We are grateful to the Lord for His continued blessing upon the church. This report highlights activities from January to March, including attendance, baptism, evangelism.

Annual Business Meeting

The 48th annual business meeting of the church was held the first two weeks of January. In addition to the overall goal of preaching, teaching, and edifying, the following are the resolutions taken at the end of the meeting:

1. To remodel the present church edifice to accommodate the numerical growth of the church. At present the edifice seats 700–900 members. Situated in the heart of Sinkor and coupled with the influx of students, many of whom continue to make professions of faith in Christ, the church building is becoming smaller. The cost for the new edifice will be around USD $250,000–300, 000.

2. To complete all ongoing church construction works. They include Todee Baptist Fellowship, Central Baptist Fellowship, and the relocation of New Life Baptist Fellowship.

3. To build structures on church vacant lands to have them secured.

Attendance

The following is the average attendance for the weekly services during the quarter:

Sunday morning worship—483

Sunday School—121

Wednesday prayer meeting—41

Baptism Service

In January, 13 persons were baptized at Calvary Baptist Church, while more than 15 persons are presently in the new membership class. At the same time, 17 more got baptized from four of the fellowships.

Evangelism and Missions

More than 140 persons got saved during the quarter. This number includes those who made professions from the fellowships and supported churches and pastors.

Report from the Fellowships

These reports emanate from Calvary fellowships and those pastors and evangelists supported by the church.

Central Baptist Church, Pipeline, Paynesville

Central Baptist Church presently has an average attendance of more than 100 persons in Sunday worship. The total of 11 persons trusted Christ as Lord and Savior, while 11 got baptized.

New Life Baptist Church, Duport Road, Paynesville

During the last three months, two members of Calvary Baptist Church (Caroline Yeabah and Ruth Deedo) who live near the fellowship decided to work with New Life Baptist Church. At the same time, two persons made profession of faith and two additional members joined the church. The church was given a face-lift and a new bathroom was built.

Kadumah Community Baptist Fellowship, Barnesville

At Kadumah Community Baptist Fellowship, 32 persons trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior, while one person was baptized. The pastor also carried out his usual bus ministry. With the help of the young people and the men of Calvary Baptist Church, the fellowship made some bricks for the construction of the church building. The present building was built temporarily to begin the fellowship.

Repentance Baptist Church, Todee District, Montserrado County

Repentance Baptist Church in Todee made significant progress during the first quarter. The average attendance of the church is 180 persons, with women dominating. Those who trusted Christ as Lord and Savior were 39 persons in all, while 184 persons rededicated their lives to the Lord. At the same time, 47 persons committed themselves to baptism.

During the quarter, the Bong Mines Theological Institute was transferred from the Bong Mines Public School, where it has been since its establishment, to the home of Pastor Elvis Dissee. The institute, which is under Jake Memorial Baptist College, presently has five new students. The church also lost three of its members during the quarter.

As part of his activities, Pastor Dissee participated in a youth and young adult leadership seminar in February in Tappita, Nimba County. One of the serious challenges to the church is to build a place of worship for its new fellowship in Toah Town, which presently meets under a tree. With the rainy season already here, the fellowship will find it hard to continue to meet under the tree for worship. Please pray for the Lord to provide the following materials: five bundle of zinc, planks, and cement.

Cross Road Baptist Church, King Gray, Paynesville

At Cross Road Baptist Fellowship, five persons got saved and two persons got baptized. The fellowship is presently in search of land to build a church.

Todee Baptist Fellowship, Yaweyen, Todee District

The Todee fellowship continues to meet in the home of Pastor Bondo. The second phase of the church building project has been completed with the casting of the last pillars and the floor. The next phase is the roofing and zincing. During the last quarter, two new members joined the fellowship.

Calvary Baptist Church, Kakata, Margibi County

Calvary Baptist Church baptized three persons during the quarter. Thirteen adults and four children received Christ as Lord and Savior. On February 14, the youth department of the church was inducted into office after the reorganization of the department. The average attendance of the church is 110 persons. Calvary Baptist Church is one of the churches whose pastor is being supported by Calvary.

Zwedru Baptist Fellwoship, Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County

Zwedru Baptist Fellowship, which was established early this year by Evangelist Alex Roberts, has begun services. The new fellowship presently holds services in the old city hall building in Zwedru City. With the help of Calvary and other independent Baptist churches, benches and other materials were made available to prepare the place for worship services. Evangelist Roberts is being sponsored by Calvary, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Repentance Baptist Church, and Matadi Baptist Church. The fellowship plans to host a crusade November 16–19.

The fellowship needs additional benches. Roberts also needs one motto bike for outreach and transportation. They are still in search of an apartment to live in.

Evangelist Garmonyou Yeargar

Garmonyou Yeargar has been very active for the past three months. As the result of his daily devotion with patients at John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital and frequent travels to churches around the country, more than 40 persons trusted the Lord as Savior, while eight persons joined the baptism class at Bethany Baptist Church in Margibi County. More people rededicated their lives to the Lord as well.

Conference

As part of our teaching program, we (Rev. Tuakah E. Whiangar, Rev. Jerome Siakor, and I) attended the Soul-Winning Conference of Bong County, where we taught lessons on soul-wining and evangelism. The conference was held in Gbatala, Bong County, with the theme taken from John 3:3. At the end of the conference, 356 persons trusted Christ as Lord and Savior. The conference brought together more 1,500 delegates from over 30 churches.

Church Development Plan

In its effort to remodel the church edifice, this year’s business conference resolved to remodel the church edifice. The project, which is expected to last one to two years depending on the availability of funds, will cost between $250,000 to 300, 000 U.S. dollars. The plan has been approved by the congregation and construction work will begin when the church raises about half of the amount. When completed, the church will seat about 1,500 members. Meanwhile, the first launching of the project was held on the first Sunday in May.

Land Development

As part of its plans for this year, the church has decided to develop some of its vacant land. At the same time, a family in the church has donated two lots in Duazon, Robert’s Field highway, for the building of a new church for that community. The Duazon community is a growing area, and establishing a Baptist church there will be in the interest of the people who live there. Meanwhile, initial funds to start the new church were donated by same family.

Death

On March 26 the church lost one of its members, Jacob Grabo. Brother Grabo died at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital after a protracted period of illness.

Prayer Requests

  1. Pray for the five-year development plan of the church.
  2. Pray for the purchase of two motto bikes for evangelist Alex Roberts and James Saywary, who serve in Tode and Grand Gedeh respectively.
  3. Pray for the funding of the church edifice reconstruction project.
  4. Pray for the spiritual growth of the church.

As we continue to occupy till the Lord comes, the challenges here are enormous. We call on all of our supporters to remember and pray for the ministries of the church (the Christian day School, church planting, support for local pastors, etc). Our greatest challenge for now is the remodeling of the present edifice. Very soon we will send you the cost for the project for your support—moral, financial, and spiritual. May the Lord continue to bless and keep you.

Rev. G. Larque Vaye
Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church