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CALVARY INDEPENDENT CHURCH OF QUARRYVILLE

East Drumore Township, Lancaster County, Pa

"Churches of Today and Yesterday in Southern Lancaster County" by Fellowship of Solanco Churches, Raymond Dunlap, George Herbert, & Richard Yates , Sr. printed 1968

Calvary Independent Church of Quarryville, Pennsylvania is located along Route 222 in the town of Mechanic Grove. This church originated about 1914 when a series of evangelistic meetings were conducted in the Drumore Baptist Church located about a quar-ter of a mile east of Unicorn, East Drumore Township. The evan-gelists were two ministers, one from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and the other from Altoona, Pennsylvania. The latter was also the pastor of a church in Roaring Springs, Pennsylvania associated with the General Conference Mennonites of North America denomination.

A large number of people were saved during these meetings, and sometime later a group of them desired to have a larger building for worship and for evangelistic meetings. A tract of land at Mechanic Grove was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Hiram P. Swarr, and a large frame tabernacle was erected. The tabernacle had a seating capacity of several hundred; there was no floor, the ground being covered with wood shavings, and heat was furnished by two stoves on the style known as "pot-bellied." The congregation affiliated themselves with the General Conference Mennonite denomination and took the name of Progressive Mennonite Church. Pastors were supplied by the Home Missions Board of the denomination. The tabernacle was used every year for graduation exercises for the East Drumore High School.

In 1921, the congregation purchased the former Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church building which was no longer being used. Under the direction of a member of the congregation who was a carpenter by trade, it was taken down, moved and rebuilt on the present location. At that time, the name was changed to Calvary Mennonite Church. As need arose, basement Sunday School rooms were made. The Home Missions Board of the General Conference denomination continued to provide partial support for the pastors, and also purchased a home in Mechanic Grove to be used as a parson-age. In 1959, the congregation assumed full pastoral support and also purchased and have been maintaining the parsonage.

In 1957, the congregation withdrew from the General Conference Mennonite denomination and organized as a congregation not affili-ated with any denomination. At that time, the name was changed to Calvary Independent Church of Mechanic Grove; when incorpora-tion was made in 1964, this was changed to Calvary Independent Church of Quarryville, Pennsylvania.

In the summer of 1956, facilities were installed and drive-in open air services for Sunday evenings were begun. After a few years, expansion of this phase of the work was required. Additional land was purchased which provided more parking space; also larger and more adequate facilities were installed. These services have proved to be a source of much blessing. They are held from the last Sunday of May until the second Sunday of September.

Sunday School and church attendance grew rapidly in the past several years, and it became necessary to plan to increase church and Sunday School accommodations. After much consideration, it was decided a completely new building was needed. Another tract of land adjoining the premises was purchased and in the year 1966 construc-tion was begun, with plans for completion by spring of 1967. The new building will accommodate 300 to 350 in the church sanctuary, and educational building will have 15 class rooms which will provide for full grading of the Sunday School.

Sunday School enrollment is 214. Average attendance in 1966 was 168.

Church membership is 110, with average attendance of 178. Mis-sionary interest include periodic visits from missionaries, and partial support for several home and foreign missionaries as selected by the congregation. Regular services are as follows:

Sundays: Sunday School: 9: 30 AM. :
Worship Service: 10:30 AM. At this time, Junior worship service is conducted for children under 12 years of age.
Evening Worship Service: 7:45 P.M.
Prayer Meeting: Wednesday evenings at 7:30 P.M. Women's Missionary Fellowship meetings every third Thursday evening of the month at 7: 30 P.M.
Pastor: Reverend Harold E. Feerrar, Jr., B.A Quarryville,
Pennsylvania, R. 1, 17566. Official Board: Serving April 1966 to April 1967: Deacons: David R. Wenger, Quarryville, Pa., R. 1, 17566
John Fichtner, Quarryville, Pa., R. 1, 17566
Paul Spangler, Quarryville, Pa., R. 1, 17566
Trustees: Samuel M. Wenger, Quarryville, Pa., R. 1, 17566
Marshall Stoner, Willow Street, Pa., 17584
Judson E. Wagner, 201 Circle Drive, Quarryville, Pa., 17566
Sunday School Superintendent: Ralph W. Haneman, Quarryville, Pa., R. 1, 17566
Financial Secretary: Paul Ayers, 207 Circle Drive, Quarryville, Pa., 17566
Treasurer: Robert Marlin, Jr., Lancaster, Pa., R. 6, 17603
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