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The Monument church had a very humble but interesting beginning. Mr. William Eckert, a wealthy manufacturer from Germany, moved to America and purchased several large farms in what is now the vicinity of the church. He had two riding horses he valued very highly. In an accident, the one was injured and had to be killed. He decided to bury it at a chosen site on his farm. It was his dying wish to be buried beside his faithful horse. At his death the family were careful to fulfill his dying request. They marked the grave with a large marble monument stone from Italy. Thus the Eckert cemetery was started. His son Uriah, who later owned the farm, was sympa-thetic with the neighborhood, because there was no cemetery. He enlarged the family burial plot so the neighbors might buy burial lots for $1.00 and bury their dead. For about twenty-five years it was known as the Monument cemetery named after the large Monument of William Eckert.
About this time the Nickle Mines were in full operation with many men working in the mines and smelting plant. Uriah Eckert and his sister Lavina were concerned for these men because there was no church in the community. Their concern was expressed by the build-ing of a small union church in 1885. The church was built beside the Monument Cemetery and carried the name Monument Church.
For about ten years it was served by the following churches; Gap Methodist, Bellevue Presbyterian, Paradise Evangelical United Brethren, Georgetown Methodist, and nearby Mennonite Pastors. Later it was used as a Mennonite church until 1921. The building remained vacant until 1931 when it was opened by the Assemblies of God with the Reverend Charles Parrish as Pastor.
He was succeeded by Pastor Clarence L. Lefever in January 1933 who is the present Pastor. The church was rented from 1931 to 1933 when it was purchased at a bankrupt sale for the sum of $100.00. Later the church was incorporated as the CALVARY MONU-MENT BIBLE CHURCH and became independent by not being affiliated with any denomination.
The church is considering its eighth building program. When completed it will have thirty-two Sunday School rooms and a large auditorium that will seat over six hundred. The church has purchased eleven acres of land for future plans. The Sunday School began with eight members present and now has an enrollment of 568.
The church is on the intersection of the Gap Nickle Mines and Kinzer Road, two miles West of Gap. The church is in fellowship with the Independent Fundamental Churches of America.