Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church of Stuart

 

A Brief History of
Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church of Stuart Inc.

Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, a woman of GOD, Mrs. Lula Simpo, taught the Bible to a few people in the Black community of Stuart, FL in 1916-1917. They gathered regularly and were eager to know more about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Understanding that the Word says, “If I be lifted up, I’ll draw all men unto me,” she continued teaching and the few became MANY. Thus, Missionary Lula Simpo was so inspired by the growth of these students of the Word that this led to the birth and establishment of the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Stuart Florida.

The first meeting place was a small frame house located on the present church site at 904 Bayou Avenue. The records show that the Reverend Green accepted the “call” as the first pastor and served for only a few years. Mount Calvary like other churches experienced pastors serving for very short periods of time. The Reverend McCord and the Reverend Calloway were the next pastors and spiritual leaders for the flock.

 

The Reverend J. H. Grant was called as pastor in the early 1920’s. The church records include as it pioneer members: Sisters Lula Simpo, Ira Taylor, Betty Martin and Brothers Turner Walton, G. S. Reynolds, Simpo and Jesse Spann. The Grant family was blessed with musical talent and under the direction of Sister Grant; the first formal choir was formed. As in most black Baptist churches during that period, these singers were formally called The Number One Choir and certainly included the pastor’s kids. Surely this was the case for the Grant children, Lucille and Clarence.

In 1933, the community was devastated by the hurricane and so was life for Pastor Grant with the passing of his beloved wife. Both acts deeply impacted Reverend Grant and shortly after, he resigned as pastor.

The Reverend J. H. Dolphus of Lake Park, FL assumed the pastoral helm. Upon his acceptance he informed the membership, “I will accept the call to this membership, but not to this building.” Pastor Dolphus led the charge along with the deacons to demolish the old frame building and construct a new one. The pastor served as head carpenter on the construction of the new church building. In later years, the structure boasted beautiful stained glass windows and the high steeple that housed the bell used to send many messages (such as “bell tolls” to announce the death of persons in the colored community.)

Pastor Dolphus worked hard to build not only the structure, but was diligent to set aside men of good report. He ordained Brothers Wesley Albritton Sr., Tommie Clark, John Hall, John Langston and Sam Smith to serve as deacons. Other deacons ordained during this period included Brothers Clifton Green, Eddie L. Johnson, and John E. Scott. The Lord blessed Mount Calvary with seventeen years under the steady leadership of Pastor Dolphus from 1934 to 1951.

The Reverend C. Dunnell of St. Augustine, FL was called to follow the Dolphus administration, and served for only two years from 1951 to 1953. The church soon called the Reverend A. J. Collier of West Palm Beach, FL. Under his eight years of leadership (1954-1962), the church’s membership grew to a much larger congregation. Brother Samuel Collier, his son, accepted GOD’s call on his life and was ordained into the ministry. More deacons were added to the board in the persons of Walter McMullen and Willie Sloan.

Mount Calvary was fully connected to its small close-knit community and the congregation continued to increase and flourish under the strong and dynamic leadership of the various pastors. Because the church was in such close proximity, it was used as additional classrooms for Stuart Training School (STS) and often used to hold the baccalaureate services for the STS graduating classes.

Mount Calvary was active and held offices in the regional and state Baptist Conferences such as the Ministers’ and Deacons’ Union held each fifth Sunday. The Reverend Collier served as the Union’s President and the church’s choir sang when he delivered the President’s address. The church soon became known for its outstanding revivals, Sunday School, Baptist Training Union, Vacation Bible School, Usher Boards and the Choirs singing those spirit-filled hymns and gospel songs of praise.

Records show that Brother “Spike” from the Cocoa Beach area, Sister Carrie Arnold and Sister Catherine Finley Howell served for many years as the early musicians in the church. The names of a few church leaders and other members who served faithfully during the 1950s and 1960s include: Reatha Mae Baldwin, Ida Carter, Ewillie Seal Chestnut, Mattie Clark, Marie “Dee” Davis, Russell and Susie Holloway, Theotrice Little, O. T. McMullen, Willie Mae Scott, Tullie Rice, Richmond and Lillian Raysor, Nathalie Sampson, Bertha Scott, Annie Bell Turner, and Allen and Lizzie Thomas.

In 1962, Mount Calvary called the Reverend C. S. Ratcliff of Fort Lauderdale, FL as its next pastor. Pastor Ratcliff and the members had the vision and the inspiration to build a new parsonage and sanctuary in 1969. This was the impetus to do greater works as a congregation and in 1980, the church “burned the mortgage” and liquidated all its major indebtedness. Pastor Ratcliff resigned on November 23, 1980, after serving almost nineteen years. This became the longest tenure of any other pastor in the church’s history.

The Reverend J. W. Grant of Hobe Sound, FL was called to serve as interim pastor of the church in early 1981. He served in this capacity for six months. On Sunday, June 14, 1981, Reverend Grant was called to serve as the permanent pastor. Under Pastor Grant’s leadership many ministries and programs were formed. They included: The Youth Choir, Bus Ministry, Youth and Adult Bible Study, Brotherhood Ministry, Little Angel Choir, Junior Usher, Tape Ministry, Jail Ministry and clothing drives for the needy persons throughout Martin County. Many souls were led to Christ through his spirit –anointed ministry and they joined the church by baptism and Christian experience. He ordained Brothers James Dotson, Lucious Raysor, Michael Tucker, and Paul Roberts as deacons. Under the Grant administration, Sister Elmira Gainey donated the stained glass windows around the baptismal pool, and Sister Ora Dell Hamilton Landers donated the scripture over the baptism pool (as she had also done in the old church’s structure), “One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.” Pastor Grant became ill and could no longer pastor the church; he resigned in April 1981.

The Reverend Charles F. Gadson was called to pastor in November 1992. He was installed in January 1993. Under Pastor Gadson’s administration, Minister Paul Roberts was ordained in 1993 and is currently the pastor of Bread of Heaven Ministries. Brother Norman Frazier and Brother David Johnson declared their call to the ministry. Brother Allen Solomon and Brother Leroy Washington were ordained as deacons. Several deacons with years of outstanding service from other churches joined Mount Calvary: Deacon Bobby Byrd (10 years); Deacon James Sanders (25 years); and Deacon John Grinkley (11 years). Reverend Etienne and Reverend Phillip Marvary (two men, filled with the Word of God) joined Mount Calvary under watch care of Pastor Gadson. They both advanced to acquire their own churches. Brother Elker L. Harris joined Mount Calvary and thereafter, declared his call to the ministry.

Reverend Gadson initiated the vision of purchasing a bus for transportation to various churches, conferences and meetings. He also introduced the idea of purchasing property to increase our parking facilities, building a learning center to meet the needs of the youth in our church and community, and to expand the dining hall. There were many souls led to Christ under the leadership of Reverend Charles F. Gadson. Under his administration, the church purchased a van, updated the church bylaws and became incorporated in the state of Florida.

In June 2006, Pastor Gadson offered his resignation to the church effective after the first Sunday in July 2006. He shared that he wanted to follow his vision to build a church in the Orlando area. The church was blessed to already have Minister Elker L. Harris who often shared stirring sermons in addition to his assigned responsibility as the church’s music director. In our immediate need for leadership, Minister Harris was elected to serve as interim pastor.

Our church family moved quickly to establish a Pulpit Search Committee to begin the pastoral selection process. The committee consisted of the following persons: Sister Roseita Dickerson, Minister Elker L. Harris, Sister Willieva Holmes, Sister Faye James, Sister Verne Moore, and Brother David Walker. After Minister Harris decided to include himself in the application process for pastor, he resigned from the committee.

At a special call meeting held on March 26, 2007 the church chose Minister Elker L. Harris from a list of four candidates presented by the Pastoral Search Committee. The selection was made using a secret ballot. The Reverend Elker L. Harris was ordained on September 22, 2007 by the Reverend Calvin Davis who was the President of the Florida East Coast Association. The installation worship service and reception were both held on September 23, 2007. There were more than 250 persons in attendance and included clergy, family and friends.