Calvary Baptist Church Retires Its Mortgage

Video clip of Senior Pastor Lawrence T. Foster conducting mortgage burning ceremony before the congregation and special guests.

As part of its 103rd year Founder's Day celebration, Calvary Baptist Church of Detroit opened its sanctuary to members, old friends, civic, church and community leaders who joined together with Pastor and people rejoicing,  singing praises and shouting hallelujah to God at its mortgage retiring/ burning ceremony held on Sunday, September 25,2022 at the historic Baptist church. Pastors, church, civic and business leaders joining in the occasion included Rev. Christian Adams, Senior Pastor  Hartford Memorial  Baptist and President of Michigan Progressive Baptist Convention,Rev.Dr. J.T. Thomas, Senior Pastor New Calvary Baptist, Coleman A. Young II, Detroit City Councilman at Large and a representative from neighboring historic Elmwood Cemetery.

Long time member, over 50 years,  Calvary DEACON and Event Co-Chair Geraldine Sumpter exhorted an inspiring  charge to all with her spirit-filled words. See video excerpt below:

See other selected, captioned, tagged photos and video clips of the gathering below:

Dorothy Wedgeworth reciting the 91st Psalm. Video excerpt below:

Senior Pastor Lawrence Foster with Ernestine Cox at his side along with a select committee of  members with 50 years or more of service including Cora Baker,Russell Baker, Rosemarie Brooks, Diane Burt-Mohammed,Rubye Davis, Osie Gaiters,Barbara Hackett, Frances Harden, Dorothy Hopkins, Cynthia Jackson, Louise Jenkins, Frazier Kimpson, Michelle Martin, Mildred Perry, Doris Pickett, Darniece Rutledge, Elma Stewart, Lecta Stewart, Ray Stewart, Jr. Gregory Sumpter, Geraldine Sumpter, Carolyn White, Alvin Williams, Maxine Williams, Madeline Woodhouse, Vera Worthy, Berniece Williams and others burning the mortgage papers as a symbolic gesture signifying that the debt is paid off and the church property is now owned by the church free and clear. Video excerpt below:

Mother Naomi Wilson

(Honorary Over 50 year Member)

Ladell Mobley and Louise Jenkins

Madeline Woodhouse and Barbara 

The guest preacher for the day, Rev. Dr. J.T. Thomas, Senior Pastor of the New Calvary Baptist Church delivered a powerful sermon.  He was accompanied by his choir, the New Calvary Praise Team. Video excerpt of his sermon above.

Deacon Geraldine Sumpter and Dorothy Wedgeworth

Rev. Cynthia Wilson and Deacon Geraldine Sumpter

Rev. Cynthia Wilson and Rev. Christian Adams

Rev. Cynthia Wilson, Cynthia Jackson and Dorothy Wedgeworth

Senior Pastor Lawrence Foster

Darniece Rutledge and Rev. Cynthia Wilson

Carolyn White, Dorothy Wedgeworth, Barbara Hatchett and Rev. Cynthia Wilson

Please click on the post title permalink above for a supplemental audio version of this post. (Coming soon! The permalink function did not work. When it does I will post it here and on my podcast.

Peace and blessings,

Rev. Cynthia Wilson,

Independent Blogger, Content Author and Curator.

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Note: All photos and audio on this blog update are the combined property of Cynthia Wilson and the Calvary Baptist Church, excepting other fair and reasonable claims that may be made concerning photo and video footage recorded exclusively by Rev. Wilson on her cell phone specifically for this event i.e., claims that may be fair and reasonably made by person’s videotaped or photographed by her and made subsequent to this posting. These recordings were made by Cynthia Wilson on an informal basis using her private cell phone. No “for hire” agreements were negotiated prior to this event assigning any ownership rights of  Cynthia Wilson’s content nor negotiating any form of compensation for her services with any third parties. She was acting as an “independent contractor” and extended ownership rights to Calvary Baptist Church as a gift and courtesy. For further info about how to obtain copies of video and/or photos, please contact Calvary Baptist Church at 313-567-4575. You may contact Cynthia at 313-296-9943 or 313-633-3002.

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Council of Baptist Pastors/Russell Street Baptist Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Day with the Community

 

       Rev. Dr. Dee Dee Coleman, Host Pastor and President, Detroit Council of Baptist Pastors

Rev.Dr. Dee Dee Coleman and Rev. Cynthia Wilson

                    Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan

 

Visit to Second Ebenezer on the Way to New Orleans

Willie Baptist , UTS Poverty Initiative and 

Cynthia Wilson

Here is a link to a blog article I posted recalling my visit to Second Ebenezer  Baptist Church back in January 2005 as part of Union Theological Seminary’s Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Mission to the Gulf Coast.

http://heavieroctaves.blogspot.com/2006/01/povertyracism-and-katrina-first-stop.html?m=0

Note:

I tried to post “my photos” from this blog post that I took with my cell phone this morning, but they would not post. They are in fact my photos. Any ownership rights that are being claimed electronically this morning by others are unauthorized and not based on any fair, open and equitable negotiations. Nobody has exchanged a mumbling word with me about any such arrangements. I refuse to continue operating my blogging ministry, and now business, in the dark.  I did not negotiate any agreements with any other entity assigning my photo rights or any other rights away. As a matter of fact, I have been more than generous in sharing my insight, photos, videos and artwork images with the public over the years. My writings across the net via blogs is plentiful and I suspect legendary by now.

Concerning the blocked photos-I recall taking the photo of the church marquis, Pastor Warnock, Steed Davidson and had a friend to take the photo of me and Willie Baptist. So, your blockage of my posting of them this morning on this blog-which was made available for music fans for years, is woefully inappropriate, an act of harassment and duly unlawful. If you are protecting me from theft of photos, videos and the like, I appreciate your efforts, of course, if your intentions are pure. However, if this is just a “grab bag” action on your part to snatch as much “get”, as I have slowly learned it’s called, for yourself,  just make sure you give me credit both literary and financial for your “takings”. A commensurate donation will suffice. Find a link coming soon for donating on my site.Come on guys, let’s play fair and help one another out for real.

I should be the millionaire.

Rosa Parks Honored as Living Stone at Calvary Baptist Church-1997