Local Church to Mark 50th Anniversary

Calvary Baptist Church of Effingham will celebrate their 50th anniversary this weekend.

The church was begun by a group of 17 individuals in the fall of 1968, believing that the Effingham community needed another Southern Baptist work. 

The fledgling congregation was able to acquire the former First Presbyterian Church building at Fayette and Maple and began meeting there soon after. Rev. John Snawder served as interim pastor until Rev. Robert Tolliver was called as the church's first fulltime pastor in 1969. Rev. Tolliver, a Clay County native, served until 1981 when he relocated to the Kansas City area. Rev. Jay Bridges served as church pastor during the 1980s. Rev. Mike Anthony joined the congregation as pastor in 1991. After his return to the St. Louis area, Tony Stepansky served briefly as pastor before the church's current pastor Rev. Robert Ward joined the congregation in September of 2005.

Calvary has been involved in missions activity throughout much of its history, taking a number of trips to El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico and helping establish El Calvario, which later became Iglesia Bautista Latina, a church ministering primarily to Hispanics in the Effingham area. Rev. Tony Munoz serves as pastor of Iglesia Bautista Latina. 

The church recently undertook an interior renovation project to enhance the church building and make it more handicapped accessible. 

The community is invited to a special time of worship on Sunday morning to celebrate God's blessings over the decades and to celebrate the future of the church and its congregation. A fellowship time is to begin at 9am, followed by a special time of worship at 10:15am.

The church is located at 600 W. Fayette Ave. in Effingham.