The Calvary Baptist Church at Massade, Gros Islet celebrates its 50th anniversary with a series of events spanning February 8-15, 2019. The theme chosen for this milestone is “Keeping the faith”.
The church was established at Massade in 1969 though the work of church-planting had begun some years earlier. It was first situated on Notre Dame Street. As the work progressed, a group of three women missionaries, Marjorie Mitchell, Audrey Finkbeiner, and Iris Castle, came to the island in 1953. They laboured faithfully to keep the work going by conducting Vacation Bible School, Bible Club and other activities. Eventually, in 1955, the small church was established as Calvary Baptist Church, with six charter members.
In 1969 a parcel of land at Massade was purchased and a church was built to accommodate some sixty persons. The church building was dedicated in 1970 with approximately twenty members. A transportation ministry serving the nearby communities helped the church to grow and believers took encouragement as the prospects got brighter. Five years later the church called Pastor Hilcious Hippolyte as its first pastor. From 1997, a group of elders, who pastor the church together, has administered the Calvary Baptist Church. The present elders are Kenty Pamphile, Joseph Charles, John Robert Lee and Lincoln Auguste.
Although Calvary Baptist Church was started in 1955, the church uses 1969—when it moved to its present site at Massade—as its official anniversary date. The church was destroyed by Hurricane Allen in 1980 but was rebuilt with the help of a Canadian church. Currently many of its members come from beyond Gros Islet town. The congregation includes plenty of young people who have grown up in the church and many who have joined as young adults. Most of these youths have adopted leading roles in the work and services of the church.
The 50th anniversary celebrations began with a youth rally on Friday February 8. The main services start on Sunday 10 at 10 a.m. with an afternoon service at 3 p.m. At 7 p.m. from Monday 11 to Wednesday13, preaching services will be held. On Friday 15 a special awards service and dinner will take place at the Bay Gardens hotel where pioneer founders of the church will be recognized and honoured. The guest speaker for the anniversary services is Dr. Glendon Thompson.
Dr. Thompson serves as senior pastor of Jarvis Street Baptist Church, Toronto, Canada, president of Toronto Baptist Seminary, professor of Biblical Studies, and editor of the Gospel Witness. He was born in Jamaica and studied education at Church Teachers’ College, Mandeville. He completed a Ph.D. in theology and postmodern philosophy at the University of Potchefstroom. He has also pursued post-doctoral studies at the University of Oxford, England. Dr. Thompson has authored numerous theological articles and spoken at conferences in Canada, Africa, India, the USA, and the Caribbean. The public is invited to join the church for its celebratory services Massade from Friday 8th to Wednesday 13th.
