Beginnings: 1922-1926

Mt. Calvary began as  a ministry to one family. In 1922, the Elsasser family of Cross Lutheran Church (now closed) moved to the western edge of town, which then was along 48th Street. To serve the spiritual needs of the family, Rev. Titus Lang of Cross Lutheran Church went to the Elsasser home to instruct the children. He then invited other children who had no church to attend the class. By December of 1923, Pastor Lang was instructing 14 children.


The District Board for Missions saw the need for a missionary in the area, so Rev. W. W. Stoeppelwerth of Scottsbluff, NE was called to serve the area. He arrived in January 1924. Land was purchased and a chapel was constructed at 52nd and Woolworth. On December 21, 1924, the chapel was dedicated and named Mt. Calvary at the suggestion of Rev. Stoeppelwerth. By that time the Sunday School had an enrollment of 55 children, and attendance at worship was increasing. The following year brought about a discussion of organizing a congregation. This was delayed when Rev. Stoeppelwerth took a call to Lawrence, KS in January, 1926.


Rev. Milton Matuschka was called to serve the mission, and shortly thereafter the congregation organized and adopted its constitution on December 10, 1926. 

Growth and school: 1926-1950

From its very beginnings, the congregation was concerned with proper Christian instruction of children. An instructor was called and the school opened in 1928. The growing needs of both school and congregation led the church to begin seeking a new location. In the middle of this search, Rev. Matuschka accepted a call in January 1930 to St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bertrand, NE. 


The vacancy was filled by Rev. George Weber of Dodge City, KS. It was also during this time that the congregation received a loan from the Northern Nebraska District  to purchase property and construct a new house of worship. In April 1931 the congregation was received as a member of the Northern Nebraska District of The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, now known as The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. The present church site, comprised of seven lots at 56th and Leavenworth was purchased for $7,300. Construction began and the church was dedicated in three services on December 9, 1934. The cost of the building with furnishings was $13,700. The school remained at the original chapel site at 52nd and Woolworth.


In 1940, Pastor Weber took a call to serve St. John's Lutheran Church in Scottsbluff, NE. After a few months, Howard Barth accepted the call to serve Mt. Calvary. Barth was a candidate of theology at the time, assisting Trinity Lutheran in Lincoln. He was installed May 25, 1941. By 1944 (Mt. Calvary's 20th Anniversary of ministry, and 10th year of its house of worship,) the number of communicant members was more than 200, with a total membership of 326 souls.


By 1950 communicant membership was near 300. Plans to construct a new education building and parsonage were drawn up in 1946, with revisions 1949. Ground was broken for the school on March 19, 1950 through a blanket of snow. The first story of the education building was dedicated August 27, 1950. 

Mid-Century: 1950-1987

In 1953, Pastor Barth accepted a call to Calvary Lutheran Church in Kansas City, MO. Rev. E. J. Dreyer of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Norfolk, NE accepted the call to serve Mt. Calvary and was installed on August 30, 1953. In the late 1950s, work was begun to construct a second story for the education building, as well as an expansion of the chancel to its present state (the picture to the left is of the original chancel in 1944). Also added were an air conditioning system, a reception room, pastor's study, secretary's office, cry room, expansion of fellowship hall (which involved raising the stage and ceiling), and kitchen expansion. These improvements were dedicated on December 18, 1960. Adult Bible Class and Vacation Bible School were also begun under Pastor Dreyer's direction. Shortly after a celebration for Pastor Dreyer's 40th anniversary of ordination and his 15th year as Pastor of Mt. Calvary, he took ill and died on January 20, 1969.


Rev. Dale Erickson of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Clarinda, IA was called as pastor later that year. He was installed on July 20, 1969. On November 4, 1973, Pastor Erickson asked the Voter's Assembly to allow him to accept a call to serve as Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau, WI. His request was granted. 


After a vacancy of several months, Mt. Calvary extended a call to Rev. Robert Schultz of St. Paulus Lutheran Church in San Francisco, CA. He accepted the call and was installed on August 11, 1974. Pastor Schultz left Mt. Calvary in 1980.  Rev. Delbert Thies was Mt. Calvary's next pastor. He was installed July 12, 1981 and served until his retirement in 1987.  1981 was also the first year of operation of a pre-school program, as well as the beginning of the Annual Turkey Dinner in November.

Our recent past: 1989-

In 1989, Seminarian Richard Gudgel was assigned to serve Mt. Calvary for his one year vicarage (internship). He was then called to serve as pastor, and was ordained and installed on July 15, 1990. In 2000 the Preschool Program was discontinued in favor of a full-day kindergarten. In 2001, Mt. Calvary celebrated its 75th Anniversary, and a new sign in the front yard of the church property was installed. On September 12, 2004, the first building addition in 44 years began with a renovation of the narthex, balcony expansion, the addition of an elevator, light tower, and irrigation system, as well as another parking lot with spaces for the handicapped and elderly. The completed work was dedicated June 5, 2005. Pastor Gudgel retired in the fall of 2010 after serving Mt. Calvary for 21 years. 


Rev. Claude Houge was installed in September 2011. He had previously served in the mission field in Africa for 13 years. During his pastorate, Mt. Calvary co-founded the Peace International Friendship Center, an outreach ministry to the growing immigrant and refugee community in Omaha. It was also during this time that Mt. Calvary made the difficult and sad decision to close its school which had been in operation since 1928. Pastor Houge retired at the end of January 2015.


Mt. Calvary made the decision to call their new pastor from the seminary. In April of 2015, Andrew Gerike, a candidate for the ministry at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, received the call to serve as Mt. Calvary's pastor. He was ordained and installed at Mt. Calvary on July 12, 2015.


During the winter of 2016/2017, some much-needed organ repairs were done. The original leather had deteriorated, and the wiring in the console was increasingly unreliable, and was also a fire hazard. The repairs were completed and the organ was re-dedicated on Transfiguration Sunday in February, 2017. A celebratory vespers service and organ recital was held on May 21, 2017.