Fonds HAZ HA - Hazelton Pastoral Charge fonds

Presbyterian work in Hazelton began around 1911 and was confined to that town until the following year when New Hazelton came into being as a railway construction center. During the year 1912 the Mission consisted of two towns, New Hazelton and Old Hazelton with headquarters at Old Hazelton. In October of 1912 headquarters of the Mission was moved to New Hazelton where a hall was built in the early summer of 1913. Later on in 1913, owing to many families changing their place of residence from Old Hazelton to other parts of the district it became necessary to close down the mission in Old Hazelton. In 1925 the New Hazelton Presbyterian Church voted against Church Union but it could not get supply. An arrangement was made whereby the United Church took over the work in that community. At that point it was recognized as a United Church. The first Methodist religious services in Hazelton were held in a room over a drug store in 1912. The congregation quickly grew so large that they had to rent the St. Andrew's Hall. Around 1920 St. Andrew's Hall was destroyed by fire. In 1922 Hazelton Methodist Church was built in Hazelton. According to the United Church yearbooks, Hazelton Pastoral Charge has had many different preaching points over the years. Various congregations have moved in and out of the pastoral charge. Today Hazelton Pastoral charge includes Gitsegukla and Hazelton, but for several years in its past history it has included Kispiox, Skeena River, Cedarvale, and Miller Memorial United Church (at Wrinch Memorial Hospital) as well as small preaching points in the area.