History of Calvary Baptist Church of Trinidad
The First 45 Years
On Thursday, May 2, 1946, twenty-two people met to start a new church in Trinidad, Texas. The meeting was held at the Crescent Heights Baptist Church in Midway, Texas.
The members asked Bro. W.O. McClung to come and preach a revival. It was decided to rent a tent for the meetings. The tent was placed on an empty lot on Legg Street in Trinidad.
On May 8, 1946, the church met in a business conference to call Bro. McClung to be their Missionary Pastor.
On May 12, 1946, the church met to organize the first Sunday School. Mr. Bob McElroy was elected as the first Superintendent of the Sunday School. There were four classes and six officers.
By May 15, 1946, the church believed they had enough money to start work on a building for the church. It was built on the vacant lot where the tent revival had been held.
The first Women’s Missionary Auxiliary was organized with Mrs. C.W. Airheart as the President.
By September 1946 the church had grown in number, and financial security and faith to relieve Bro. McClung of the missionary responsibility and to elect a Pastor.
Bro. T.R. Vaughn was called and served the church until February 1949 as he was relieved by Bro. Murphy Walker.
The church added two classrooms and two restrooms to the structure under the leadership of Pastor Joe Wilbanks.
On May 4, 1963, the church purchased a lot on Lee Street to build a parsonage. Pastor Joe Stiner oversaw the parsonage project.
On May 2, 1971, the church observed her twenty-fifth anniversary with special all day services. Bro. W.O. McClung, first Missionary Pastor, brought the morning message and the ladies of the church served lunch.
September 5, 1971 was the date that the ground was broken for the start of the new building. The sanctuary was completed on December 12, 1971 and the original building was removed to allow room for parking. The new building was composed of the sanctuary, two classrooms, fellowship hall and full kitchen.
Dedication services held on December 12, 1971 began with Pastor C.L. Bryant bringing the morning message. Bro. Odell Terrell, contractor, told of the building progress and financial report. Lunch was served with many friends from the community and other churches coming to share in thanking the Lord. The church observed an Open House throughout the afternoon and slides were shown of the progress of the building project.
On August 20, 1972, the church opened a kindergarten and day care center. The church applied for a license to serve twenty children but had thirty three children in the first week. A new license was immediately obtained. The day care center operated until January of 1974.
The parsonage was air-conditioned in June of 1973. The following month, the church voted to revise the church year to begin in August and close in September.
During 1975, new pews and carpet were installed in the auditorium. The Gospel Americans formed as a Christian singing quartet and traveled about East Texas singing praises to the Lord.
The church building was repainted in 1989. Ceiling fans were installed in the auditorium in July 1990. A new speaker system was purchased and installed in August 1990.