Calvary Baptist Church of Chicago

Founded in 1892


   


On Wednesday, October 12th , 1892, 65 members dismissed from various Baptist churches met with a few others and organized the Calvary Baptist Church.This historical event occurred in the parlors of the First Baptist Church of Chicago, located on the corner of 31st street and South Park Avenue.


Thereafter, this newly formed church was to take place off the Wabash Avenue Mission. The property that formerly housed the Wabash Avenue Mission, located on the southeast corner of Wabash Avenue, was deeded to the new church. The building was incomplete, but with much energy and enthusiasm the church was thoroughly equipped and furnished.




On Sunday, January 1st , 1893, dedication day was celebrated when an American Baptist Evangelical Christian Pastor, Reverend William Bell Riley   (aka W.B. Riley) became the first pastor.  He resigned in 1897 to become Pastor of First Baptist Church in Minneapolis where he served for 45 years.


Before finding the 2309 80th Street location, on several occasions the church property was sold to evade Chicago's radically changing neighborhoods.   In 1907 the church relocated to 3947 South Michigan Avenue , in 1917, they moved to 6026 South Prairie Avenue and joined the Washington Park Baptist Church.

On October 31st , 1917, the two churches emerged as one under the name “Calvary Baptist” because it was the older name of the two. 

In the year 1928, the Sunday Morning Club was formed by a group of individuals from Immanuel and Woodlawn Baptist Church who had visions of a Baptist church in the South Shore neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. Each Sunday morning, the group met in the Masonic Hall at 75th Coles but, because of the growing congregation, the Sunday Morning Club began meeting at the Democratic Club House on 75th Yates.  Through the efforts of the Baptist Executive Council, Calvary Baptist Church, Chapel Avenue Church, and the Sunday Morning Club got together on the proposition of a merger. On December 31st , 1929, the Calvary Baptist Church and the Sunday Morning Club merged under the shared name “Calvary”. The Chapel Avenue Church joined the merger on January 25th , 1931.


Open lots on the southeast corner of 80th Street and Crandon Avenue and the southwest corner of 80th and Oglesby Avenue were purchased as the new site for the Calvary Baptist Church. As a result of The Great Depression, the building of this estate was postponed for  five years.  The church occupied a very crowded and inadequate quarters at 8207 South Chapel Avenue, formerly the residence of Chapel Avenue Church.


The ground was broken for the new church on November 21st, 1936. Loans of $17,500, and $10,000, bequeathed to the church in a will, alongside generous gifts from members and friends made it possible to erect the first unit of the church on a portion of the property located at the 80th and Crandon Avenue site.



The first services at the new property took place on Sunday, April 25th, 1937, for a membership of 220. Reverend Weldon O. Klopfenstein served as the presiding pastor.  He was a professor at Fort Wayne Bible Institute in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Unfortunately, a severe fire in July of 1961 almost destroyed Calvary, but with hard work and dedication, Calvary survived another depression.  In the early 1970’s, a transition took place not only in the neighborhood, but also in the congregation.


   

Reverend Calvin L. Jones Jr. became the first Black pastor of Calvary where he served from 1972 to 1975.  Under Rev. Jones administration the Calvary Baptist Church of Chicago registered remarkable growth. He resigned October 24, 1975.


Dr. Alfloyd Butler 

Rev. Jones was succeeded by Dr. Alfloyd Butler.  Under his leadership, dedication and devotion, Calvary continued to experience growth and happiness among its congregation and the South Shore community. After 40 years of faithful service,  Dr. Butler  became Pastor Emeritus when he retired as Senior Pastor on June 30th, 2017.



While we were in search of a new leader Reverend Chauncey P. Harrison served as Calvary’s first Interim Pastor from September 5th , 2017 to April 29th, 2018 when he became the Pastor of Zion Baptist Church of Philadelphia.



On June 3rd, 2019, Reverend Jonathan M. Tennial began his tenure as the second Interim Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church and he was then elected as the Senior Pastor of Calvary on Sunday, November 18th, 2018, and was officially installed on March 4th, 2019. He continues to serve as Senior Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church of Chicago until his resignation in December 2022.


Calvary is currently affiliated with the American Baptist Convention through the Chicago Baptist Association, the Progressive National Convention, The Illinois Baptist Convention, National Baptist Convention USA, Inc., Baptist General State Convention of Illinois and the Greater New Era Baptist District Association. Calvary Baptist Church now stands as a self-sustaining independent church and continues to be one of the vital institutions serving both God and man. Calvary will proceed with leading children, adults, and all into a fuller realization of what it means to be wholly committed to God’s kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.

Dr. Alfloyd Butler, Pastor Emeritus

 


June 30, 2017