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Calvary BCOGOur History

Our HumbleBeginning

Ninety two years ago in 1927, 22 African Americans of faith living in Garfield, New Jersey had a dream and desire to begin a church in the city where they resided. Initially, they met for Sunday School in a storefront located on Frederick Street.

Our& First Pastors

After many obstacles and stumbling blocks, their dream became a reality and on May 8, 1927, Rev. Greene, pastor of the Mount Olive Baptist Church, Hackensack, NJ, led in organizing the Mount Calvary Baptist Church in a building on Morell Place ill Garfield. Rev. Elisha L. Harrison would become the first pastor. As was common in the early 1900's, pastors did not remain in churches for a long period of time. Such was the case with many of the men who served Calvary in the formative years. In October of 1927, Rev. Freeman became the second pastor. On April 11, 1928, Rev. Lewis Cherry became the third pastor of the church.

In 1928, the church moved to 335 Harrison Avenue and then in 1929, under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Mosley (the fourth pastor), the Mount Calvary Baptist Church changed its name to the Calvary Baptist Church and relocated to our former address, 419 Harrison Avenue.

 

Calvary BCOGHistorical Timeline

In 1928, the church moved to 335 Harrison Avenue and then in 1929, under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Mosley (the fourth pastor), the Mount Calvary Baptist Church changed its name to the Calvary Baptist Church and relocated to our former address, 419 Harrison Avenue.

Rev. Mosley was followed by several men who served Calvary for short periods of time. They were Rev. J. A. Reynolds (1930) and Rev. B.B. Burgess (1931).
In l933, Rev. W. H. Culbreth became the next pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church. Under his pastorate the decision was made to purchase the building we used to worship in. The cost of the building was $3,500 and the members wanted to remodel it and change its appearance from a factory to a place of worship.
From 1943 to 1956, Rev. Floville Albert LaGarde served as Calvary's pastor. Among the many accomplishments of his pastorate were the burning of the church's mortgage and the laying of the cornerstone. Calvary also became a member of the North Jersey Baptist Association during his tenure. His wife Claudia LaGarde served as the church musician and Calvary's choirs flourished and were noted for their great singing.
On the first Sunday in August of 1957, the Rev. Joseph J. Robinson assumed the leadership of the Calvary Baptist Church, becoming its ninth pastor. Under his pastorate Rev. Robinson organized and developed a viable youth department; built an interfaith relationship between various denominations in the community and became the first African-American pastor in the community to speak at local graduations and participate in civic activities in the city. Rev. Robinson served the congregation for 15 years, ending his pastorate duties in 1972.
In June 1972, the call was extended to Calvin McKinney, a young and energetic Passaic native, to serve as the tenth pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church. To date, his tenure is the longest in our church's history. One of his first tasks was to make Calvary an informed congregation, in religious, civic and political matters. This has been done through the reorganization of all auxiliaries and boards of Calvary into a six-fold ministry.

In order to mature to such a level, Christian Education was and still is paramount in the life of Calvary. The Mission of the Calvary Baptist Church of North Jersey at Garfield (which it is now known as) is to become a people who are being "Taught and Grown," according to the word of God, the Holy Bible.

Making aDifference

We, the Calvary Family, are helping to raise the village around us; becoming a "Contagious Congregation", allowing our "contagiousness" to spread in this and surrounding communities, while remaining...

steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that (our) labor is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58

For over 33 years under Pastor McKinney, we labored to leave our Moab and journey to our Promised Land. And, in June of 2003, we stepped in the Jordan with the water to our waist and the Promised Land in clear view. On March 19,2006 we left our old home, originally purchased for $3,500, and moved into our new $10 million dollar state-of-the-art edifice; "to God be the glory for the great things He has done" and continues to do in the life of the Calvary Baptist Church of North Jersey at Garfield, under the dynamic leadership of Pastor McKinney.

For 48 years, since assuming the pastorate of the Calvary Baptist Church of North Jersey at Garfield, Pastor McKinney continues to work diligently to lead Calvary in becoming a viable Christian witness or, as he would put it, "The light of the world and the salt of the earth." Because of his visionary leadership, we, the Calvary Family, are helping to raise the village around us; becoming a "Contagious Congregation", allowing our "contagiousness" to spread in this and surrounding communities, while remaining "steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for asmuch as ye know that (our) labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58).