Two sisters share the same memories of their beloved church, Hopewell Baptist. They have attended the church for decades, Martha Durrance since she was 5, and Lila Woods since she was 13.
“In the old church, there were two doors,” Durrance said. “The women would come in and sit on one side, and the men would come in and sit on the other side.”
“The children would sit in the middle,” Woods added.
Hopewell will celebrate its 143rd anniversary during a special service May 5. A luncheon will be hosted to honor the occasion following the service.
With informal beginnings, the church started in 1870. Founders gathered in an 8-foot-by-12-foot log schoolhouse, located on the homestead of John Robert McDonald. According to the church’s recorded minutes, Florida Baptist Associate, Elder L. J. Simmons, and J. N. Tatum organized the gatherings. Other founding families included the Wells, Evers, Mooneys and Weeks families.
A decade later, the church had grown. Sunday school, organized by Elder T.J. Sparkman, was held in tents behind the sanctuary. The tents covered stalls that held nearly 100 goats. On Sunday mornings, the stalls were swept clean for Sunday School.
Later, the church was moved to Grange Hall, near Old Hopewell Road. The property is part of Bob McDonald’s land.
The third location was a one-room building 300 yards south of J.G. McDonald’s home.
But, it wasn’t until 1897, when William Glenn McDonald gave the church two acres of land — one for a cemetery and one for a church — that the church found its present location. For a mere $854.92, the building was completed. The first service was held in January 1902.
Electric lights came to the new church in 1913 — at a cost of $29.52.
The building was remodeled in 1955, for $25,000. Six rooms, a baptistry, steeple and stained-glass windows were added. Before the baptistry was added, members were baptized in “The Pit,” a fishing hole.
Durrance remembers having dinner at the church as a child.
“There was a big table in the front yard that we would all eat at,” Durrance said. “There was no air conditioning inside the church. People would bring their picnic and food. They would either sit at the table or stand and eat.”
Air conditioning finally was added to the church in 1964, after J.G. McDonald gave the church additional land for a recreation hall. The building had a complete kitchen, restrooms and central heat and air at a cost of $10,000.
Now the congregation worships in a new building, which was finished May 7, 2006. In 1992, the church purchased seven acres of land adjoining the church property. It was on this property that the congregation built the new facility.
“My favorite thing about the church is the sweet, sweet spirit in Hopewell,” Durrance said. “The love between the members — it’s been really special to me.”
Linwood and Kathy Jones feel the same about the church. They come all the way from Lakeland, passing closer churches on their way to worship.
“We’ve only been coming here for six or seven years,” Linwood said. “Our hearts are overwhelmed with the love and acceptance that is here.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
