When the original founders

of the Hopewell United Methodist Church in Tyrone built a 60' by 40' wooden

structure in the 1850s, ministering to incarcerated prisoners was probably

not on their list of things to do.

Its 1948 brick structure was

sold in 1994 and is now the Tyrone Town Hall. The congregation entered

a new facility across from the Sandy Creek High School in 1995.

Through the years it has expanded

its role in ministering to others by participating in building homes for

Habitat for Humanity, sending teams to South America and, on a local level,

supporting the Fayette Samaritans and the Southwest Christian Hospice.

It comes as no surprise then

that an associated pastor has been added to its staff, the Rev. Don Bowen.

His full title is Associate Pastor for Prison Ministries.

A retired corporate executive,

he began working with prisoners who were needing a place to live and a

job. Realizing that Jesus was sending these people, he decided that he

was being called into helping prisoners, both those incarcerated and those

leaving prison. He also realized the importance of maintaining a relationship

with their families as well as assisting the prisoner back into a regular

life.

Along with its new prison ministries,

Hopewell United Methodist Church has added a special Sunday School class

for parents of young children and a "Pioneer Club" for its third,

fourth and fifth graders. It is a beginning Christian education series.

Its preschool is also in full

swing and currently has openings for four-year-olds.

Dr. Rick Long has served the

church for the past 13 years. He recently married the former Bonnie Ingram

Epps and they are the parents of Olivia, a four-year-old adopted in China.

Also in the family is David Epps.

The Sunday morning schedule

begins at 9:45 a.m. with Sunday School, followed by the worship service

at 10:55.

The church is located at 351

Jenkins Road, Tyrone, and can be reached at 770-306-7537.