Our Story
Even though our church is modern today, it has a rich heritage. Here’s a brief history of our church from it’s beginning to today.
1939 – The church was founded by Rev. D. H. Brown. Its first meeting place was a store located at 25th Street and 12th Avenue North in Birmingham, AL in an area known as Norwood. The church at that time was known as Norwood Assembly of God. In just a few years they were able to purchase a building a few blocks away at 20th Street and 12th Avenue North.
1957 – Rev. Brown was succeeded by Rev. Leonard E. Page. Rev. Page had been an evangelist and had been preaching all across the country prior to this time. This was his first and only pastorate. Over the next 10 years, ethnic changes in the neighborhood and civil rights problems in the city of Birmingham encouraged the congregation to relocate.
1968 – The church bought property at 2120 Lakeshore Drive in Homewood, AL and built a new building. The name was changed to Lakeshore Assembly of God at that time as well. The new facility had a seating capacity of around 300, which was comparable with the previous church building.
In the late 1980’s the church was approached by Southern Progress Corporation who wanted to purchase the property on Lakeshore Drive. The congregation agreed to sell the land as long as Southern Progress would purchase a new piece of property and build a new church.
1988 – Construction was completed on the new church building which was built in its present location on Columbiana Road in Vestavia Hills. Again, the name was changed, this time to Calvary Temple Assembly of God. On June 6, the congregation met for a dedication service of its new church building which is 18,500 square feet and has a seating capacity of over 500. Miraculously, a congregation of less than 100 moved into this building debt free!
2001 – After more than 44 years as the pastor of Calvary Temple, Rev. Leonard Page retired on August 4th. Rev. Joseph L. Comer, Jr., who had served as the Minister of Education and Associate Pastor during the previous 10 years, became the new pastor of the church.
2009 – Sensing the direction of the Holy Spirit to reach a new generation of people, the church voted to change the name to Horizon Church.