Mt Calvary Missionary Baptist

General information

“I Love Thy Church O God” because in spite of the trials and persecutions, it shall ultimately triumph and become the church victorious. For Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)

One hundred-forty-five years ago, faithful, committed patriots were inspired by God, through prayers of faith, and their religious convictions to establish Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.

Mt. Calvary Baptist Church was organized in 1865. This church fellowship was organized under a grapevine. The initiative for this challenge was undertaken by Bro. Anderson Williams, Bro. Jupiter Boykin, Sis. Lucy Williams, and Sis. Fannie Boykin. These loyal, dedicated, and faithful servants built a little wooden church. This little wooden church with its lamp lights, dirt floor, and wood burning heaters became the place of worship for the community. The first pastor of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church was Rev. James Adams. The first deacons were Dea. Anderson Williams, Dea. Jupiter Boykin, Dea. Ezekiel Hart Sr., and Dea. John Marshall.
As time passed, the Lord touched and inspired the hearts of the saints, and gave them a vision to provide a place to enhance the educational horizon of the young people in the community. In 1924, the little wooden building known as the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, also became a community school. The first teacher of this one room community school was Mrs. Fannie McCleary.

Worship services at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church were held once a month. The fourth Sunday of each month was the day of worship service at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church. The revival services were held in the month of July. The week before the 4th Sunday in July was revival time. The Sunday following the week of revival services was called “Big Meeting Sunday.” Many family and friends would attend the worship service on “Big Meeting Sunday.” Dinner would be spread on the grounds after worship services. Oh! What a great time of fellowship, food, and fun!

There have been many who have come this way preaching the gospel and serving as pastor of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church. Former pastors of the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church are: the late Rev. James Adams, Rev. Bivins, Rev. McGriff, Rev. Bostick, Rev. J. C. Chapman, Rev. Bridges, Rev. Bubba Anderson, Rev. Sanders, Rev. B.T. Washington, Rev. Freddie Sirmans, Rev. R. C. Drye, Rev. L. P. Parker, Rev. B. T. Jenkins, and Rev. Freddie Drye for over 40 years. Also, the Rev. Bernard Leon Robinson, Sr. for eleven years and a span of God’s appointed time, Rev. Ronald Brown and Rev. Donald Walker. Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church has recently called the Rev. Dr. Charles E. Vinson as pastor effective the first Sunday in May 2009.

It was under the leadership of Rev. R. C. Drye that the first choir was organized at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church. Sis. Francis Drye, who is the wife of the late Rev. Freddie Drye, organized this choir. Some of the members were the late Sis. Annie Pearl Hart, Sis. Ruth Hart, Bro. Isadore Hart, Bro. Andrew Hart and Sis. Bernice Hart Love. This choir sang without music for many years. Later the choir was blessed with a piano and musician in that of Sis. Bernice Hart under the direction of the late Sis. Annie Pearl Hart James.

After many years of the damaging forces of Mother Nature, this little wooden church could no longer withstand the pressure. Through prayers of faith and under the leadership of the late Rev. R. C. Drye, Mt. Calvary Baptist Church was rebuilt in 1954 by the late Dea. Stafford Hart, Dea. Ezekiel Hart, Jr., and Rev. R. C. Drye. These faithful men had a vision that later became a dream, that finally became a reality. Old wooden desks were used as pews in this newly constructed church. Three years later, in 1957, the Lord blessed Mt. Calvary with a set of wooden pews that were built by the late Rev. P. H. Rayford.

In 1958, Rev. Freddie Drye was called to serve as pastor of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church. Rev. Freddie Drye served as pastor for over forty years. Under his leadership, several accomplishments were made. Just to mention a few: the organization of a cemetery in 1961; the first person to be buried in the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church Cemetery was Bro. Anderson Hart. Church services were held twice a month; second and fourth Sundays. We moved from out-house toilets to indoor restrooms; old wooden benches were replaced with comfortable cushion pews; gas heaters and window fans were replaced with central heat and air.
Some of the dedicated and faithful workers that were instrumental in the rebuilding and reshaping of the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church were; the late Dea. Stafford Hart, Dea. Ezekiel Hart, Jr., Bro. Sow Boykins, Bro. Theodore (Gus) Hart, Sis. Callie Miller, Sis. Marie Hart, Sis. Annie Pearl Henderson, Dea. Abraham Clemons, Sr. Dea. Isadore Hart, Dea. Unnessee Hargett, Sr., Sis. Helen Boykin, Bro. James Hargrett, Sr. Dea. Andrew Hart, Sis. Betty Reece, Sis. Dorothy Thomas Moran, Sis. Carrie Bell Johnson, and our very own Sis. Margret Hart, Sis. Viola Horne and others.

No vision and you perish; No idea and you are lost; No dream and you are hopeless.

Mt. Calvary had a vision, it did not perish, Mt. Calvary had an idea, it was not lost, Mt. Calvary had a dream, and it was not hopeless. After seeing this vision, after dreaming this dream, this idea became a reality through the grace of God and the prayers of the righteous; the Lord blessed us to move from fellowship outside under the trees, to fellowship indoors in a comfortable Fellowship Hall. This was a great milestone for Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, and to GOD BE THE GLORY.
In 1996, Rev. Bernard Leon Robinson, Sr. was called to serve as pastor of Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church and the late Rev. Freddie Drye was named Pastor Emeritus. Under the leadership of Rev. Bernard Robinson, the vision continued to soar and several ideas became reality. Services were held every Sunday with Bible Study and Prayer Meeting every Wednesday Night. We were taken to the next level spiritually by praising and worshiping God through songs via a Praise Team. The Sister-to-Sister Ministry was started under the leadership of First Lady Darlene Robinson. In 1998, there were major renovations to the current sanctuary. Also in 1998, the Lord blessed Mt. Calvary to purchase a 15 passenger van to provide transportation for those in need of a ride to church worship services and other church activities and events. The vision continued to soar. Under the leadership and guidance of Pastor Bernard Robinson, along with much faith, prayer, encouragement and persuasion by Dea. Andrew Hart, in 1999, the church was blessed to purchase two acres of land located directly behind the current sanctuary. The blessings did not stop flowing—in 2001, the church was blessed again to purchase one acre of land located to the south of the current sanctuary. Our future plans are to build God a new sanctuary on the land recently purchased. Oh! How the blessings keep flowing! Sunday School classes increased from one adult class to four classes for youth and young adults. Under the leadership of Pastor Bernard Robinson, a Male Choir was formed under the direction of Bro. Roy Hart. The usher ministry increased to include Young Adult and Pee Wee Ushers.

Yes We Can! With God on our side, Mt. Calvary Baptist Church has still been flourishing even in the midst of many trials, tribulations, ups, and downs and turnarounds. But God has always and continues to be by our side.
In 2004 Deaconess Dorothy Thomas Moran, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, was inspired to initiate an Educational Scholarship Program in memory of the late Rev. Freddie Drye. This program, designed to encourage our youth, became a reality and remains active today. The first recipients of the Rev. Freddie Drye Education Scholarship was Shanique Morgan and Tangenika Palmer.
In 2007, the Lord blessed Mt. Calvary Baptist Church to pave the parking lot and purchase a large marquis sign for display in front of the church. A dance ministry was formed for our youth under the direction of Deaconess Yvonne Mitchell. Oh! The blessings keep flowing!

In May 2009, the Rev. Dr. Charles E. Vinson, SR was called to pastoralship at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church. Under his leadership and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we look forward to the continuance of the vision soaring.
In May 2010, Mount Calvary held a ground breaking ceremony for their new sanctuary and the Lord blessed and favored the congregation on April 17, 2011 to have their first and dedication service in their new beautiful edifice. The people of God walked and sing praise from the old sanctuary to the new together in unity---what an awesome blessing for the family of God. The new breathtaking sanctuary will accommodate over 400 worshippers and additional 200 in the new fellowship hall with kitchen area. The new facility also includes magnificent foyers, hospitality room, conference room, pastor’s office with bathroom and shower, five classrooms, usher’s office, heated baptistery with dressing rooms, six public restrooms, and it has state of the art audio/video, camera, and monitor display through-out the building.

Yes, we have come this far by faith. We have learned to trust, lean, and depend on the Lord. We are harvesting the seeds that were planted by members that have gone on before us. We know in our minds and feel in our hearts that we at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church have been truly blessed. We have a lot to shout and praise God about.

Mt. Calvary, as we look back over our history and as we reflect on where the Lord has brought us from, be challenged and be encouraged to plant your seeds so we will be able to continue to harvest good fruit and move from VISION TO VICTORY!!!