Special anniversary services in honor of Pastor John R. Walton, Jr. and First Lady Lorrie Craig Walton are scheduled for Sunday, March 21st, Calvary Baptist Church, 2959 North Teutonia Avenue. The first service at 7:45 a.m. will feature Rev. Dr. Eleanor Cardenas, Associate Calvary Minister. Special Guest preacher, Rev. John K. Patterson, Pastor of Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, will bring the Word during the 10:45 a.m. service. “The Stones of the Vision,” a Ring Shout, was written specifically for the occasion and will be performed by Calvary’s Spoken Word Choir. The eighth anniversary theme is, “Pastor and People- Embracing and Living Under the Authority of God,” Deuteronomy 32:11- 12.

Reverend Walton, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, began his service at Calvary Baptist Church on March 1, 2002 after serving a four-year pastorate at the St. Mark Congregational Church in Boston, Massachusetts. He confessed Christ as his Lord and Savior in July, 1975 at the Avon Baptist Church in Cleveland. He was ordained on June 14, 1994 at the Mount Zion Baptist Church in Cleveland by the United Pastors in Missions, 18 pastors affiliated with American Baptist Churches, USA, National Baptist Convention and Progressive National Baptist Convention.

Reverend Walton, D. Min. Candidate, is an alumnus of Howard University where he received his Master of Divinity degree. He is currently writing his dissertation in the Doctor of Ministry program at Northern Baptist Seminary in Lombard, IL. His area of concentration is Leadership through Preaching.

Sister Lorrie Craig Walton, Pastor Walton’s Helpmate and Chief Ministry Partners, is an honors graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park and had done additional coursework at American University and Simmons College, and is working on her Master’s Degree at Cardinal Stritch College. She chairs the English Department at Destiny High School and will receive an award for outstanding teaching and leadership in June.

Upon receiving and accepting the call of Calvary Baptist Church- 115 years of age- the oldest African American Baptist Church in Milwaukee, the Walton’s are committed to meeting Intergenerational Ministry needs. Through much prayer and planning, the needs of both ends of the spectrum are being addressed. As Calvary pursues its mission of Transforming the Community Christ, its 7 Point of Vision has provided strategic guidance.

In addition to its traditional Women’s and Men’s retreats and revivals, including a Tent Revival, Calvary is revitalizing its Health Ministry to meet the varied needs of the Congregation (Mildred Leigh Gold Health Ministry).

Calvary has significantly strengthened its focus on its Children and Youth Ministries with its establishment of Boy and Girl Scout Troops; a basketball team; music and fine arts activities and an annual Summer Day Camp that has grown from one week to one month during the last four years. Expansion of after-school activities for youth is also contemplated. Additionally, Pastor Walton, as Chair of the Faith Committee of United Way’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, has provided community-wide leadership in the effort to reduce Teen Pregnancy. Calvary’s “Keeping It Real!” (KIR) classes – a Faith-Based Model for Teen Dialogue on Sex and Sexuality created for African American teens, 13-18, by the National Black Church Initiative, offered, initially, to Calvary teens, is now reaching other congregations.

Pastor and First Lady Walton are the proud parents of four children: John Richard III, Daniel, Samuel and Grace.

The community is invited to come and celebrate the Walton’s 8th Pastoral Anniversary with Calvary, Milwaukee’s Oldest African American Baptist Church. For additional information, contact the church at 414- 372-1450, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

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