Calvin Presbyterian Church, located at 60th and Master streets, has been a part of Carroll Park since 1904. However, after over 100 years of service, Pastor Curtis Jones has recently come to the church with fresh ideas to help the changing community.
The church had remained integrated until the 1970s when it became primarily an African-American church. However, Jones is preparing his congregation for an upcoming shift in demographics.
“What you see in a community like this is an emerging majority of Latinos as well as growing Asian groups. It’s just a matter of time that the racial barriers that were once there become bridges,” Jones said. “You don’t wait for them to move into the community and then welcome them. You have to start now. We are looking at ways we can make this a church for everyone. You can begin to use the language in the bulletin and out front on the sign. You can talk about the necessity about learning Spanish. You start now.”
The church’s objective is to lead rather then simply stay current. The church has a number of other programs to help in this mission. Programs for children, unemployed and ex-convicts are available to the community through the church.
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