Although the history of Haslett Community Church may not be as long and storied as other churches, it is nevertheless a rich history. The roots of our community church began to grow on March 23, 1954 when several persons met at the home of Conrad and Rose Haney to discuss the need for a new church in Haslett. An open meeting was held at the Township Hall on March 31, 1954 to plan for a church. At that meeting, forty-nine people elected a steering committee and planned for services. On April 25, 1954, one week after Easter, one hundred forty-five people attended the first worship service and Sunday school above the old Township Hall and fire station on the northeast corner of Haslett and Okemos Roads. For the first year or so, guest ministers provided most of the sermons. 

At an October 1954 meeting in the Haslett elementary school, the Congregational Christian Church was selected as the denomination with which Haslett Community Church would be affiliated. And thus our church was chartered on April 24, 1955 by the Central Association of Michigan Congregational Christian Churches.

Haslett Community Church continued holding services above the Township Hall, but as attendance grew, a building committee was appointed on December 9, 1954, to plan for the church’s own building. Building plans progressed rapidly, and on January 21, 1955, a church building site was selected and purchased for $3,500. Those involved in the early days of the Haslett Community Church were united in their purpose and included persons with many vocations – plumbers, electricians, painters, carpenters, organization wizards, housewives, financial experts and, most important, dedicated Christians.  Over one hundred twenty-five people “pitched in” to work, which helped lower the building cost.  The Women’s Fellowship held bake sales in many places, including stores in downtown Lansing as well as locally to raise funds for building.

HCC's initial worship location in the Township Hall.

On January 16, 1955, the first Charter Members of our church were received. During the summer of 1955, a pulpit committee was then organized to select our first permanent minister. After he visited and preached at Haslett Community Church on August 28, 1955, the Reverend Charles O. Erickson was called to that position. Rev. Erickson and his family lived at 1415 Haslett Rd. (currently the parsonage for Rev. Erin Heisler), where the first floor bedroom served as the church office for over a year. Successful building fund raising activities in the fall of 1955 led to ground breaking ceremonies on March 4, 1956. September 30, 1956 saw the first services held in HCC’s new building, with a dedication ceremony following on October 21, 1956.

HCC's new church building dedicated in 1956.

During the digging of the foundation for the new church, a large rock was uncovered. It was put near what was then the front entrance of the church to remind us to look to the rock from which we were hewn. The rock still sits at the southeast corner of our building, near the entrance to our garden sanctuary. Also of interest is the origin of our clear glass windows in the sanctuary as opposed to stained glass windows. As Rev. Erickson pointed out during the dedication, “. . . the clear windows symbolize taking faith out to the world with its joys and problems, and letting the world come in with its agenda and needs.”

Early in 1958, the church voted to purchase the large house west of the parsonage. It became known as The Fellowship Center where Sunday school classes were held. After a merger of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church, members of Haslett Community Church voted unanimously to become affiliated with the United Church of Christ on January 28, 1961, which became the merged denomination’s new name.
 

In the fall of 1965, the new south-east wing was added to our building, which included a kitchen area and Sunday school class rooms. Dedication for the new wing took place in February 1966.  Also in February of 1966, the large house known as The Fellowship Center, which sat where our north driveway now exits onto Haslett Road, was torn down since it had become outdated.

HCC as it appeared after the  1965 addition.
 

On February 20, 1966, Rev. Erickson conducted his final service after accepting a call to become minister at the First Congregational Church of Topeka, Kansas. Rev. Herbert A. Studebaker served as interim minister until Rev. Robert E. Frederick was called to become HCC’s second permanent minister. Rev. Frederick conducted his first service at HCC on Sept. 18, 1966. As our congregation grew, so did our physical space needs. In the fall of 1977, we broke ground for a third addition to our facilities. This new addition included new office space, a vestibule and additional restrooms. Dedication for the third addition was held on September 24, 1978.

HCC as it appeared after the  1978 addition.

After close to thirty years of serving Haslett Community Church, Rev. Frederick retired, preaching his last sermon on February 11, 1996. On March 17, 1996 our congregation welcomed the Rev. Dr. Lionel A. Miles as our interim pastor. During this time of pastoral change, our congregation was also in the middle of adding a new north wing to the church, which included expanded space for the ever-growing food bank, a kitchenette, larger office space, and in the basement, classrooms and a choir room . This wing was dedicated on September 22, 1996. On June 29, 1997, Rev. Miles preached his last sermon at HCC. Since our newly selected minister, Rev. Kurt A. Kirchoff, was not scheduled to arrive until mid-August, Romi Chaffee - long-time HCC member and ordained UCC minister, provided pastoral care and Sunday sermons for this interim six-week period. Finally the Kirchoff family arrived, and Rev. Kirchoff preached his first sermon at our church on August 17, 1997.
 

HCC as it appeared after the  1996 addition,
and as it appears today.