Mount Calvary African Methodist Episcopal Church sits on Eudowood Lane in the East Towson neighborhood of Towson, Maryland. The congregation describes itself as a Christ-centered, word-based, soul-winning, love-centered community, large enough to grow you and small enough to know you. Under the leadership of Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Sheleta E. Fomby, Mount Calvary carries forward a tradition that began more than 170 years ago, with a pulpit staff of ten ministers and more than thirty-seven ministries touching every stage of life.
From a Grove in Baltimore County to East Towson
The story of Mount Calvary begins in 1840, when the first Black church in the area, Saint James African United Methodist Protestant Church, was formed, followed soon after by Mount Olive Baptist Church. In 1855, a group of Christians incorporated to plan a new place of worship. Before a building stood on Eudowood Lane, members gathered in a hall in the grove, in the park area of the Relief Association Hall. On February 12, 1889, the present-day site was purchased from the Relief Association of Baltimore County for $50. The deed was signed by Pastor Rev. Hammond, President James J. Smith, and trustees Isaac Robinson, Lewis Chaney, James H. Garrett, Benjamin Johnson, John Wesley Smith, Phillip W. Meyers, Henry Mack, and Alfred Black, with Emma Smith and Aaron Stewart among the other founders. The church was then known as the Mount Calvary Methodist Protestant Church of Baltimore County.
Although the congregation began as a Protestant body, the African Methodist Episcopal Conference was asked to supply preachers, and a gentlemen's agreement was reached under which the AME Conference provided clergy and the church assumed all financial obligations. In 1968, under the leadership of Rev. Reginald Boston, the original sanctuary was destroyed by fire. Rev. Boston moved the congregation to the First Lutheran Church on Burke Avenue in Towson while the present sanctuary was built. In 1973, Rev. William Gray III became pastor, leading improvements that included central air conditioning, a new chancel, additional property, a new dining area and Sunday School room, new pews, and debt freedom.
After the 1986 mid-year conference of the AME Second Episcopal District, Rev. Gray was reassigned to Saint Stephens AME Church, and Mount Calvary received its first woman minister, Rev. Ann Farrar Lightner. In 1991, Dr. Lightner-Fuller shared her vision for a new sanctuary and education building. The current sanctuary was completed in 1996, and the mortgage was paid off five years later in 2001. In June 2012, the congregation walked into the new Family Life Center, which now serves as the administrative hub and a pillar of hope in East Towson.
Sunday Morning at Mount Calvary
Worship at Mount Calvary is a dynamic and joyful experience led by the Holy Spirit, not limited to a printed program but fully open to the Spirit of God. The ministry of music lifts worshipers physically and spiritually, with several choirs under the guidance of a talented music staff. The Mass Choir, Anointed Voices of Praise Choir, Ambassadors for Christ Choir, Vocal Choir, and Praise Team all take turns in song. The liturgical dance ministry brings young women, youth, and men in motion on many Sundays, and the congregation is free to express joy and love for God as the Bible prescribes.
Church School for all ages begins at 9:00 a.m. in the Family Life Center, with classes for children from four years old through adults. The worship service follows at 10:00 a.m., offered both in person and online.
A Pulpit Staff and a Connection Wider Than Towson
Rev. Dr. Sheleta E. Fomby serves as senior pastor. A native of Washington, D.C., and a five-point United States Air Force veteran, Rev. Dr. Fomby holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland University College, a Master of Divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary in African American Church Studies, and pursued a Doctor of Ministry at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary focused on the work of de-centering Whiteness and nurturing an anti-racist community. She founded Sequoia Ministries in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, has served Reid Temple AME Church in Glenn Dale, Maryland, in executive leadership roles including Director of Discipleship and Development, Director of Church Life, Women's Ministry, Director of Small Groups Ministry, Congregational Care Minister, and Managing Minister of Evening Worship, and has preached at the historic Hampton University Minister's Conference. She was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College.
Mount Calvary is part of the African Methodist Episcopal Church's Second Episcopal District under Presiding Prelate Bishop Harry L. Seawright, with Presiding Elder Rev. Johnny R. Calhoun of the Baltimore District. The ministerial staff includes Itinerant Elders Rev. Bonnie Epps-Burgess, Rev. Natalie Watson, Rev. Dawn Wayman, Rev. Regina Muschett, and Rev. Patricia Joyner, along with Local Deacons Rev. Thomasine Adams, Rev. Marvin Higgs, Rev. Sherie Johnson, and Rev. Merriel Lucas.
A House of Prayer on the Phone Line and in Person
Prayer shapes the rhythm of life at Mount Calvary. The Jewel Cromwell Johnson Prayer Line hosts morning prayer Monday through Friday at 6:00 a.m. via conference call. Corporate prayer gathers daily at 12:00 p.m. from wherever members find themselves. The Emmanuel Prayer Warriors meet Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the Family Life Center. The Baltimore District Meditation in Prayer meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 9:00 p.m. by conference call.
Bible study is woven through the week. Church School for youth and adults meets in person on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. The Women of Warfare host their WOW Sessions every second Friday at 6:30 p.m. Friday nights are also the rhythm of the youth ministry's FAB gatherings on every fourth Friday at 7:00 p.m.
Feeding the Community from Eudowood Lane
The Doris Jackson Food Pantry, distributed from the Family Life Center, is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with ID required. Harvest Meals for the Hungry, also known as Tuesday Dinners, provides a weekly meal to those in need. Together, these ministries reach into the East Towson community as a tangible expression of the AME Church's mission to minister to the spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, and environmental needs of all people by spreading Christ's liberating gospel through word and deed.
Music, Dance, and the Liturgical Arts
Music and movement sit at the heart of Mount Calvary's identity. The Music and Liturgy ministries include the Mass Choir, Anointed Voices of Praise Choir, Ambassadors for Christ Choir under Bro. Eric Domineck, the Vocal Choir, the Praise Team, and God's Chosen Vessels, the adult dance ministry led by Sis. Mia Edwards. Precious Stones Dance carries the dance tradition into the youth division. The Digital, Graphic, Arts and Media ministries, led by Rev. Natalie Watson, support the broadcast, online presence, bulletin, and outdoor sign communications that keep the congregation and wider community connected.
Voices in Glass
The sanctuary holds a stained glass program that tells the story of the faith. Donated by Lynchburg Stained Glass Company, the windows unfold in themed series. Scenes in the Life of Christ depict the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ in Glory under the Blood, the Transfiguration, and the Entrance into Jerusalem. The Building Themes Windows carry the inscriptions "May all that come behind us find us faithful" and "For the people have a mind to work." African Methodist Episcopal History Windows honor Sarah Allen and the Four Horsemen of the AME Church, Richard Allen, William Paul Quinn, Daniel Alexander Payne, and Henry McNeil Turner, alongside symbols of the cross and anvil. Worship Windows draw on Psalm 95:6 and Psalm 150:4, the Walk of Faith Windows trace Hebrews 11:1 and Romans 10:17, and the Tithing and Giving Windows feature Malachi 3:10 and Proverbs 3:9.
More Than Thirty-Seven Ministries for Every Stage of Life
The church counts more than thirty-seven ministries across the life of the congregation. Children and youth are served by Church School, the Young People's Division, Saving Our Sons (SOS), Daughters of Destiny (DOD), Precious Stones Dance, and the Transportation Ministry. Young adults meet as the 20 and 30 Something group. Couples and engaged couples gather through CORD, Couples of Rare Distinction. Women of Warfare, the Men's Ministry, and Beads of Wisdom Seniors Ministry serve women, men, and seniors. Christian Education is led by Rev. Thomasine Adams, who also directs New Members Back to Basics. Congregational Care, with the Class Leaders Council under Sis. Carol-Ann Hendricks, supports the well-being of the entire body. The Lay Organization is led by Sis. Lynn Newton, with the Steward Board, Trustee Board, Christian Advisory Board, Doorkeepers Usher Board, Junior Usher Board, and Stewardess Board providing governance and welcome.
Hosting the Community in the Family Life Center
The Family Life Center, completed in June 2012, is the administrative hub of the church and a gathering place for the wider community. The Great Room hosts wedding receptions, baby showers, and other large events. The Meeting Room accommodates smaller dinners and gatherings. Those interested in reserving space can request a Facility Request Form through the church office.
First-Time Visitors
Visitors will find one Sunday worship service at 10:00 a.m., with Church School for all ages beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the Family Life Center. Parking is offered in the front lot, which includes handicap spaces, the lot behind the Family Life Center, one block west at the Cranston building, and at the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations building. Visitors are asked not to park at the apartment complex behind the church, where vehicles may be towed. During worship, visitors who feel comfortable are invited to stand for an official welcome. The Congregational Care Unit will give each visitor a contact card and gift.
The church office can be reached at 410-296-9474 or adminasst@mtcalvaryame.org, and giving is available through the Realm platform. Services can be watched online at the church's YouTube channel.