--The faithful band of Methodists who had a vision of a church of their own on the common in Belchertown, and went ahead and purchased a building lot on Main Street.
--The acumen and ingenuity of those early Methodists who heard of a Methodist Church building for sale on Union Street in Springfield, and had it transported, piece by piece, by horse and oxen teams to Belchertown.
--Their willingness to work as volunteers, digging and laying the foundation and then the laying of the cornerstone of our church on August 13, 1873.
--The dedication service of the completed church held less than a year later on February 11, 1874, over one hundred years ago.

Imagine the excitement there must have been in Belchertown back in 1873. What a unique and fascinating sight it must have been to see teams of horses and oxen arriving in the center of town, bringing pieces of the church and then setting it up. The purchase of the church included the Goodrich organ, the pews and carpeting.

So let's celebrate the faith of ancestors who trusted in God's guidance to establish this church which now brings us together as Hope United Methodist Church. Let's celebrate the Hope that sees a vision of a church serving God in the community, and in the world, into the twenty first century, with a sense of renewal and joy, and with trust that God will guide us and bless us as He has in the past.