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.
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.
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.
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).