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Significant Dates in the History of Calvary Baptist Church

1958 Organized as a Southern Baptist Mission. Supported for 6 months by Bement Baptist Church. First pastor called, BOB ANDERSON

Wife, Janell (that’s how she spelled it)– 5 children: Ronell, Karolyn, Lucinda, Steve, Jim. Bob was bi-vocational: worked for the phone company. They lived in Beals Addition. He left in 1968 to attend Southwestern Seminary, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Tx.

First meeting Aug. 7. Five people present

Second meeting Aug. 12. 12 people present

Third meeting Aug. 19. First offering taken. $5.00 contributed

Oct. 5. First Sunday School meets

Nov. 4. First business meeting. Vote to give 4% to Cooperative Program

6% to East Central Association

Plan Revival for April 1959

Vote to hold Lord’s Supper last Tues. of the month once a quarter.

1960 Mission constituted into church. Property purchased

June 1960 –Church has $800 in the bank

28 members attending Sunday School and they plan to build a church building

Mar. 1961 -vote to hold VBS

1962 First Sanctuary built

1968 Called Owen Smith as pastor. Owen was Bi-vocational- Served in Air Force in Rantoul. Wife: Carlene, 4 daughters: Brenda, Barbra, Connie, Trish. When he retired from the Air Force, he became the first full time pastor. He left in 1976 to pastor church in Clinton area.

1969 First addition added. Fellowship Hall and classrooms

1973 Second addition built. Additional classrooms

1976 Called Dan Wilford – first full time, seminary trained pastor. Wife: Carol. They had a daughter, Mary Ruth while they were here, later had a daughter, Naomi, and son, John Mark.

1981 Called Joel Sturtevant as pastor. Full time, seminary trained pastor. Wife Carolyn, sons: Matthew and Andrew. Left here to go into chaplaincy in Frankfort, Ky.

1991 Called Curtis Bier as pastor. Wife, Deb, Children: Christopher, Ben and

Katrina.

First Garage Sale Give-Away. (Rummage sale where items are given away, not sold.)

1992 Church purchases Gruver property for $19,000; a lot located northeast of Sunday School building between church and apartment. Planned to rent the trailer on the lot until the church decided what to do with the lot. It later became an overflow parking and recreation area for the church.

WMU put together health kits for migrant workers in the Hoopston area.

Methodist Church will serve as the Ecumenical Food Pantry. CBC will participate

Counting Committee formed instead of allowing the treasurer to count money from offerings.

Between 1990-93 children and youth made professions of faith and are baptized almost every month.

1993 Church decides on AIDS policy at the insistence of insurance company

Begins Secret Pal ministry among women.

Organize Pastor Advisory Committee to facilitate communication between pastor and congregation.

1996 Curt Bier resigns from church in Jan.

3-96 –Charles Neathery called as interim pastor.

Sept. ’96 begin serving meals on Wed. evenings. By 6-97, 42 people are attending dinners.

Church deices to elect deacons for 3 year term instead of a lifetime appointment.

1997 Called Jerry Parmley as pastor. Wife Dena. Children: Christy, Stephanie and Derek, none living at home during pastorate. Jerry retired in 2009.

Remodel kitchen for church dinners

2001 Tornado destroyed sanctuary

2002 Sent first kids to Centrifuge camp. Agreed to pay half of campers’ registration for camp to show our support for children and youth.

2004 New sanctuary and fellowship hall dedicated

2008 Ryan Tackett called as youth minister

2009 Randy Dempsay called as pastor. Wife: Deana. Children: Austen, Shelby and Jenna.

PASTORS

1958 – 1966 Robert Anderson

1968 – 1976 Owen Smith

1976 – 1981 Dan Wilford

1981 – 1990 Joel Sturtevant

1991 – 1996 Curtis A. Bier

1997 – 2009 Jerry Parmley

2009 - Randy Dempsay