hopewell filed its first report with the Brown Creek Baptist Association, there were 26 members of Hopewell Baptist Church.
• The first church was a small weatherboard building framed by the men of the community after harvest season and during the winter months. Mr. Noah Winecoff donated the land for the first building.
• The second church building was proposed to be a house 32 feet wide, 50 feet long, 14 feet high with a baptistry and two front doors and arched windows. This building was erected with 3 rooms and a seating capacity of 300. The building and the grounds were valued at $2,000.00.
• The first Homecoming is not known, but reports it to be prior to 1921. An annual revival always followed. This was always held at this particular time of the year because the church members were farmers and by the 2nd week in August, they had their crops laid by and would be free to attend the services.
• WMU was organized in 1928 with Mrs. C. H. Gurley as President.
• The first VBS was held July 26-30, 1943.
• The R.A.'s and G.A.'s were organized in 1943. Miss Connie Belle Shinn was the was the first G.A. counselor and Mrs. Mary Atwell the first R.A. counselor.
• Our present church building was begun in June, 1948 under the direction of Rev. R. R. Templeton and has been in use since March 6, 1949. The total costs was $31,683.14.
• The first baptismal service in our present building was held on August 28, 1949.
• June 10, 1957 began construction on our Fellowship Hall.
• In October, 1966 construction was begun on the new parsonage by Gibson & Winecoff Builders.