Our History
"Merging History with Destiny"
The Founder of this great church was Bishop Brumfield Johnson, a young, spirit-filled minister, associated with the United Holy Church of America and serving as pastor of the church in Summit, New Jersey. In 1928, Bishop Johnson and Elder Robert Pugsley traveled to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to conduct a revival. Approximately 250 persons were saved at this revival, and many of these new converts desired a church home shepherded by Bishop Johnson. The Winston-Salem church was officially incorporated in 1929.
Bishop Johnson continued the work started in Winston-Salem. During a conference in Summit, New Jersey in 1929, twenty other ministers joined him. Bishop Johnson then traveled with an evangelistic team to Huntington, Long Island, New York where a great revival was held and many were blessed, healed, and saved. This led to the establishment of the Mount Calvary Holy Church in Huntington.
Bishop Johnson and his fledging group of ministers then traveled to Boston, Massachusetts where they adopted the principles adhered to by the Mount Calvary Holy Church. It was there that the church was chartered on July 27, 1929, with the following persons signing the charter: Bishop Brumfield Johnson, Bishop Lee R. Ligons, Rev. Van T. Pope, Rev. William Bryant, Bro. Augustus A. Granville, Sis. Josephine M. Spencer, Sis. Bessie L. Lipscomb, and Sis. Nancy Hall. In the early 1930s, Mount Calvary began to spread her wings as churches were planted in various cities across the country, including Staten Island, New York, Durham, North Carolina, and Columbus, Ohio. The first Headquarters was established in Baltimore, Maryland, and later relocated to Buffalo, New York in 1942. The Headquarters was then moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1960 after the Buffalo church was destroyed by fire. The National Convocations were held in Boston until the International Headquarters was established in Washington, DC in 1991.
On February 15, 1972, our founder, Bishop Brumfield Johnson, went home to be with the Lord. Just weeks before his death, Bishop Johnson appointed Bishop Harold Ivory Williams to serve as his successor. Bishop Williams led the church for over 30 years as Senior Bishop. Under his leadership, Mount Calvary grew to include churches in over fifteen (15) states and many foreign countries throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.
On August 14, 2008, Mount Calvary entered into a new season of ministry as Bishop Williams chose to take emeritus status and elevate his spiritual sons, Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr., to the office of Presiding Bishop and Bishop Hansel H. Henry to the office of Executive Vice-Bishop. Bishop Owens became the third Presiding Bishop in the eighty-year history of this great Church and has led Mount Calvary forward to higher heights. After 12 years of exemplary leadership, Bishop Owens appointed Bishop Herbert C. Crump, Jr. as his successor to serve as the fourth Presiding Bishop of Mount Calvary.
On February 4, 2023, due to sudden health concerns Bishop Crump after two years of exemplary leadership resigned as the Presiding Bishop and designated Bishop Marc D. Talbert as his successor. At which time according to the bylaws and constitution of the MCHCA our Vice-Bishop Haywood Parker assumed full rights and responsibilities as the interim presider becoming the fifth in succession until the 2023 Convocation. In the words of our Founder, “Let the heavens drop, let the skies pour out righteousness, and let the earth bring forth salvation!”