Church History

Mount Calvary Baptist Church
Church History

The Mount Calvary Baptist Church was founded in 1935 by the Reverend John "The Baptist" Holmes.  Initially known as The Mount Calvary Mission, the church was formally recognized in 1935 and later became known as Mount Calvary Baptist Church.  The first, permanent, home of Mount Calvary was at 131 Green Street.  The congregation continued to grow and soon a larger building was needed.  The second home for Mount Calvary was a small storefront located at 15 Green Street and the third was at 35 Bleecker Street; both in the South End of Albany NY.  As the church grew, so did its missions.  Reverend Holmes resigned in 1941 and he was succeeded by Reverend Ernest B. Johnson.  The membership grew rapidly under Reverend Johnson.  The church was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization and the church moved to its fourth home at 97 Lawrence Street in 1942.  The church truly suffered a loss with the untimely death of Reverend Johnson in 1942. In August of 1944, Reverend Littleton M. Foster became the third pastor of Mount Calvary.  His leadership brought physical, financial and spiritual growth to the church.  Pastor Foster served Mount Calvary until 1954. In 1954, Associate Minister, Reverend Rexford P. Charlow became the fourth Pastor at Mount Calvary and the Lord continued to bless Mount Calvary with membership growth.  In 1957, Mount Calvary moved to its fifth and current location at 58 Alexander Street, continuing the longstanding commitment to the South End of Albany.  Pastor Charlow resigned in 1961 and Reverend J. Webster Green became the fifth Pastor at Mount Calvary. Reverend Oliver J. Brooks became the sixth pastor in 1965 bringing a rich heritage of church administration with him.  Under his leadership, Mount Calvary established itself as a church involved in civic affairs, as religious life, within the community.  Reverend Brooks became ill and resigned in 1976.  In 1977, Reverend Robert W. Dixon, Sr. became the seventh pastor at Mount Calvary.  The Lord blessed Mount Calvary with a dynamic and devoted leader in whom He gave the vision and direction in which He would like Mount Calvary to go. In 2012, the church celebrated Pastor Dixon's 35th Pastoral anniversary bequeathing him the honor of being the longest serving Pastor in Mount Calvary's history.  The, now, Pastor Emeritus, Robert W. Dixon, Sr. submitted his resignation in 2013.  In 2015 the Reverend Charles J. Daniel became the eighth Pastor at Mount Calvary Baptist Church.