Calvary Baptist Church (Washington, D.C.)
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Calvary Baptist Church is a
Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
church located in the Chinatown neighborhood in Washington, D.C. affiliated with the
American Baptist Churches USA The American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) is a mainline Protestant and Baptist Christian denomination. It is a reorganization from 1907 of the Triennial Convention. The Triennial Convention was renamed as the Northern Baptist Convention in ...
, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, the Alliance of Baptists, the District of Columbia Baptist Convention, and the
Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists (AWAB) is an List of Christian denominations affirming LGBT people, affirming Baptist Christianity, Christian association of churches. The headquarters is in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. H ...
. In July 2012, the church severed ties with the
Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestant, and the second-largest Chr ...
. 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, a leading church of the Baptist Sunday School movement at the turn of the century.


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 Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
Brooks Hays, as members of the congregation. In accordance with its vision statement, Calvary concentrated on its relationship with the Latino, and especially Salvadoran population by introducing bilingual services and partnering with a church in
El Salvador El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
, led by Rev. Edgar Palacios. Calvary has been active in immigration reform efforts, along with the issue of marriage equality. In 1983, Calvary founded the Calvary Women's Shelter, now Calvary Women's Services, the first women's homeless shelter in the
Washington metropolitan area The Washington metropolitan area, also referred to as the National Capital Region, Greater Washington, or locally as the DMV (short for Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia), is the metropolitan area comprising Washing ...
.


Senior pastors

* Sally Sarratt and Maria Swearingen (married), 2017–current * Amy Butler, 2003–2014 * Lynn Bergfalk, 1987–2000 * George W. Hill, 1971–1986 * Clarence Cranford, 1942–1971Bucknell University Alumni
/ref> * 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


Historic members

As a church in Washington, it has had a number of high-profile members including: *
Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was one of the most ...
, the 29th
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
* Brooks Hays, former Democratic member of Congress from
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
and president of the
Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestant, and the second-largest Chr ...
* 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 The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is an American independent, nonprofit, national institute funded by the U.S. Congress and tasked with promoting conflict resolution and prevention worldwide. See alsPDF on USIP website. It provides rese ...
*
Charles Evans Hughes Charles Evans Hughes (April 11, 1862 – August 27, 1948) was an American politician, academic, and jurist who served as the 11th chief justice of the United States from 1930 to 1941. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...
, first president of the Northern Baptist Convention and former
Governor of New York The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ...
,
United States Secretary of State The United States secretary of state (SecState) is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The secretary of state serves as the principal advisor to the ...
, and
Chief Justice of the United States The chief justice of the United States is the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States and is the highest-ranking officer of the U.S. federal judiciary. Appointments Clause, Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution g ...
*
Amos Kendall Amos Kendall (August 16, 1789 – November 12, 1869) was an American lawyer, journalist and politician. He rose to prominence as editor-in-chief of the ''Argus of Western America'', an influential newspaper in Frankfort, Kentucky, Frankfort, the ...
, the 8th
United States Postmaster General The United States postmaster general (PMG) is the chief executive officer of the United States Postal Service (USPS). The PMG is responsible for managing and directing the day-to-day operations of the agency. The PMG is selected and appointed by ...
; the first floor of Calvary's sanctuary building is named Kendall Hall in his honor. * Fred Schwengel, former Republican member of Congress from
Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
and founding president of the United States Capitol Historical Society. * William Shadrack Shallenberger, former Republican member of Congress from
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
appointed Second Assistant Postmaster General by President
William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until Assassination of William McKinley, his assassination in 1901. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Repub ...
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.


References


External links

* {{Official website, http://www.calvarydc.org/ Affirming Baptist churches in the United States 1862 establishments in Washington, D.C. Baptist churches in Washington, D.C. Buildings and structures in Chinatown (Washington, D.C.) Churches completed in 1866 Salvadoran-American culture