Rev. Calvin McKinney felt the call to ministry when he was a young boy, just 15-years of age. Though he came from a strong Christian family McKinney says he never divulged his feelings to anyone. “Being a teenager, those were things you just didn’t talk about,” he said. It was a traumatic incident that caused him to face the reality of his calling.

Calvin was attending Marshall University in Huntington,WVA on a full athletic scholarship and was quarterback on the football team, just into his sophomore year. He didn’t travel with the team when they traveled to North Carolina to play East Carolina State on November 14, 1970 because was at home in Passaic, NJ attending his uncle’s funeral.

On its return flight to Marshall the plane crashed killing all 75 passengers—the football team, coaches and staff, and some family members and fans. Calvin was devastated at the loss of his teammates and several good friends. But he knew, now, that he had a purpose. It was then that he confided to his pastor his feeling that he was called to the ministry. McKinney says his pastor’s words to him were, “Well, I’ve been waiting for you to come to me for quite some time.”

He transferred from Marshall to William Paterson College in Wayne, NJ where he completed his undergraduate degree in Political Science in 1972. That year, even before he entered seminary he was called to pastor the church he grew up in, Calvary Baptist Church in Garfield, NJ where he has served for over 33 years. McKinney went on to earn his a Masters Degree in Theology from the National Theological Seminary and College in Baltimore, MD. where he has also been honored with a Doctorate of Humane Letters Degree.

In 1972 Calvary had a membership role of 200, today the role counts over 1200, with 700 active members. The congregation has outgrown the little church, a former handkerchief factory, and is eagerly awaiting the completion of their new 1,100 seat edifice. With God” grace, the congregation will move into its new state-of-the art church home in December of this year. The new building will have space to house Calvary’s six ministries: Pastoral Care and Shepherding, Music and Worship, Christian Education, Business Administration and Wealth, Human Resources, and Hospitality and Fellowship, plus a large Fellowship Hall, 11 classrooms as well as administrative offices.

Over the years, Rev. McKinney has earned a national reputation as a gifted speaker, talented administrator and church leader as evidenced by his record of service in various denominational capacities, among them: youngest moderator of the North Jersey District Missionary Baptist Association from 1986-1990; an unprecedented tenure as one of the youngest presidents of the 300,000 member General Baptist Convention of New Jersey, Inc. 1996 through 2000; member of the Board of Directors of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A. Inc.; Vice President of the Executive Board, Hampton University Ministers Conference. The Reverend is also chair of New Jersey’s Commission on Faith-based Initiatives.

Rev. McKinney is a builder. In fact, when we met he was eager to discuss the efforts that he along with other clergy leaders have underway to help remedy and rebuild the people and communities that suffered tragic consequences from the hurricanes in the Gulf Coast area. Spearheaded by Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, NY the Katrina Church Community Relief Fund was formed. “Our goal,” McKinney said “is to put pastors back on the ground in search of their congregations, across denominational lines. The core of the Black community has always been the church, so there is a need is to rebuild the churches.”

Immediately after Katrina hit, Rev. Richardson took up collections for relief in three Sunday services and was impressed with the response. One congregation member gave a $10,000 check from the foundation she headed. “I saw that this was larger than Grace,” he said. It was his idea that the churches, the major institution in the Black community should be a primary resource for rebuilding – helping the people directly now and over the long term, rebuilding the churches and the community. “The church provides a unique link to people in need,” Richardson continued.

“We have already sent two tractor trailers of supplies to Baton Rouge and Alexandria, Va., but we’re not just focused on relief. It’s a 3 to 5 year commitment we’ve embarked upon. These were historical events. These are our people and they have a critical need. We’ve stepped into the vacuum. It’s not something that just one church can do, so we’ve congealed our efforts. Preachers are not just pastors; they are leaders. The church is not just a building, it’s a community.”

Both McKinney and Richardson, as well as other members of the group are reaching out to corporations as well as church members and friends to gain support, financially and for services. The Faith Center headed by Rev. Dr. Fred Lucas has been recruited to help set the long term goals and work out details for the structural components.

Another KCCRF concern is the monitoring of resources from agencies such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army and the government. Rev. Richardson was resolute. “We’ll be an advocate for our people to make certain they are not left out,” he said.

The organization, which is headquartered at Grace Baptist has established a website, www.KCCRF.org where applications for relief can be downloaded and donations accepted, as well as a toll free information hotline, 866- KCCRF77 (866-522-7377). All requests for assistance must be in writing and will be reviewed for legitimacy.

Rev. McKinney expounded on KCCRF’s mandate. “We are committed to go the length of seeing to it that the churches are re-established, the congregations are brought back and the people are re-deployed in the community. Our mandate came to us by virtue of our Christ, He who is head of the Church. He said ‘look at me, my purpose for being here. And if I am head of the Church and you are my body, and if this is my responsibility, what is yours?’ It’s clear,” the reverend continued, “this is what we must be about as long as we live.”