A welcoming place where God’s presence is alive and well. A place where wonderful things happen that are helping transform our world for the better!
What We Believe
As Hartland United Methodists:
- We hold to the historic doctrines of the Christian faith as found in the Apostle’s and Nicene Creeds.
- We believe the Bible is the God’s authoritative word. God speaks to us today through the Bible and it helps us grow in our faith and give us direction for our lives.
- The church’s purpose is to help people to find God and to become active disciples of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- We believe God calls each of us to be in active relationships with God, other Christians and the world around us and to live out our faith in concrete ways.
We at Hartland UMC have a passionate faith with strong convictions, but we recognize that the world is not always black and white. We are willing to ask questions, to wrestle with difficult issues, and to do so with grace and compassion.
Our Vision, Strategies and Values
We believe the church belongs to God and that the Church is, in the words of the Apostle Paul, the body of Christ. The church is to be the physical presence of Christ in the world. As such, our primary aim is to do God’s will. We believe God has called Hartland UMC to the following:
Our Vision: Helping people find, experience and share God’s love through Christ.
Our Strategies: The following five broad areas of ministry constitute the primary means of accomplishing our vision. They are the historic elements of the church’s mission: Worship, Evangelism, Discipleship, Fellowship and Service.
- Our first aim is to glorify God in worship;
- our second is to introduce people to Jesus Christ through evangelism;
- our third is to help persons of all ages to become deeply committed Christians through ministries of discipleship;
- our fourth is to build caring relationships and foster mutual ministries among the church family through authentic Christian fellowship;
- and finally, we aim to train, equip, inspire and mobilize ministries of service.
Our Values: It is our desire to honor God through our work on His behalf. To that end, we will do His work with the qualities we most value: integrity, grace, excellence, relevance, authenticity, passion, humility, faith, inclusivity, commitment, joy and love.
Our Limitations: We recognize that certain actions could impede our ability to achieve God’s purpose and vision for this church. We therefore resolve and state that Hartland UMC shall not:
- pursue ministry which is contrary to its purpose;
- fail to be good stewards of its financial and non-financial resources;
- do anything in opposition to the spirit and intent of the United Methodist Book of Discipline;
- stray from biblical principles and structures;
- stop discerning God’s vision for Hartland UMC.
Our History
The beginning of the Methodist Church in the Village of Hartland, Michigan preceded the American Civil War when, in the fall of 1854, a young teacher named Alexander Gee was appointed Methodist pastor of the new Hartland Charge which included the surrounding area. Upon his arrival, Pastor Gee built up a following with several years of revivals and services which were held in country school buildings, homes, or other available structures until a permanent church building could be constructed.
In 1859 construction of the north section of our present church building was started which took several years to fully complete. The congregation celebrated the completion of their new building in the early 1860s. At that time the main entrance door was centered on the north wall and the pulpit was at the south end.
The next 100-plus years saw many changes. Some highlights are as follows:
- 1868: purchase of parsonage which was lost to a fire. A replacement residence was purchased.
- 1874: church painted at a cost of $78.
- 1877: trustees voted to pay off debts for the church building and the parsonage.
- 1910: church front entrance was moved to present location. Members added a new vestibule, bell tower, stained glass windows, choir loft, and Christian education rooms. One of these improvements, unfortunately, resulted in the death of carpenter, Will Shoemaker, who fell from the new bell tower. The stained glass window in the north wall was dedicated to Mr. Shoemaker’s memory.
- November 12, 1920: dedication service to celebrate the newly remodeled church building.
- 1929-30: in celebration of the church’s 75th year, Mr. J. Robert Crouse, Sr. created a trust fund for the benefit of the church and donated a Hammond Organ. He also helped fund the addition of the Memorial Library, a second floor kitchen and dining hall, and stained glass windows to the left and right of the altar, in memory of his mother, Betsey Westfall Crouse. A dedication service was held on February 23, 1930.
- 1948-49: exterior and interior painting and electrical improvements were done.
- 1950: parsonage kitchen improvements were completed.
- 1951: dedication of bulletin board on the front lawn.
- October 15-17, 1954: Hartland Methodist Church centennial was celebrated with a repainted and redecorated building, a new porch at the west entrance, a pageant, and visits and talks by former ministers.
- 1958-1962: purchase of a new Baldwin organ and renovation of the sanctuary were completed on March 18, 1962. Formal consecration took place on April 29th, 1962.
- 1966: a new parsonage was built adjacent to Hibner Road in the Hartland Hills subdivision.
- 1968: a nationwide merger of the Methodist Church with the Evangelical United Brethren Church resulted in the name change to The Hartland United Methodist Church.
- 1976-1978: church exterior was covered with aluminum siding and new carpet was installed in the parlor.
- 1979: Hartland United Methodist Church celebrated 125th anniversary.
- 1986: a ramp for barrier free access and an addition to the existing church were constructed. Planning for a major addition to the church was started.
- 1997: a generous gift of property that fronts on Highland Road (M-59) was received from the Harold Armstrong family for a new church site. After much prayer and consideration, the congregation decided to remain in our current location in the Village of Hartland. The M-59 property was sold and the proceeds were used to fund a major expansion.
- 2003: a new fellowship hall with kitchen, office space, restrooms and a parking lot was started. Armstrong Hall was completed and dedicated for the church’s 150th anniversary in 2004.
- 2006: a new church parsonage was purchased on Odette Drive in the Three Lakes area.