AN ATONEMENT FOR SIN

On July 18, 1943, Calvary ended the practice of yearly voting on the pastor's employment when the church called its first pastor for an indefinite period of time. He was the Reverend Lonnie A. Fleming, a man "whose faith knew no bounds." Under his leadership, many changes came about in the life of Calvary Baptist Church. In 1944, Mary Edith Snow Baer was elected as the first secretary to the pastor. On September 5, 1943, the church decided to have "services the first, second, third Sunday at 11 o'clock and the fourth Sunday night and every fifth Sunday." In that same month, the church voted "to buy $200.00 worth of War Savings Bonds out of church treasury" to help in the war effort. Also, the following set of rules, still practiced in principle, was adopted for Calvary Baptist Church:

Rules Adopted by Calvary Baptist Church
September 26, 1943

1. The board of deacons are called and ordained by the church to take care of the business of Calvary Church, and the board of deacons must be recognized as the business executives of said church.
   
2. No person or persons will have the authority to change any business that has been voted in by Calvary Church or any organization within the church without the consent of said organization.
   
3. All major business must be brought before the board of deacons, or before the church in a conference or business meeting. The church will have the final vote.
   
4. Any member of Calvary Baptist Church that has a suggestion that he or she would like to offer to the betterment of Calvary Church may at any time make that suggestion either before the board of deacons or the church in a regular conference or business meeting.

The most important need of the church in 1943 was the need for more room. With a church membership of 226 and a Sunday School enrollment of 320, a new building was needed. There was a need for additional funds if the church's vision of a new building was to be realized. According to the church minutes of Sunday, December 5, 1943, "All board of deacons that was present, finance committee, and building committee agreed to pay one dollar per month over and above their regular offering into the building fund to show a spirit behind the building fund." Also, upon recommendation from the finance committee, the church gave 60% of regular offerings to the pastor, reserved 10% for church needs, and set aside 30% of regular offerings for the building fund. On April 23, 1944, this plan for raising money was presented to the church. The plan was called the "One Hundred Club," and was approved in May, 1944. The objective of the club was to enlist all who desired to help, hopefully one hundred members, who would give a dollar a month over and above their tithes and offerings to go to the building fund. This would amount to $100.00 per month to the building fund. The spirit shown by the church leaders in December caught on and the club plan was very successful. With solicited gifts from friends of the church and areas businesses, the building fund grew by leaps and bounds. These cooperative efforts represented an early "Together We Build" program.