Our History

Calvary Temple of Praise, Inc. was founded in December 1990 by Pastor Paul P. Wright and his wife, Alberta Wright, in response to a calling from God to establish a ministry that would fulfill God’s will in the lives of His people. The first service took place at 1402 W. 16th Street, Sanford, FL, with just six adults and six children in attendance. As more families joined, the church began to grow.

Calvary’s mission, drawn from Luke 1:17, is “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” This mission also echoes Malachi 3, emphasizing the need for heart transformation to avoid the earth’s curse.

On August 8, 1999, Calvary relocated to its current location at 2020 McCracken Road. The new multipurpose facility includes classrooms, a kitchen, restrooms, administrative offices, and an auditorium with seating for approximately 1,000 people. In 2004, just four years after moving in, the church celebrated paying off its mortgage with a special mortgage-burning service.

The Calvin and Dorothy Elam Fellowship Hall was completed in December 2008 and first used to host a surprise birthday party for Pastor Wright on January 24, 2009. Although the building had a 15-year mortgage, the church paid it off in just 12 years, celebrating with another mortgage-burning service in October 2022.

In 2023, Pastor Wright announced his retirement as Senior Pastor, transitioning to the role of Overseer. His retirement celebration took place on December 3, 2023. Pastor Shawndric A. McGregor and his wife, Sister Brandi, assumed leadership as the new Pastors.