"A Church is more than just a building" so the saying goes and in a very real way that describes Hopeman Baptist Church.
In the late 1880's a small number
of local christians joined the Lossiemouth Baptist Church and for a number
of years they walked there and back every Sunday - summer and winter,
rain, hail or snow to worship along with their families. A past member
wrote
"Over a cliff top track they walked faithfully
each Lord's day, no streamlined cars or even a bike to help them on their
way."
Gradually the small company grew and a proposal was brought to the Church at Lossiemouth to consider building a church at Hopeman. This led to the introduction of regular services in the village itself. Held first in the old granary and on the 9th of September 1900 the present building formally became Hopeman Baptist Church and was opened by the Rev. Alex Bremner, then minister of the Lossiemouth church. It was a matter of some surprise in the village that so small a company should be able to build a church. It showed a spirit of self-sacrifice by the fishermen and their families, and within a short time the building was free of all debt.
The building was very plain, but had quite an attractive interior. When first built it was a small hall with moveable seats, but no vestry or school room. In 1923 it was enlarged and a separate vestry and hall added, which in later years was again altered to the present hall and extension.
During the past 100 or so years 15 different ministers have served Hopeman. The first Pastor of the Church was Charles Walter Adams who served the Church for three years. His salary was 15 shillings per week from the church and £13 per annum from the Baptist Pioneer Mission. One former Pastor, Rev. A B Millar married a local girl and later went on to become Principal of the Baptist Theological College in Glasgow.
To view a list of Pastors of Yesteryear
During the first year of the Church there were 25 members and by 1921 a further 19 were added to the roll. That same year the Revival which began in Yarmouth through the preaching of Douglas Brown and Jock Troop spread along the North East coast and in that year the membership of the Church was doubled.
Although a small congregation Hopeman Baptist Church has sent out Christian workers all over the world. For over 30 years James and Mary Davidson served as missionaries in the Belgian Congo as it was then. During this time the Rev. Davidson translated the New Testament into the native language. On returning back home he served as the Pastor of several churches throughout Scotland. In 1952, Mr Allan Stewart also went out to the Congo to serve in an administration post. In more recent times Esther Jack, after training at London Bible College, went out to Brazil to work among the street kids of Sao Paulo, Craig Orr went on to serve with Operation Mobilisation around the world and Brian More after studying at the Baptist College went on to serve as Pastor of Airdrie Baptist Church.
Currently (2007) Brian is Pastor of Newton Mearns Baptist church near Glasgow.
The vision of a faithful few has provided under God a rich heritage, and if we, like them have a vision and pass that vision onto the next generation the life and work of Hopeman Baptist Church will continue.
"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." Psalm 127 Verse I
Hopeman Baptist Church Registered Scottish Charity No Sc005986.
