On January 24, 1982, Rev. Frank S. Gribble, III began his ministry as
only the eighth pastor in what is now over eighty years, and only the third in over sixty
years. Pastor Gribble came to Calvary from Hanover Baptist Church in Southern Indiana.
Tragically on June 18, 1989 due to faulty electrical wiring in the
ceiling, the ceiling and roof of the church on Walnut Street burned and upon its collapse destroyed the
sanctuary and much of the church beneath. Following the fire, the congregation voted to
build on the 5 acre site that was purchased ten years earlier. On November 22, 1990,
Thanksgiving Eve, the congregation gathered in the sanctuary of a new building to give
thanks to God for his goodness and to dedicate a new facility. So through both good and
bad God has continually throughout our history redirected Calvary Baptist in our ministry
to the community of Kokomo. And now we are continuing service in a new location with
a continued fervor for the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In May of 2003 Reverend Frank Gribble was
called to serve College Park Church in Florence, South Carolina.
OUR CHURCH HISTORY
Calvary Baptist Church is the outgrowth of an idea which originated in
the mind and heart of Mrs. Sarah Morgan, who was at the time an active member of First
Baptist Church of Kokomo. Deeply concerned about the great number of persons, especially
children, living in the northwest part of Kokomo and not attending religious services,
Mrs. Morgan decided to organize a Sunday School. She found a vacant room at the corner of
Jasper and Webster Streets, (the latter then known as Smith Street), which could be rented
for two and one half dollars a month.
Mrs. Morgan shared her concern with members of First Baptist Church
which responded to the challenge. The room was rented, cleaned, papered, and furnished
with chairs donated from various homes. On May 5, 1892 a Sunday School was organized with
Mr. J. C. Smith as superintendent.
In 1903, Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Armstrong and Mrs. Lizzie Armstrong Lindsay
and her husband donated adjoining lots on North Street. In 1904 the little congregation
began the erection of a house of worship on the newly acquired lots. The building was
furnished and dedicated on Oct. 1, 1905. Known as North Street Baptist Mission, it
continued as a mission of First Baptist Church until January 3, 1911, when it was
organized as an independent self-supporting church. It adopted the name North Street
Baptist Church. Carl Tatem a young man who had been licensed to preach by the First
Baptist Church became its first pastor. Later he was ordained and continued to serve the
church as pastor until 1915.
During the next eleven years the
young church had four different pastors. Then in January 1926, Rev. James McFarlane Smith
was called to be pastor. Rev. Smith faithfully served the church for forty seven years,
retiring from active pastoral ministry in January 1973. In honor of his long and faithful
service the church named him Pastor-Emeritus.
In 1938, the congregation approved changing the name of the
church from North Street Baptist Church to its present name, Calvary Baptist Church.
On July 29, 1958, the congregation bought the property of the Presbyterian Church
located at 311 West Walnut Street and moved to the new location. The mortgage was paid off
in ten years.
Following the retirement of Rev.
Smith, the church called Rev. Albert E. Neher to become its pastor. Rev Neher began his
ministry as pastor on September 9, 1973. Before his retirement on April 30, 1981, Rev.
Neher led the church to purchase 5 acres of land on West Boulevard as a possible future
location should the Lord lead the church to move from the Walnut Street facility which was
land-locked, preventing further expansion.
