How it all started...
In Matthew 7:24-25, Jesus imparted His teachings with authority, saying, "Therefore, everyone who listens to my words and acts upon them is like a prudent man who built his house upon a rock. Though the rain fell, the rivers surged, and the winds blew and beat against that house, it did not crash because it was founded on the rock."
Calvary Baptist Church was established by a group of Christians led by the Spirit, coming together for the first time in May 1974 in the Green Room of Morrison’s Cafeteria in Winter Haven. The initial gathering saw 124 attendees. Subsequently, they began holding regular Sunday worship services and Wednesday night prayer meetings at Elbert Elementary School cafeteria. On Sunday, August 25, 1974, Calvary Baptist Church was formally organized with 283 founding members from 117 families.
In January 1976, Calvary Baptist Church acquired ten acres of land and conducted groundbreaking ceremonies on Easter Sunday, April 18. After months of construction, the facilities were dedicated to the Lord on Sunday, February 20, 1977. The first phase of a planned expansion project, which involved the Sanctuary's renovation and the construction of new educational facilities and a fellowship hall, commenced on Easter Sunday, April 15, 1990. The dedication of the Sanctuary and the educational building took place during a delayed Homecoming celebration on December 2, 1990.
Calvary Baptist Church was established by a group of Christians led by the Spirit, coming together for the first time in May 1974 in the Green Room of Morrison’s Cafeteria in Winter Haven. The initial gathering saw 124 attendees. Subsequently, they began holding regular Sunday worship services and Wednesday night prayer meetings at Elbert Elementary School cafeteria. On Sunday, August 25, 1974, Calvary Baptist Church was formally organized with 283 founding members from 117 families.
In January 1976, Calvary Baptist Church acquired ten acres of land and conducted groundbreaking ceremonies on Easter Sunday, April 18. After months of construction, the facilities were dedicated to the Lord on Sunday, February 20, 1977. The first phase of a planned expansion project, which involved the Sanctuary's renovation and the construction of new educational facilities and a fellowship hall, commenced on Easter Sunday, April 15, 1990. The dedication of the Sanctuary and the educational building took place during a delayed Homecoming celebration on December 2, 1990.
Where we are headed...
Calvary is strategically located on the corner at 2101 Overlook Drive, but we are more than just a congregation in one place. We are a community of believers spreading out and actively living out God's mission in our daily lives. We feel a strong conviction that God is calling us to serve our city through tangible actions, such as partnering with other churches and organizations in our area, planting new churches in central Florida, reaching out to the Hispanic population of Polk County, offering worship experiences that appeal to all ages, and wholeheartedly caring for and assisting those whom God brings into our lives. We hope you will consider partnering with us in this mission.
