About Mount Calvary

1944	Pastor Robert G. Sander, serving under a call from the United Lutheran Church in America, gathered families for worship services in the home of Fred and Beryl Brabender.
1944 July 23	The first public services were held at the Shaffer Tavern (currently Nyko’s Restaurant). A roof sign designated it as a “Lutheran Chapel”. First church council was elected.
1944 Sept 12	“Women of the Church” was organized.
1944 Oct 1	First Luther League (a youth organization)
1944 Oct 12	First marriage
1944 Dec 10	The mission congregation of 82 members was officially organized.
1945	Worship services were moved to the Geistown Fire Hall.
1945 Jan 10	The congregation chose its present name, Mount Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church.
1945 Jan 24	The first Sunday School was begun with Fred Brabender, Supt.
1945 Feb 1	Mt. Calvary closed its Charter Members list with 109 enrolled.
1945 March	Worship services were moved to the Richland Township High School (currently Harmony House, Geistown).
1945 April 1	First choir was organized for Easter Day services. Vic Erickson was appointed chairman of the first building committee.
1945	The 116 Melvin Street parsonage was purchased.
1945 April	The Men’s Brotherhood was organized with Merle Gaston, President.
1945 Summer	Vacation Bible School was held with 143 children and 21 adults.
1945 July 29	Mount Calvary was officially received into the Central Pennsylvania Synod of the ULCA. Pastor Robert G. Sander was installed as pastor.
1946 Sept 15	Ground-breaking service for a cinder building was held on land donated by the Wilmore Coal Company. Winds blew in the gable ends of the unfinished building.
1947 Spring 1947 Thanksgiving Day 1947 Dec 14 1948 1949 April 17	Building resumes on site. First service held in the white chapel on the hill. This first building was dedicated. It had a Kimball pipe organ. Mt. Calvary had 294 baptized members, 209 confirmed and 148 communing. A Junior choir was organized for the Easter Day services.
1950 January	A building Committee of Howard Weaver, Vic Erickson and Harry Wise was formed to lay plans for needed additional space.
1951 January	The first issue the monthly newsletter, the Hilltopper, was published.
1951	The congregation approved plans for an addition, a shell to be contracted and volunteers to finish the inside. Feudal oak pews were installed in the sanctuary. (Newspaper article)
1954	The congregation celebrated the 10^th anniversary of its organization with 108 people joining the church that day.
1954 1956 Sept 16 1957 1959 1960	The Wilmore Coal Company made an additional two-acre donation of land bringing church property to almost a whole city block. The finishing work by volunteers was completed and this second unit was dedicated. Mt. Calvary held the first Kindergarten in this community. The parsonage at 606 Demuth Street was purchased and the other sold. A Building Fund was established for a third portion of the building plans.
1961	Pastor Sander resigns to accept a call to St.John, Lewistown. Pastor Russell L. Stewart is called as Mt. Calvary’s second pastor.
1962	Pastor Stewart introduces the Bethel Series for Bible Study and the youth began publishing The League Topper.
1963 May 19	Ground-breaking service was held and Building Committee, Wayne E. Robel, Charles McCullough, W.C. McQuaide, O.K. Smith and Lee Young, supervised the construction of the third portion of the building.
1964 Apr 5	Pastor Sander returns for the dedication of the third portion of the building, a fitting 20^th Anniversary celebration.
1967	Pastor Sydney E. Kuhn was called to serve as associate pastor.
1967	Lutheran Church Women sponsor and Ecumenical Lenten Breakfast for all the congregations in the East Hills.
1968	Pastor Kuhn resigns to accept a call to English Lutheran Church, Zelienople, PA
1970 August	Pastor Stewart resigns to accept a call to the Tressler Lutheran Social Services.
1970 Nov 22	Pastor Stanley E. Yoder was called. An accomplished organist he introduced the congregation to the Celebrate insert and other liturgical practices.
1975 Oct 12	The congregation celebrated its 30^th Anniversary with a mortgage burning service.
1976	Studies began to consider more adequate worship space. The pipe organ was rebuilt and a new public address system was installed.
1976 Sept	Pastor Yoder resign to enter graduate work.
1976	Extensive Lay Worship Leaders Programs, sponsored by Camp Sequanota and later Pastor Brandau, involved over 20 members of Mt. Calvary.
1977 Mar 27	Pastor Walter L. Brandau was installed.
1977 July	Johnstown experiences another flood pressing the congregation into hosting over 200 volunteers who came to help clean up the city.
1978	The Central PA Synod Convention gave special recognition to Mt. Calvary for its flood related services.
1979	Extensive remodeling of the nave and the Memorial Lounge were completed.
1980 Jan	Alcoholic Anonymous and Alateen groups begin meeting at Mt. Calvary with weekly attendance over 100.
1982 Apr 19	Cambria County Day Care Services for 15 children began at Mt. Calvary.
1983	The $30,000 Note for paving of the parking lot was paid off.
1984	In the aftermath of the 1977 Flood, the congregation entered a cooperative ministry with St. Paul Episcopal Church, Cary, NC and another in Charlotte, NC for the relocation of Johnstown’s unemployed.
1984 Nov 10	The 40^th Anniversary Dinner Celebration was held with congregation having achieved a baptized membership of 1052 and confirmed membership of 862.
1984 Nov	A bequest by Mrs. Beatrice M. Parks becomes the impetus for a fourth building program at Mt. Calvary.
1985	Pastor Brandau resigned to accept a call to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Williamsport, PA.
1986 May	Pastor Ronald B. Reed was installed as pastor of Mt. Calvary.
1987	Planning for the new nave actively began.
1987	Ruth Bruner was called as an Associate in Ministry.
1988	Associate in Ministry Ruth Bruner resigns to accompany her husband in his call to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Lane (Grassflat), PA.
1989 Jul-Aug	Pastor Reed, a group of youth and adults went to Rocky Boy Indian Reservation in Montana to perform various work projects at Our Savior Lutheran Church. (Photos)
1990	After congregational approval of the building plans, a Fund Raising Campaign was inaugurated.
1990 Apr	Pastor Sander is named Pastor Emeritus by the congregation.
1991 May 5	Ground-breaking for a new nave, offices and additional activity facilities.
1992 Jun 5	Certificate of Occupancy for the new facilities was granted.
1992 Jun 14	First service in the new nave was held.
1992 Sep 20	Dedication of the new facilities and sanctuary was held with Bishop Gerald E. Miller preaching and former Pastors Sander, Stewart, Yoder and Brandau along with ministerial sons and daughters of Mt. Calvary addressing the congregation

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