In 1921, a determined group of believers laid the foundation for what would become the First Mount Calvary Baptist Church. They started their journey at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Mosher Street. Their early days were marked by challenges, forcing them to relocate to Psalmist Baptist Church on Riggs Avenue near Carey Street. They soon found a new home at George Street and Perkins Avenue, staying there for nearly two years. They eventually returned to their original Myrtle Avenue location. Under the leadership of Reverend Alonzo W. Taylor, the next fifteen years were a period of growth and stability for First Mount Calvary. Reverend Taylor not only nurtured the congregation’s spiritual growth but also sought a new home for the church. He envisioned a space in a different part of the city, where the predominantly African-American congregation could thrive amidst evolving social dynamics. Their perseverance paid off in 1947. First Mount Calvary acquired its current edifice at 1142 N. Fulton Avenue, previously the Fuller Memorial Baptist Church. Sadly, Reverend Taylor fell ill shortly after this significant move and passed away. A close friend of Reverend Taylor, Reverend Lyndsai Pitts Sr., stepped in to lead the congregation. He was officially elected as the second pastor of First Mount Calvary in 1948. Reverend Pitts’s leadership spanned thirty-five years, during which the church flourished both spiritually and physically. Upon Reverend Pitts’s passing, Reverend Joseph Sinclair Watkins, Sr. became the third pastor in 1984. He continued the church’s legacy of spiritual guidance and community outreach. The church purchased the Winchester Street Potter’s House and the property at 1138 N. Fulton Avenue under his leadership. After Reverend Watkins retired due to illness in 2007, Rev. Dr. Derrick Carl DeWitt Sr. became the fourth and current pastor. His vision focuses on kingdom building and community restoration, leading First Mount Calvary into a new chapter of its inspiring journey.
Greater Saint Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church
Established 82 years ago this is Greater St Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church. It began in Uptown New Orleans with