Designed by a German-born architect Calvary Baptist Church stands as a testament to faith and resilience. It is located in Washington D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood. The church was founded in 1862. Prominent Baptists who supported the Union during the Civil War founded it.
Adolf Cluss designed Calvary’s sanctuary. He also designed other notable buildings in Washington D.C. Joseph Wildrich von Kammerhueber was Cluss’s partner. They collaborated on architectural projects for years. Calvary is the only surviving church building designed by Adolf Cluss.
Imagine the dedication ceremony on June 3 1866. However disaster struck. A fire gutted the new building during a blizzard in December 1867. A faulty heating system may have caused it. Possibly a failed innovation by Adolf Cluss.
Reconstruction began almost immediately using the original plans. The current building was occupied in the winter of 1868. It was dedicated in July 1869. The building’s tall spire was a landmark for decades. A major storm weakened the spire on July 30 1914. It was then removed. The steeple was restored in February 2005.
The interior has changed extensively. Balconies were added to the north and south sides. This broke up the tall stained-glass windows. A large set of organ pipes was placed at the front. This obscured a small rose window on the western wall. The organ was originally on a rear balcony. A rose window is still visible at the eastern end.
Calvary Baptist Church is affiliated with several Baptist organizations. These include American Baptist Churches USA and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. It severed ties with the Southern Baptist Convention in July 2012. Since 2017 Sally Sarratt and Maria Swearingen have been the Senior Co-Pastors.
Calvary is the founding church of the Northern Baptist Convention. This is now American Baptist Churches USA. It was a leading church of the Baptist Sunday School movement. Clarence Cranford was once a pastor. Brooks Hays was a member. He was a former Democratic member of Congress. He was also president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Calvary has focused on its relationship with the Latino population. Bilingual services were introduced. A partnership with a church in El Salvador was formed. Immigration reform and marriage equality have been important issues for Calvary. In 1983 Calvary founded the Calvary Women’s Shelter. It was the first women’s homeless shelter in the Washington metropolitan area.
Several prominent individuals have been members of Calvary. Warren G Harding the 29th President of the United States was a member. Amos Kendall the 8th United States Postmaster General was also a member. The first floor of Calvary’s sanctuary is named Kendall Hall in his honor. William Shadrack Shallenberger was a member. He was appointed Second Assistant Postmaster General by President William McKinley. Shallenberger Hall Calvary’s largest meeting room is named after him.
Adolf Cluss significantly shaped Washington D.C.’s appearance. He designed schools public buildings and housing. He also helped design the city’s sewage system. Cluss concealed his past as a Marxist writer and organizer. He met Karl Marx in Brussels and joined the Communist League. He later became disillusioned with communism.
Calvary Baptist Church stands as a symbol of faith community and architectural history. It is a place where diverse backgrounds and beliefs come together.