The History of Mount Calvary Episcopal Church:
A Century of Growth
Mount Calvary came into being as Calvary Mission at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 2, 1908, with a service of Evening Prayer in the office of a municipal official about 2 1/2 blocks from the present church. It was a project of the Rt. Rev. James H. Darlington, first bishop of the newly created Diocese of Harrisburg, and a small group of Episcopalians who wished to worship near their homes in the Capital City’s emerging suburbs on the Susquehanna River’s western shore.
As Camp Hill and surrounding communities grew, so did Mount Calvary. In 1945, the parish called its first full-time vicar, and soon afterward was granted status as an incorporated, self-supporting parish. Subsequently, the church has undergone three major expansions, all without incurring debt. A larger church building next to the old stone church was dedicated in 1954. An education wing, along with an expanded nave, a new sanctuary, sacristy, narthex, parlor, rector’s study and office, were dedicated in 1966. (Sadly, the original church had to be razed to make room.) And in 2002, parishioners raised more than $400,000 to create a fully accessible entrance, install an elevator, and air condition the church.
As a sign of its stability, five priests have served the parish for a combined total of 94 of its 117 years.
As the parish approached its 100th anniversary, the Vestry created the Centennial Fund to support its mission and provide for long-term maintenance of the church property, and a standing finance committee to oversee the fund. It also approved the erection of three Centennial Crosses to stand over the Columbarium, which were dedicated as a lasting symbol of the centennial celebration.
