South Carolina H 4481: Adopt-a-Highway month

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4481 Text of Previous Version (May. 01, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4481

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A house RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND CONGRATULATE HOPEWELL BAPTIST 
CHURCH OF CHESTERFIELD ON THE OCCASION OF ITS HISTORIC ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FIFTH 
ANNIVERSARY AND TO COMMEND THE CHURCH FOR NEARLY TWO CENTURIES OF SERVICE TO GOD 
AND THE COMMUNITY.

Whereas, having been 
organized about 1840, Hopewell Baptist Church in Chesterfield is celebrating 
its historic one hundred eighty-fifth anniversary in 2025; and

Whereas, the 
organization of the church was believed to have taken place in 1839 or earlier, 
but most minutes from the Moriah and Chesterfield Baptist associations record 
the official date of Hopewell's organization as 1840. The minutes of the Moriah 
and Chesterfield Baptist associations were used to locate and verify 
information gleaned from the memories of church and community members to 
determine historic facts of the early years of the church. All available yearly 
church letters submitted to the South Carolina Baptist Convention list 1840 as 
the date of establishment, and this has been the date used for anniversary 
celebrations through the years. The Chesterfield Baptist Association was 
organized in 1892, and Hopewell left the Moriah Association to become a charter 
member of the Chesterfield Association; and

Whereas, the fledgling 
church began its service to the Chesterfield area under the leadership of its 
first pastor, the Reverend W.T. Jones, who served from 1839 to 1853. The 
original plot of land on which the first church building was erected was given 
to the church by Hardy Sellers in a deed dated November 1, 1841. Fortunately, 
the deed was not officially recorded in Chesterfield County Courthouse records 
until March 1, 1888; thus, this valuable document was saved from being 
destroyed by fire at the time of General Sherman's visit to the area in 1865; 
and

Whereas, currently, 
Pastor Richard Lloyd Yow Sr., serves as the Lord's undershepherd of the flock 
at Hopewell Baptist; and

Whereas, the church met 
in a brush arbor for an unknown period of time before the first church building 
was erected. The portion of the present church that now houses the adult Sunday 
school classes and nursery was the fourth building erected; it was constructed 
about 1904 or 1905. The fellowship hall was added in 1979 and renovated in 
2017. The current sanctuary was completed and dedicated in January 1995, and 
the old sanctuary was converted to Sunday school classrooms, a library, and a 
nursery; and

Whereas, through all 
the challenges of the years, Hopewell Baptist has continued to proclaim the 
gospel of Jesus Christ and serve the Lord. Standing on the faith and strength 
of its early pastors and members, Hopewell Baptist Church's present 
congregation "press[es] toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of 
God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14, KJV); and

Whereas, Hopewell 
Baptist Church has been a beacon of light and a community worship center in the 
Chesterfield area for almost two hundred years, and, God willing, will continue 
its godly heritage for many more years of worship and service. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House 
of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize 
and congratulate Hopewell Baptist Church of Chesterfield on the occasion of its 
historic one hundred eighty-fifth anniversary and commend the church for nearly 
two centuries of service to God and the community.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution 
be presented to Hopewell Baptist Church.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on May 01, 2025 at 05:16 PM