Calvary Gospel Church was founded in 1961 by Saied Adour. It has a deep and rich history! In 2016, Calvary Gospel Church celebrated it’s 55th Anniversary.
Early Beginnings – 1960’s
How did the vision for the Utica church happen? Pastor Saied Adour recalls these events…
I was pastoring in Meshoppen, PA, just a small town. The Lord gave me a burden for a city – Pittston, PA, and in my mind I began to consider starting a church in that city. In the process, I was asked to come and preach at a Thanksgiving service in the Utica area and as I came to Utica, I found the Lord shifted the burden in my heart from Pittston to Utica, NY. That was in November 1960.
We moved to Clark Mills, NY, my hometown, but we didn’t do anything in starting a church until August 1961 when we secured the use of the church at 1505 Seymour Ave. in Utica. That church was originally an Alliance church, then owned by the Holy Cross Ukrainian Orthodox Church. We rented with the option to buy at $60 a month for two and a half years; and then all that rent money went toward the down payment to buy the building which helped out alot and we bought the property in 1964.
In August 1961 the church started with a Vacation Bible School program and we held our first public church service on Labor Day weekend! Bro. Ed Corley was our first speaker. Working with us as assistant was Jerry Scott and his wife, Gloria. Jerry graduated with me from Elim Bible Institute. He did some preaching, song leading and Gloria worked with Esther in Sunday School. Esther was in charge of Sunday School which was started right away. The Scotts left in 1962. Besides us, we had about six people attending church….
