THE HISTORY OF CALVARY BIBLE CHURCH

The Calvary Bible Church had its beginning in 1896. Mr. Nelson Reed of Fall River organized cottage prayer meetings and a regular Sunday School. A year later, a full-time Pastor, Rev. Byron Reese, was called to serve the church. Regular meetings were held in the village hall.
The church continued to grow and in 1898, under the leadership of Rev. H.F. Reynolds, the members aspired to build a church.
In 1899, the first steps were taken towards building. The land on Union Avenue, where the first church stands, was donated by Mr. Frank Whalon. Like a community effort, all the members, including workers from the Westport Manufacturing Co., put forth their energies and helped build the edifice. On February 17, 1900, the church was formally dedicated. It was a family affair and the church was packed.
Three years later the parsonage was erected and the total cost of both church and parsonage was $15,000.
The church was originally named the Union Gospel Church. In 1919 it came to be known as the Union Church of Westport Factory, under the pastorate of Rev. Alfred Ward.
Although from its inception, the church's desire was to stay clear of all creeds, the Bible was to be their infallible rule of faith and practice. In the years during the era of World War I, the church was of the "Holiness" type. However, in the 1920's and up to the mid 1930's, the church followed a very liberal position and the pure gospel was no longer preached.

The turning point came in 1937 when Rev. Claude Curtis became Pastor. He had become saved while a U.S. Marine stationed in China and was very enthusiastic and zealous in his ministry. Since that time, God has blessed with some outstanding pastors.

Following Rev. Curtis were:
    Rev. Arnold Vail- 1939
    Rev. Harold Dame- 1943
    Rev. Lawrence Grow- 1952
    Rev. William Reed- 1961
    Rev. Dean Bonsall- 1971
    Rev. Gregory Gifford- 1993
    Rev. Richard Gilbaugh- 1996
    Rev. Jared Heatherly- 2006

The church has also been blessed by the ministries of assistant pastor Chris Dyer, who served as interim pastor from 1992-1993, and assistant pastor Marc Loranger, who served as interim pastor from 2005-2006.

During Pastor Grow's ministry, the name of the church was changed to Calvary Bible Church to more clearly define the doctrines and beliefs of the church body. It has, since that time, followed the "baptist" doctrines and church polity, holding to a congregational, autonomous form of church government.

In 1972, a new building was erected at 1100 State Rd., affording a larger capacity and much better access along Route 6. In 1990, Bonsall Hall was built as an adjoining structure, to be an athletic and all-purpose building.

Even a brief history would not be complete without mentioning the hundreds, even thousands, of people who have been touched by the gospel of Jesus Christ; and of some who have heeded the call into full-time Christian service. Surely our Lord has blessed.

"But our sufficiency is of God." II Corinthians 3:5

"And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." I Timothy 1:14