It is located in the village of Hopen, along the northern coast of the island of Smøla.

It is the church for the Hopen parish which is part of the Ytre Nordmøre prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Møre.

It was decided to build the church on the north side of the main island of Smøla in the village of Hopen.

The tower and spire on the roof was struck by lightning and damaged on Christmas Day 1842.

In 1884, the cemetery surrounding the church was closed because the soil was thin and wet and difficult to bury people.

Burial sites were used at Ytre Roksvåg and on Veiholmen after the cemetery was closed.