Calvary Baptist Church
Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.
38°53′59″N 77°01′22″W / 38.899624°N 77.022716°W / 38.899624; -77.022716
Location755 8th Street, NW, Washington, D.C., U.S.
CountryUnited States
DenominationBaptist
AssociationsAmerican Baptist Churches USA, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Alliance of Baptists
Websitewww.calvarydc.org
History
Former name(s)E Street Baptist
Founded1862 (1862)
Founder(s)Amos Kendall
EventsFounding of the Northern Baptists, now the American Baptist Churches USA
Architecture
Architect(s)Adolf Cluss
Specifications
Materialsred brick
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Rev. Sally Sarratt and Rev. Maria Swearingen

Calvary Baptist Church is a Baptist church located in the Chinatown neighborhood in Washington, D.C. affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, the Alliance of Baptists, the District of Columbia Baptist Convention,[1][2] and the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists.[3]

In July 2012, the church severed ties with the Southern Baptist Convention.[4][5] Since 2017, Calvary's Senior Co-Pastors have been Rev. Sally Sarratt and Rev. Maria Swearingen.

History

19th century

The church was founded in 1862. Calvary's sanctuary building was designed by the U.S.-German architect Adolf Cluss, who also designed a number of other leading buildings in Washington, D.C.

Calvary is the founding church of the Northern Baptist Convention, which is now American Baptist Churches USA,[6] a leading church of the Baptist Sunday School movement at the turn of the century.[7][8]

20th century

Calvary is unique in Baptist life for having simultaneously had the presidents of the American Baptists,[7] then pastor Clarence Cranford, and that of the Southern Baptists, former Democratic member of Congress from Arkansas Brooks Hays, as members of the congregation.[9][10]

In accordance with its vision statement, Calvary concentrated on its relationship with the Latino, and especially Salvadoran population by introducing bilingual services[11][12] and partnering with a church in El Salvador, led by Rev. Edgar Palacios.[13]

Calvary has been active in immigration reform efforts,[13][14] along with the issue of marriage equality.[15][16]

In 1983, Calvary founded the Calvary Women's Shelter,[7][17] now Calvary Women's Services, the first women's homeless shelter in the Washington metropolitan area.

Senior pastors

  • Sally Sarratt and Maria Swearingen (married), 2017–current[18]
  • Amy Butler, 2003–2014[19][20]
  • Lynn Bergfalk, 1987–2000[21]
  • George W. Hill, 1971–1986[22]
  • Clarence Cranford, 1942–1971[23]
  • William S. Abernethy, 1921–1941
  • Samuel Harrison Greene, 1880–1920
  • Auguste Frank Mason, 1876–1879
  • Joseph Parker, 1870–1875
  • Thomas R. Howlett, 1863–1869
  • Joseph Spencer Kennard, 1862[24]

Historic members

As a church in Washington, it has had a number of high-profile members[6]: 258  including:

References

  1. ↑ "Directory of Churches". District of Columbia Baptist Convention. Archived from the original on 2010-06-08. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  2. ↑ "About Calvary". Calvary Baptist Church.
  3. ↑ "AWAB Member Congregations". Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. Archived from the original on 2013-06-28. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
  4. ↑ Bob Allen (July 26, 2012). "Historic DC church severs SBC ties". Associated Baptist Press. Archived from the original on 2013-11-12. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
  5. ↑ Rev. Dr. Amy Butler (July 26, 2012). "Calvary Baptist pastor: Why we severed ties with the Southern Baptist Convention". The Washington Post.
  6. 1 2 3 Wilbur, William Allen (1914). Chronicles of Calvary Baptist Church. Washington, D.C.: Judd & Deitwiller, Inc.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Tiller, Carl (1994). At Calvary: A history of the first 125 years of Calvary Baptist Church, Washington, D.C., 1862-1987 : with glimpses of the years 1988-94. Trinity Rivers Pub.
  8. ↑ Samuel Harrison Greene (1903). The Twentieth Century Sunday School. Nashville, Tennessee: Sunday School Board, Southern Baptist Convention.
  9. ↑ "Dr. Clarence Cranford Honored on the 25th Anniversary of Work with Washington Church". Lewiston Evening Journal. March 10, 1967.
  10. ↑ Cornell, George (July 26, 1957). "Closer cooperation noted by North, South Baptists". Milwaukee Sentinel (AP).
  11. ↑ Gowan, Annie (March 28, 2010). "Seeking prayers that speak to all". The Washington Post.
  12. ↑ Dale, Amy (April 3, 2010). "Calvary Baptist Church finds unity in diversity". The Washington Post.
  13. 1 2 Jessica Martinez (July 18, 2013). "Salvadorans May Replace Cubans as Third Largest US Hispanic Group". Christian Post.
  14. ↑ John Burnett (April 15, 2013). "Evangelicals Try To Soften Hearts On Overhauling Immigration". National Public Radio.
  15. ↑ Rev. Leah Grundset Davis (March 26, 2013). "Baptists from Mid-Atlantic rally in support of gay marriage as Supreme Court begins landmark case". Religious Herald. Archived from the original on August 3, 2013.
  16. ↑ Bob Allen (March 30, 2010). "Legal gay marriage pushes sexuality to forefront for churches". Associated Baptist Press. Archived from the original on August 3, 2013.
  17. ↑ Taylor, Vincent (February 1, 1983). "Church Opens Doors for Homeless Women". The Washington Afro-American.
  18. ↑ Michael Alison Chandler (January 14, 2017). "Gay couple hired at Calvary Baptist in D.C. among a growing number of spouses called to co-pastor at nation's churches". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
  19. ↑ Fisher, Marc (December 30, 2004). "D.C. Congregation Moved On Without Walking Away". The Washington Post. p. B01. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
  20. ↑ "Staff". Calvary Baptist Church. 18 April 2013.
  21. ↑ "City Gate » History". Archived from the original on 2010-07-05. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  22. ↑ "Dr. Rev. Hill Obituary". Archived from the original on 2011-06-13. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  23. ↑ Bucknell University Alumni
  24. ↑ Kennard, Joseph Spencer (1901). Psychic power in preaching. G. W. Jacobs. Joseph Spencer Kennard.
  25. ↑ "Harding a Farm Boy Who Rose by Work". The New York Times. April 3, 1923.
  26. ↑ Rudin, Ken (August 23, 2006). "What happens if Lieberman wins?". NPR.
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