CHURCH HISTORY


2003 – present	In 2003 Sue Kuipers became the full-time Director of Youth and Education. In 2007 she completed her studies and was ordained as a commissioned pastor in our church. Her position has changed into her work with the youth and community, including becoming a police chaplain for several agencies. Over the following years, the church offered various ministries for those inside and outside the church. The church offered Financial Peace and Stephen Minister training as well as various Bible studies. This period marked a change in the church’s membership. Long-time members retired and moved away. A variety of people from the community joined. We moved to an increasingly multi-ethnic congregation.
2000	In 2000 a sizeable part of the church, including the youth pastor, decided to move closer to their out-of-state families. It was a major time of adjusting. At the same time, others, previous members of a now-closed church, joined.
1995	In March 1995 Pastor Larry Fryling began as the new pastor. The congregation decided to change its name to the Christ’s Community Church. The congregation approved having women serve as pastors, elders and deacons in the church.
1989	By 1989 people were coming (well-attended membership classes) and others were moving on, including Pastor Vern. The church brought on a full-time minister of youth and evangelism. Interim pastors and a short-term pastor followed.
1984	On April 29, 1984 the church celebrated its 25th birthday. At this point in time, the church had 151 members, a new organizational structure, special musical events and a singing group known as “Christ’s Workmanship”.
1980	In 1980, plans were drawn up for construction on our worship center. Aside from hiring two construction carpenters, all the work was done by volunteers, both men and women. The new place of worship was dedicated on November 22, 1981.
1976	In 1976, the church hired its first youth pastor. The church began encouraging other churches to use the building for their worship times. A new overpass on Calaroga Avenue over Jackson Street took out easy access our corner. A once busy corner became quiet. The McDonald’s across the intersection closed (now a Romanian Orthodox Church), as did the grocery store and bowling alley across street (now condos) closed. With their closure, the church lost its parking places. The beams in our worship center came from the grocery store.
1975	In 1975, the church sponsored a family from the Vietnam Refugee Resettlement Program.
1967	By 1967 the church has grown and additional classrooms were added. Unlike other churches, the church experimented with new songs, ones not found a traditional hymnal. The church began to show interest in those in its community, mostly children. At one point, 169 children attended Sunday school weekly, the majority of which did not belong to the church. Vacation Bible School became an important ministry. Pastor Vern Vander Zee became the pastor, ultimately ministering here for 17 years.
1963	By 1963 the church had grown to 14 families. New classrooms were added. On March 29, 1963 the church formally organized, electing two elders and two deacons. It was named the Hayward Christian Reformed Church.
1959	On March 3, 1959 the church began in a home on Kay Avenue with several in attendance. By July 1959 a pastor was called and work by volunteers on our current social hall was begun. This new chapel was dedicated on April 24, 1960. Contrary to the practices of other churches, women were encouraged to vote in congregational meetings.