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In 1907-1908 the plans for opening two Baptist churches to accommodate the coal mining families moving into the Buck Run area was formulated. However, funds did not allow for the building of both churches; only the Two Lick Baptist Church in Dixonville was completed.
In 1909, Edmund Widdowson, a prominent businessman in the area, gave the upper story of a store building in Buck Run for a meeting place. After the building burned to the ground, a new building was constructed again providing a meeting place in the second story. The meeting place became known as Two Lick Baptist Mission. Various pastors ministered in the mission in those early years.
After Widdowson’s death in 1929, his heirs donated the building to the mission; subsequently the mission was renamed Widdowson Gospel Mission. By 1933, the entire building was used for Sunday school classes and church services.
In April of 1941, a building fund was started for a new church building. God miraculously provided the property for that building. The church had agreed to place a $500 bid on property in Green Township. Closed bids were being accepted by the township supervisors. Norman Keith (known as Squire Keith) felt led to add $5 to the bid. When the bids were opened the high bid was just $505, our bid. Another denomination had sought the property with a $500 bid. The Lord had wonderfully supplied.
On December 27, 1942, the new building, now called Calvary Gospel Church, was dedicated, and Rev. J. E. Wheeling was the pastor. The church became completely organized under the ministry of Rev. Earl Staples who pastored the church from 1944-1949.
There were eleven charter members as recorded in January 1945: Emmet and Marie Keith, Norman and Pearl Keith, Paul and Eva Leasure, Frank and Thelma McCombs, Alice Siverd, and Boyd and Nova Siverd.
In February 1947, the church acquired an adjacent building for $480 to be used as a church parsonage. This building was later torn down, and a new brick parsonage was built on the site.
In 1961 an addition was made to the church building, and interior remodeling was completed. With the addition of the bus ministry, the church began to grow, and a new church building was erected and dedicated on December 12, 1971. The former building was then used as a Fellowship Hall. In 1975, Rev. Ronald Allen became the pastor; the mortgage on the new building was paid off; and plans were made to add a new auditorium, educational wing, and office complex. All were completed in 1976. In 1978, the church recorded its highest attendance at a Sunday morning worship service–1,037 people were in attendance. Later as the school grew, a new facility, the Activity Building, was built. Dr. Daryl Jeffers answered the call to this church in November, 1986 and served until October, 2021.
The church was called Calvary Baptist Church as early as January, 1945, but that name was not formally approved by the courts until December 14, 1953 and recorded October 15, 1954.
God has done great things for us here at Calvary Baptist. Down through the years, many souls have been saved, baptized, and gone into full-time Christian service for the Lord. Calvary Baptist Church has always been a missions minded church. Our prayer is that this church, which has been a blessing to many in the past, will continue to develop Christians who will seek God’s will and serve the Lord. Praise the Lord that the fifth generation of Edmund Widdowson is serving the Lord in this place.
