In the year 1882, Rev. William Washington felt the need of a place for God’s House. He chose the site up the hill across East 13^th Street to the right of the alley that passes the present church and there Rev. Washington erected a Bush Arbor Church.

      Deacon Formby told of how at the close of each work day Rev. Washington would cut a small pine tree and take it home. Someone asked why he did that and he replied, “I’m going to build a church”, and he did.

      We are not told just how long the little congregation worshipped there, but we do know that some time later Rev. Washington chose to move down the hill to this present site and erected a small frame church.

      This sincere group of people had enough money to purchase lumber for the new building so they set out to reach their goal… a better place to worship.

      They appointed the pastor, Rev. Washington to apply for the bond of title for the land. Now they were ready to build. The first lumber cost $66.14. It was motioned that Bro. Ely Hardman would do the building and that he would be paid one dollar ($1.00) a day for his labor.
Each member paid fifty cents per week for church dues.
     A picture of the founder, Rev. Washington, is hung in the Pastor’s Study of the church. A picture of Rev. G.P. Bowman is there also.
Rev. G.P. Bowman was called to Mount Calvary the second Sunday in May, 1928 and served until October 1968.
 Many religious groups were organized in those early days. Among these were the Young People’s Christian Club, the Willing Winners Workers, and little girls called Triple W's, the Zion Daughters, the Bible Class, and the Junior Mission. Later a Junior Choir of teen-age girls was organized. C.W. Aycock played for this choir. He had played for the Senior Choir since a boy of seven. At that time the church had an old-fashioned pump organ, which his father had to pump for him because his little feet could not reach the pedals. Miss Estelle Chunn played for the choir during the absence of C.W. Aycock. Other organizations Rev. Bowman organized were the Mother’s Board and the Adult Zion Daughters Club.
     During the early Thanksgiving morning of 1931 the church was completely destroyed by fire. As the news spreads, sobbing members gathered around the dying embers and many bitter tears were shed, with these words, “What will we do now? The pastor and deacons began looking for a place to worship and the “True Sisters of Charity Lodge Hall” was leased.

      The lodge hall was located on Spring Street. We were happily situated there for a while and one night fire struck again and the building was destroyed; then we had the use of the old East Rome School house which was located west of Maple Street between East 13^th and East 12^th.

 Rev. J.L. Vaughn, pastor of Lovejoy Baptist Church said “Come to our church, if it burns, then we will build another.” So, we worshipped in the afternoons and they had the rest of the day.

      In the meantime, the pastor and his faithful deacons began seeking ways to rebuild, which wasn’t easy, because those were days of the worst Depression we had ever known and bank heads were not eager to lend that much to a set of poor people. Some even asked Rev. Bowman this question: “Do you mean to say, you want a brick church in these hard times?” The answer was always “Yes, that’s what I want, and that’s what I’m going to have.” Many people we jobless and those who had work were very poorly paid.

      Finally Rev. Bowman and his faithful deacons were able to begin the laborious task of rebuilding through the National City Bank and then the work was begun. The church was built in 1932 and paid for in 1935. Many rallies were held (plus other means of raising money) before the church was paid for.
     The people had a mind to work, and work they did. Each organization had set a quota that was paid monthly. This, plus regular dues, helped take care of the expenditures of the church. Some members gave bricks in order to eliminate some of the expense of the church. Others helped by cleaning away debris caused by the fire.

      When the church was almost finished, the members felt they couldn’t wait any longer to get in the new building. So, the first meeting was held between four brick walls with God’s blue sky for a roof.

      The deacons were made wards men and each visited his ward, reported all illness, and collected member’s dues if requested.
Many changes were made from time to time. We changed from oil lamps with pretty globes that hung in the
middle of the church, to electric lights. The heating system was changed from pot-bellied coal and wood burning heaters, to pretty Heatrolas that looked like nice furniture. These also burned cola and wood. Then we installed a floor furnace with a large vent midway in each aisle; then to the present heating and cooling system.

      After much renovation was done, the name was changed to the GREATER MOUNT CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
In October, 1968-73, the Rev. Clyde Hill, Sr. came to us from Tallapoosa, Georgia. He endeavored to lead us into greater and more secure avenues of success through Christian unity.

     There was much work to be done, because we had been without a pastor for quite some time. Rev. Hill plunged in with all his might and soon packed the church with inspiring sermons.

      It was not too long before Rev. Hill became very hungry for lost souls who seemingly had not discovered their own need for a Savior or who had strayed from the “fold”. He could think of no better way to bring them back than through the “Bus Ministry”. He and Deacon Cornelius Dyar labored hard at this task. They went from house to house teaching all that listen to the Plan of Salvation. As a result, some 80 people were won for Christ. Each Saturday Rev. Hill and Bro. Dyar did follow-up, telling the people to be ready on Sunday morning in order for the bus to get them to Sunday school on time. On arriving each Sunday morning, they would immediately go to the dining area where they were served a good hot breakfast prepared by different organizations of the church. Each organization having been assigned a different Sunday to serve.

 After breakfast they went directly to their classrooms, and from there they went into church service. The little children went to the nursery.

 The “Bus Ministry” & “Breakfast Program” progressed nicely and Rev. Hill soon filled the church to its capacity with his preaching and teaching.
     In 1974-83, Rev. Calhoun Sims was called to pastor Greater Mount Calvary Baptist Church, coming from Toccoa, Georgia.
Later, the Deaconess Board was organized with Sister H.S. Menifee, President. This board consists of the few members of the Mother’s Board who were living and still active and the wives of the Deacons of Greater Mount Calvary Baptist Church and the wives of Deacons who belong to other churches. The Bus ministry and the Baptist Training Union were reorganized.
      Rev. Terrell M. Shields was called to pastor the Greater Mount Calvary Baptist Church the later part of 1983. He began full pastor ship in 1984.