[Organization Name]

 

Calvary Memorial Church began in Oak Park almost 95 years ago.

In early 1915 a group of Oak Park families began meeting in a home and discussed the possibility of starting a new church. Drawn primarily from five local churches of different denominations, doctrinal considerations figured largely in the formation of the new church. On March 21, 1915, they met for their first Sunday worship service and established Madison Street Church (Calvary's original name). They met in a rented store building at 944 Madison Street, at the corner of Madison and Wisconsin. They started with less than $100, which they used to purchase chairs and hymnals. The founders worked to create a church that would be independent of any denominational ties and faithful to the Bible.

The church's name changed to Madison Street Bible Church in 1937. In 1939 an annex was added to the original building. In 1954 an educational unit was built, followed by a Fellowship Hall, classrooms and nurseries in 1962. During those years, in 1959, the church changed its name a second time, to Calvary Memorial Church.

In 1968 a remodeling of the sanctuary resulted in a multipurpose building that was used to minister to Bible school children, boys' and girls' clubs, teenagers and adults.

Calvary thought it had seen its last building project. But in 1977 a fire destroyed two-thirds of the complex. After two years of renting facilities and negotiations, the current building at 931 Lake Street was purchased from First Presbyterian Church of Oak Park. The facility was dedicated to God on November 4, 1979, with Dr. Billy Graham as the guest speaker.

In 2003-2004 Calvary renovated the portico area and added additional classrooms and air conditioning. As part of the process, the old cornerstone which survived the fire at 944 Madison, was installed into the new exterior wall.

As you exit the portico you'll see the cornerstone on your right. It reads "Madison Street Church AD 1921". The contents of a time capsule from 1921 discovered in the original stone, were once again sealed inside. Calvary's elder board added a cassette tape of a sermon, a church history book and other documents. You can also find a cornerstone from the old Presbyterian church on the northeast corner of our building.

A church history would not be complete if it was just a story about a building. For a church is ultimately about Jesus Christ's work in people's lives and hearts. The chronicle of God's faithfulness at Calvary has been recorded in the hearts of thousands, both here and around the world. And that story is still being written today.

Here's what the founders wrote as they compiled the first Annual Report of Madison Street Church, dated March 31, 1916:

"It is not the Clerk's purpose in this report to enumerate the blessings that we, as individuals, have received, because that would be impossible for two reasons. First for the lack of time, second, for lack of complete knowledge, because I verily believe we never will be able to fulfill the command of our Blessed Lord to "Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had compassion on thee."

We look forward to many more years of telling the story of God's work in our lives and our church, here in Oak Park and around the world.

Pastors of Calvary Memorial Church

1915-1917
Dr. Louis Talbot

Our first pastor, Dr. Louis Talbot, went on to become president of Biola University in California, which later named its seminary after him. Today it is called The Talbot School of Theology. Calvary's 12th senior pastor, Dr. Ray Pritchard, received his doctorate from that very school.

1917-1920
Rev. J. C. O'Hair

1920-1924
Rev. Lee W. Ames

1924-1926
Rev. James Emblen

1926-1933
Rev. Robert J. Devine

1935-1943
Rev. Arthur H. Fardon

1943-1945
Dr. Wayne E. Buchanan

1945-1951
Rev. Gordon B. Kemble

1952-1958
Rev. John R. Emmans

1958-1974
Rev. Robert O. Gray

1976-1986
Dr. Donald Gerig

1989-2005
Dr. Ray Pritchard

2008-Present
Dr. Todd A. Wilson