History of Calvary Lutheran Church

Drawing by Mike Lorenzo

In 1952, the Board of American Missions of the Augustana Synod requested a survey of Morro Bay as a possible site for a Lutheran Church. Based on the results of that survey, on March 9, 1953, Rev. J. Wm. Raymond was called as Calvary's first pastor. A parsonage was purchased at 480 Bernardo St. for $13,500. The first worship service was held on July 5th, 1953 in the Justice Court Building. The judge's desk was used as the altar. Sunday School classes were also held there. Other meetings were held in the Parsonage until the Church was built.  Pastor Raymond along with Mrs. Esther Krause called on every home in the area looking for new members. On Palm Sunday, April 11, 1954, the congregation was officially organized with 33 adults and 21 children. Soon property was purchased for a church for $7,500.  Groundbreaking was held on April 5, 1955 and soon the volunteers began working. After putting in close to 3,000 hours of volunteer labor the new church was completed at a cost of $16,500. The first worship service was held in the new sanctuary, December 18th, 1955. 

Naming the church 

The name of the new congregation was chosen based on the following: “The word Morro is a Spanish word meaning a round skull-shaped object.  Likewise, Calvary refers to the skull-shaped hill on which Jesus was crucified.”

Pastors of Calvary

Rev. J. Wm. Raymond -1953-1960

Rev. J. Edwin Erickson -1960-1964

Rev. Sidney Bennett - 1964-1967

Dr. Frederick Smith - (Interim) - 1967

Rev. Robert Erickson - 1967-1970

Rev. Carl Stark - 1970-1973

Rev. Carl Jacobi - 1973-1977

Dr. Robert Orling - (Interim) - 1977-1978

Rev. Ernest Lineberger - 1978-1980

Rev. Lance Poldberg - 1980-1989

Rev. Ernest Lineberger - (Interim) - 1989

Rev. James Berg - 1990 -2019