Hopeful Lutheran Church. Hopeful Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded on Epiphany Day, 1806, by German-speaking families from Madison Co., Va. Called “the Mother of Lutheranism west of the Allegheny Mountains,” it is the oldest Lutheran church in Ky. Family names of early members include Tanner, Zimmerman, Rouse, Beemon and House. Over (Reverse) George Rouse donated an acre of land on which a cabin church was built in 1807. The present church stands on the same site. In 1813, Rev. William Carpenter became the first pastor. A Revolutionary War veteran, he served as pastor for twenty years. He was followed by Rev. Jacob Crigler, whose farm became present Hopeful Cemetery.