The Hopewell United Methodist Church, Tyrone, is one of the oldest churches in Fayette county.

It was begun in the 1850s as a school and a church. The first building was a wooden structure 60 by 40 feet with a low-pitched roof.

In 1889 the building was remodeled and the roof was raised to a higher pitch.

A completely new brick structure was built in 1948 with stained glass memorial windows. A new front entrance was constructed in 1973 and seat cushions were added. A steeple and porch were added in 1980 and new pews were added to older ones and the old church bell was added to the steeple.

In 1994 the congregation had once again outgrown its facility and the building was sold to the town of Tyrone, to be its Town Hall. As far as is known, this Methodist church is the only one to relocate from a site with an attached cemetery.

For a year the congregation met at Sandy Creek High School while a new building was constructed right across the street from the high school and in 1995 moved into its new facility.

Oddly enough, in the 1860s a member bought land at the site of the new church, later sold it and now the church is on 29 acres of that same land.

The congregation of 535 members is pastored by the Rev. Dr. Rick Long, who has served them for 12 years.

He was born in Elmira, N.Y., where his father was serving in the United States Army.

When he was 15, they moved to Atlanta.

He was graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1971 with a major in labor economics. It was while at college that he first felt the pull into ministry and had a preaching license at the age of 19.

Long received his masters and doctorate at Emory University. He served churches in Henry County, Cedartown, Marietta and Augusta before coming to Tyrone.

Hopewell began a pre-school this past year and it has been so successful that next year's enrollment is almost double.

Major goals for the coming year will be to help build a Habitat for Humanity home and to send a team to South America. Currently, the church supports the Fayette Samaritans and the Southwest Christian Hospice.

Sunday morning worship is at 9:45 a.m. for Sunday School and at 10:55 for worship service.