BY Ann Genader
WEST MILFORD – After closing down, the former Calvary Bible Church may have new life.
Calvary Bible Church, located at 1693 Union Valley Road, is permanently closed, according to the church website.
However, a new sign in front of the property announces that the site is now known as Plant Church. The sign notes the new church “is coming soon.”
Plant Church is based in Mahwah and lists the West Milford location on their website as a missional community of the church along with sites in Ramsey, Hawthorne and several areas of Mahwah.
Persons wanting to know more about The Plant Church will find contact information on the church website at theplantchurch.org.
Calvary Bible Church was founded on Jan. 27, 1957. It was incorporated on Feb. 5 of that year as an independent, Bible teaching, Christ honoring church, according to a township church history calendar published in 1987.
In April of 1957, the property was purchased by the church from a private owner.
In August of that year an interior expansion program enabled the building to accommodate 125 people.
The ground-breaking ceremony for the new sanctuary was held July 19, 1959. The Rev. R. Wayne Focht, the first pastor, served from 1957 to 1964.
The 25th anniversary was celebrated with a special service on Sunday, April 31, 1982. The beginnings of construction of the fellowship hall were seen in 1986.
Before becoming a church, the building was a mansion that was part of a private estate.
According to public record information total assessment of the property is $1,326,200, which includes $113,200 for the land and $1,213,000 for the improvements.
No taxes are paid to the township as church property is tax exempt.