50th Anniversary History of Calvary Lutheran in Guyana

Mrs. Babsie Pierre* read a brief historical sketch on Sunday November 29th in celebration of their 50 years of worship in their present building at Calvary Lutheran Church.

Calvary is one of the thirteen parishes which has 47 churches within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana (ELCG), the oldest Church body in Guyana. It was established in 1743 by the Dutch.  History of the ELCG is found in one of the Blog's first entries earlier this year.

Calvary had its beginning on the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, September 10, 1944. The first service was held inthe Modern Educational Institute, a high school which had been purchased by the ELCG from Mr. James Ramphal, the father of one on Guyana's former Attorney General, Mr. Sonny Ramphal. The school was located on this present church site. The congregation continued to worship in the former school building until it was dismantled and the present edifice was dedicated in November 1959. One of the contractors engaged in the construction was Mr. John Grant, whose daughter, Mrs. Claudette Blackman is worshipping with us.

The first pastor to serve was Rev. Aubrey Bowen - a Guyanese. Throughout the succeeding years and to date, eleven pastors, seven missionaries and four local pastors have served. Rev. James Lochan (deceased), a local pastor having served the longest for 25 years.

The congregation has been self-supporting since 1968 and in spite of all the factors which seem to affect the membership, it strives to continue being self-supporting.

Presently Calvary has been fortunate to have two missionary pastors — Rev. Richard Young, acting Parish Pastor from the ELCA and Rev. Jacob Frederick — a retired pastor from the ELCIC who is here with his wife, Mrs. Valerie Frederick. Their return to Calvary Parish to serve for another six months term co-incides with our 50th Anniversary Thanksgiving celebrations.

As we seek to fulfil God's Mission in Ministry, we face many challenges,

but we know and we believe that we shall overcome.

* Mrs. Babsie Pierre is a member of the Excecutive Council of the ELCG and also a Lay Leader within the ELCG. She is also Chairperson of the Calvary Lutheran church.