Community History – Covington – Other Churches

West Covington Churches

Several other churches have existed in the West Covington Neighborhood over the years. One such church was the Calvary Assembly of God congregation. This congregation was located 1279 Parkway Avenue and had previously been the home of the Goodwilll Lodge NO. 936 Masons (1953-1972) and the Epworth United Methodist Chruch (1879-1953). Calvary was established in West Covington in 1972. The first minister was the Reverend Larry Hill. He was succeeded by the Reverend Marvin Wildeman. The congregation closed in 1977.

When the Calvary Assembly of God Church closed, the building was left vacant. In 1977, a group of conservative Catholics established Our Lady of Fatima Parish in the building. The parish was part of the Orthodox Roman Catholic Movement. Members of the movement had rejected many of the reforms from the Second Vatican Council, including the discontinuation of the Latin liturgy. The documents from the Council of Trent and the Baltimore Catechism were used as a basis for teaching by the congregation. Dissident visiting priests took care of the spiritual needs of the congregation.

Our Lady of Fatima was in no way affiliated with the Catholic Church or the Diocese of Covington. A diocesan official commented on the church by saying, “because the pope has forbidden it (Tridentine Mass) … it is not a legitimate Mass…” The congregation received some early interest from the Catholics of the area, but this interest quickly faded. Our Lady of Fatima closed within a few years. The building is now home to a Church of God congregation.

The West Covington Baptist Church is a more recent addition to the neighborhood. The small congregation is located in a modern church building on Highway Avenue.

Kentucky Post, May 14, 1977, p. 1k; News Enterprise, May 19, 1977, p. 1 and February 23, 1978, p. 1.

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