Throughout this next year we will celebrate our heritage as a historic congregation in the Stone-Campbell Christian church/churches of Christ tradition. The Hopwood congregation celebrated its 150th Anniversary in 1984; our sign and cornerstone both read “1834" as the date the church was established. Early documents indicate that the Hopwood congregation, originally the “Buffalo (or Buffaloe...or Buffalow!) Creek Christian Church” is a bit older.
Early church elder James Miller reported in Barton W. Stone’s Christian Messenger:
“Elizabethton, August 23, 1832
Dear Brethren Johnson and Stone:
Our annual meeting commenced at Buffaloe Creek, Carter County, East Tennessee on Friday the 17th and ended Monday. The meeting was numerously attended. We had a great and glorious time–37 united with the congregation. On Saturday and the Lords Day, Elder John Wright immersed 15. On Monday, I immersed 12. During the meeting before this, 17 made the good confession, and I immersed 10. On the next Lord’s Day we expect several will be immersed. In about 4 months I think 60 have been added to the congregation, and small additions have been made to some other churches. In our Annual meeting we assume no authority to control the churches. We consider them independent, and authorized to do their own business independently of any foreign jurisdiction.”
An obituary of the church’s first ordained minister, John Wright, reads:
“On June 24, 1832, five months after the union at Lexington of Campbell & Stone John Wright united with the congregation that Brother Miller & others had organized at Buffalo Creek, Carter Co, Tenn. and was on that day ordained by Elders James Miller, Jeriel Dodge, Dr Robert F Shankland and others who had taught the Restoration Doctrine.”
Notes from church historian Mrs. Hughes M. (Addie) Thompson record that “For several years there was no building for weekly services so they met on the banks of the creek, in barns, mills, cemeteries, homes, groves, or any place they found suitable. Later a log church was built on land donated by Joshua Williams.”
We thank God for those who preceded us in the faith in this place, and we remember their faithfulness.
