A Place Where You Belong on Maple Grove Road
Hermantown Community Church sits at 4880 Maple Grove Road in Hermantown, Minnesota, a few miles outside Duluth. The main auditorium, kids wing, and Hallelujah Child Care center all share the single property, with two entrances off Maple Grove Road. The church's tagline - "a place where you belong" - sets the tone for everything happening here. Senior Pastor Dan Stone describes HCC as "a safe place where you can wrestle with the questions that you may have about faith as well as grow in your faith with all of us together." The church's stated mission is direct: "We exist to introduce people to Jesus and help them follow Him."
Sundays at Hermantown Community Church
Two Sunday services meet in the HCC auditorium at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. Each gathering runs a little over an hour and features live worship music alongside Biblically based teaching. Services are also livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel for those joining from home. The dress code is whatever is comfortable - jeans, dresses, business casual, and even shorts year-round are all common sights. The building can be entered from the front or the back, with greeters and volunteers ready to help first-time guests find their way. Parking is available in the front lot or in either of the back lots.
Visitors who want help planning a visit can fill out a short form online and someone from HCC will follow up with details.
First Look, HCC Kids, FUSE, and Hallelujah Child Care
HCC runs age-specific programs for kids at both Sunday services. First Look serves infants through Pre-K (starting at six weeks old), with play time, music, singing, and a Bible story. HCC Kids serves elementary-age children with games, music, age-appropriate Bible teaching, and small group time. Check-in takes place in the main lobby for both programs, and children with special needs are welcome. Families bringing children are encouraged to arrive about twenty minutes before the service begins.
Middle and high school students meet for FUSE on Sundays from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in the HCC auditorium. FUSE is designed for sixth through twelfth graders and includes worship, games, and a teaching time, alongside FUSE small groups where students grow in faith together.
During the week, the church operates Hallelujah Child Care, an on-site childcare center with its own payment portal through PushPay. The center extends HCC's ministry of walking alongside families well beyond Sunday mornings.
Small Groups and Lifelong Friendships
Small groups are central to how the church helps people grow. Spiritual growth happens best together. Community groups are places to have fun, develop lifelong friendships, and grow in faith. Registration is open through the church's Church Center groups page. For those who feel called to start a group, HCC offers training, resources, and ongoing support so the experience is not intimidating.
Baptism, Open Door, and Serving Teams
HCC lays out a clear path for anyone wanting to get more involved. Baptism is described as "our public decision to follow Jesus as Lord and Leader of our lives and declare that there is no turning back." Baptisms take place on designated Sundays, framed as a celebration that family and friends are welcome to attend.
Open Door is a behind-the-scenes gathering for anyone who wants to learn the mission, vision, history, and future of HCC and meet its leaders. It is positioned as a way to get to know the church from the inside.
For those ready to serve, HCC runs several serving teams across all ministry areas. The message is direct: "Life change happens at HCC in all our ministry areas. But we need you."
What They Believe
HCC's beliefs page lays out a classic evangelical statement of faith. The church affirms one God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - eternally existing as Creator and Ruler of the universe. Jesus is the Son of God, coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and living a sinless life. Salvation comes through faith in the death and resurrection of Christ; the shed blood of Jesus is the basis for what God freely offers.
The church teaches that baptism is a public, symbolic declaration of new life in Christ and a step of obedience that follows the example of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and Jesus and comes to live within every believer at the moment of faith. The Bible is described as "truth without error," written by human authors under the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Eternity is taken seriously: humanity was created to exist forever, and heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.
Pastor Dan Stone and the Mission
Dan Stone serves as Senior Pastor, providing leadership, vision, and teaching for HCC. Dan became a follower of Jesus while he was a student at Hermantown High School, right here at HCC. He and his wife, Lindsi, have spent more than twenty years following a vision to introduce people to Jesus, work that has taken them across the country and around the world. They have five children and live in Duluth.
Generosity is a regular rhythm at HCC. Giving can be done online through PushPay or by check mailed to the church's address. The church also walks with members through planned-giving options for those wanting to leave a longer-term financial legacy.
Sermons are posted on the church's YouTube channel, where teaching series through books of the Bible, conversations about tough topics, and seasonal celebrations of the Christian year are available to watch any time.