Hopewell United Methodist Church has stood at the heart of Tyrone, Georgia, since before the town had a downtown. The congregation worships at 351 Jenkins Road, just off the corridor that links this Fayette County community to Peachtree City and beyond. Members describe a church where the music is beautiful, the welcome is warm, and the calendar is full of small gatherings around tables - whether it is Wednesday Night Dinner, a Monday coffee at Circa, or a Sunday school class that has met for decades.
From Brush Arbor to Jenkins Road
The story begins on March 9, 1849, when citizens from Fayette and Coweta Counties gathered to build an academy and meetinghouse that would serve as the community's gathering place. Tradition says the first Hopewell services were held in a brush arbor, with the congregation moving into its own church building next door by 1854. The church was then known as Hopewell Methodist Protestant Church.
By 1939 the name had become Hopewell Methodist Church, and by 1948 a new sanctuary stood where the old one had been. In 1968, when the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren churches merged, Hopewell took the name Hopewell United Methodist Church. Twenty-six years later, the congregation made its biggest move in more than a century, relocating to the Jenkins Road campus where it worships today. The original building still stands in Tyrone and now houses the Tyrone Museum, a quiet reminder of how tightly the church and the town have grown up together. Hopewell members helped bring the first telephones to the area, supported the founding of what became Tyrone Elementary, and continue to be involved in the ongoing development of downtown Tyrone.
Sunday Morning at Hopewell
Worship gathers at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday, with Holy Communion celebrated on the first Sunday of every month. The service draws on the United Methodist liturgical tradition while staying open to varied musical expression, supported by Music Director Lynn Craig and Organist and Pianist Cathy Brown. Recent sermon series, many available as video, have walked through the Gospel of John and a summer "Reset" series from Acts, with Pastor Jin preaching on belonging, invitation, and the everyday work of following Jesus.
Sunday school meets at 9:30 a.m. across multiple groups. Children ages 4 through fifth grade gather for Bible stories and activities, and two adult classes run in the same hour. Hope Squad, an adult class in the Serendipity Room, studies scripture, Christian books, and short videos with the goal of taking something practical into the week ahead. The Wesley Small Group meets in the Haris Royal Room for Bible study and fellowship. Both classes welcome newcomers at any time.
Children and Youth
Children are woven into Sunday morning rather than sent away from it. During the 10:30 service, kids stay in the sanctuary through Children's Time, then move to the children's room for age-appropriate learning and activities. The nursery, for infants through age three, opens at 10:15 and runs through 11:30, staffed by two Safe Sanctuary trained volunteers every Sunday so parents can worship without worry. Children's Ministry Director Kayla Bell leads the program and works with families to make first-time visitors feel at home.
Hopewell Youth gathers Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. for middle and high school students, with supper provided. The format balances small-group discussions, games, fellowship, and conversations about faith and everyday life, with students helping to shape the topics - relationships, prayer, parables, missions, and worship. Beyond Sunday nights, youth take part in local mission projects, regional and international mission trips, fellowship outings, special events, and fundraisers. As Pastor Jin puts it, whether a teenager has grown up in church or is just beginning to explore faith, there is always room at God's table.
Recycled Kids, a separate Hopewell ministry, is a monthly outing group for adults and families who like to explore together. Members visit fun places, share meals, and volunteer for local missions - a more relaxed, social way to build friendships and serve neighbors.
Small Groups and Weekday Rhythms
In addition to Sunday morning classes, the congregation gathers during the week in two regular rhythms. Coffee and Bible with Pastor Jin meets every Monday at 9:30 a.m. at Circa Coffee on Senoia Road. The format is informal - the group unpacks the previous Sunday's Scripture and message and talks about how it connects with daily life, with no homework required and newcomers welcome at any point.
Wednesday Night Dinner brings the church family to the Jenkins Road campus once a month at 6:00 p.m. for a shared meal and conversation. Men's Breakfast gathers on the second Sunday of most months at 8:30 a.m. for an early hour of food and fellowship. These recurring tables, alongside the small groups, reflect the congregation's stated value of Connectional Faith - the conviction that following Jesus is both personal and shared.
Missions and Outreach
Hopewell's Missions committee describes itself as the hands and feet of God in Tyrone, Fayette County, and beyond, supporting a wide range of local, regional, and worldwide ministries. Close to home, members are good neighbors to Burch Elementary and Sandy Creek High School, supplying school supplies, backpacks, and baked treats for teachers. The church also supports Fayette Samaritans, which provides food, clothing, and emergency financial assistance to families in critical need, and the Real Life Center, which offers food, clothing, financial assistance, budgeting classes, fresh produce, and career help in a safe, Christ-centered environment.
Further afield, Hopewell partners with Midwest Food Bank, helping package meals at its Georgia division and supporting disaster relief; Rise Against Hunger, which coordinates international food packaging; and UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which provides humanitarian aid in more than 80 countries. Members also support Camp Southern Ground, where summer camps serve children ages 7 to 17, including those with neurodevelopmental differences, underserved kids, and children from military families, while the rest of the year is dedicated to supporting post-9/11 veterans at no cost; Healing4Heroes, which trains rescue dogs as service animals for wounded military personnel and veterans; and Royal Animal Refuge, which promotes animal welfare and responsible pet ownership in the region. United Methodist Men at Hopewell also organizes service opportunities for local homeless shelters, providing home-cooked meals and collecting socks and toiletries throughout the year.
The Hopewell Garden
Behind the Jenkins Road building sits one of the more unusual ministries of the church: the Hopewell Garden. Three gardens on the property - including a Pollinator and Butterfly Garden and the Golden Garden - invite members and neighbors to grow their own vegetables and herbs, help with planting and weeding, or join the Garden Committee in caring for the space. Raised beds are available for individuals, tools are kept in a green shed, a well handles daily watering, and the area is fully fenced. The garden is a quiet expression of the same mission that drives the rest of the church - tending something together that bears fruit for the community and the environment.
Pastor Jin and the Staff
Hopewell is led by Rev. Jin Hopson, an Elder in full connection in the United Methodist Church who grew up in Seoul, South Korea. She lives in Tyrone with her husband, Rev. Sam Hopson, and their two children, Saejin and Abrahm. Her ministry is marked by a desire to help people experience God's grace in real and life-changing ways, whether through preaching, prayer, or simply sharing everyday life together. She keeps an open calendar for Coffee and Bible on Monday mornings and is the main point of contact for those exploring membership.
The staff also includes Lynn Craig as Music Director, Cathy Brown as Organist and Pianist, and Kayla Bell as Children's Ministry Director. Together they support the ministries that fill the church's week and calendar.
Membership and Discipleship
Membership at Hopewell is not required to worship with the church - everyone is welcome to attend any Sunday. Becoming a member is a public commitment to follow Jesus alongside this particular community, whether someone is professing faith for the first time or transferring from another church or denomination. Members commit to support the church with their Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service, and Witness - the classic United Methodist pledge. For those curious about their own gifts, the church offers a Spiritual Gifts Assessment, and Pastor Jin is happy to walk alongside anyone exploring membership.
Giving
Hopewell teaches that giving is part of Christian discipleship - because God first gave, because Christians love God, and because making ministry and mission happen costs money. Members and friends can give by cash or check in worship, by mail to Hopewell UMC, PO Box 70, Tyrone, GA 30290, or online through the church's Realm Giving page.