Calvary Baptist Church (Washington, D.C.) Explained

Calvary Baptist Church
Coordinates:	38.8996°N -77.0227°W
Country:	United States
Location:	755 8th Street, NW, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Denomination:	Baptist
Associations:	American Baptist Churches USA, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Alliance of Baptists
Former Name:	E Street Baptist
Founder:	Amos Kendall
Events:	Founding of the Northern Baptists, now the American Baptist Churches USA
Architect:	Adolf Cluss
Materials:	red brick
Seniorpastor:	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]

20th century

Calvary is unique in Baptist life for having simultaneously had the presidents of the American Baptists, then pastor Clarence Cranford, and that of the Southern Baptists, former Democratic member of Congress from Arkansas Brooks Hays, as members of the congregation.^{[8] [9]}

In accordance with its vision statement, Calvary concentrated on its relationship with the Latino, and especially Salvadoran population by introducing bilingual services^{[10] [11]} and partnering with a church in El Salvador, led by Rev. Edgar Palacios.^[12]

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

In 1983, Calvary founded the Calvary Women's Shelter,^{[16] [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 including:

• Warren G. Harding, the 29th President of the United States^[25]
• Brooks Hays, former Democratic member of Congress from Arkansas and president of the Southern Baptist Convention^[26]
• George W. Hill, former pastor of Calvary and a leader of the American Baptist Convention whose peace activism was influential in the founding of the United States Institute of Peace
• Charles Evans Hughes, first president of the Northern Baptist Convention and former Governor of New York, United States Secretary of State, and Chief Justice of the United States
• Amos Kendall, the 8th United States Postmaster General; the first floor of Calvary's sanctuary building is named Kendall Hall in his honor.
• Fred Schwengel, former Republican member of Congress from Iowa and founding president of the United States Capitol Historical Society.
• William Shadrack Shallenberger, former Republican member of Congress from Pennsylvania appointed Second Assistant Postmaster General by President William McKinley Shallenberger Hall, Calvary's largest meeting room, is named after him. Shallenberger served as the superintendent of the Sunday School and taught the Vaughn Class.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Directory of Churches . . 2010-06-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100608094935/http://www.dcbaptist.org/directory.php . 2010-06-08 . dead .
2. Web site: About Calvary . Calvary Baptist Church .
3. Web site: AWAB Member Congregations . . 2013-08-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130628054008/http://www.awab.org/member-congregations.html . 2013-06-28 . dead .
4. News: . Bob Allen . July 26, 2012 . Historic DC church severs SBC ties . 2012-08-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131112024156/http://www.abpnews.com/ministry/congregations/item/7653-church-severs-sbc-ties#.UBsGV8ie7Mg . 2013-11-12 . dead .
5. News: Rev. Dr. Amy Butler . . Calvary Baptist pastor: Why we severed ties with the Southern Baptist Convention. July 26, 2012 .
6. Book: Wilbur . William Allen . Chronicles of Calvary Baptist Church . 1914. Judd & Deitwiller, Inc. . Washington, D.C. .
7. Book: Samuel Harrison Greene . Samuel Harrison Greene . The Twentieth Century Sunday School . 1903. Sunday School Board, Southern Baptist Convention . Nashville, Tennessee .
8. News: Dr. Clarence Cranford Honored on the 25th Anniversary of Work with Washington Church. Lewiston Evening Journal. March 10, 1967.
9. News: Cornell. George. Closer cooperation noted by North, South Baptists. Milwaukee Sentinel (AP). July 26, 1957.
10. News: Gowan. Annie. Seeking prayers that speak to all. The Washington Post. March 28, 2010.
11. News: Dale. Amy. Calvary Baptist Church finds unity in diversity. The Washington Post. April 3, 2010.
12. News: . Salvadorans May Replace Cubans as Third Largest US Hispanic Group. July 18, 2013 . Jessica Martinez .
13. News: . April 15, 2013 . Evangelicals Try To Soften Hearts On Overhauling Immigration. John Burnett .
14. News: Baptists from Mid-Atlantic rally in support of gay marriage as Supreme Court begins landmark case . https://archive.today/20130803185923/http://www.religiousherald.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6832&Itemid=155 . dead . August 3, 2013 . Rev. Leah Grundset Davis . March 26, 2013 . .
15. News: . March 30, 2010 . Bob Allen . Legal gay marriage pushes sexuality to forefront for churches . https://archive.today/20130803190509/http://www.abpnews.com/archives/item/4998-legal-gay-marriage-pushes-sexuality-to-forefront-for-churches . dead . August 3, 2013 .
16. Book: Tiller . Carl . 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 . 1994 . Trinity Rivers Pub .
17. News: Taylor. Vincent. Church Opens Doors for Homeless Women. The Washington Afro-American. February 1, 1983.
18. News: 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. Michael Alison Chandler . January 14, 2017 . 2017-01-14.
19. News: The Washington Post . Fisher, Marc . B01 . D.C. Congregation Moved On Without Walking Away . December 30, 2004 . 2010-06-07.
20. Web site: Staff. 18 April 2013. Calvary Baptist Church.
21. Web site: City Gate » History . 2009-09-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100705151420/http://city-gate.org/about/history/ . 2010-07-05 . dead.
22. Web site: Dr. Rev. Hill Obituary . 2010-05-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110613164407/http://www.wfn.org/2003/03/msg00057.html . 2011-06-13 . dead.
23. http://www.bucknell.edu/x12821.xml Bucknell University Alumni
24. Book: Psychic power in preaching. Joseph Spencer Kennard. . Kennard, Joseph Spencer . 1901 . G. W. Jacobs.
25. News: Harding a Farm Boy Who Rose by Work . The New York Times. April 3, 1923.
26. News: What happens if Lieberman wins? . Rudin, Ken . NPR. August 23, 2006 .