Our Pastor and Teacher

Rev. Elmore Garner and First Lady Sis. Renae' Ussin Garner​

Pastor Elmore Garner was born August 8, 1957 in Independence, Louisiana to the proud parents of the late Rev. Herbert Garner and Barbara Ann Sterling Garner. Together, his parents were blessed with three children; Judy Marie Garner McCray of Austin, Texas and Deborah Faye Garner Huey of Kernnisville, North Carolina. Pastor Garner is the last in this birth order. He is a native of Hammond, Louisiana.

 

Pastor Garner is a graduate of Hammond High School in Hammond, Louisiana. He attended Hammond Vocational Technical Institute in Hammond, Louisiana where he was certified as an Industrial Welder and Fabricator Student.

 

In March 1981, he was called into the ministry. His pastoralship began at Saint James Baptist Church in Ticfaw, Louisiana. During this time he also pastored Sweet Home Baptist Church in Albany, Louisiana. His Evangelistic ministry has taken him all across this nation to places such as California, Colorado, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.

 

On July 22, 1978, Pastor Garner was united in holy matrimony to Renae' Ussin Garner. He is the proud father of three: Elmarko, Tanya and Terrell all of Houston, Texas; and a loving grandfather to nine grandchildren: Elijah, Kamille, Elmarko Jr., Micah, Matthew, Maya, Mathis, Avion and Alexander.  

 

He was called to shepherd the Mount Calvary Baptist Church in January 1992.  In 1995, he led a tour of believers from this church and surrounding area to Jerusalem, the Holy Land. He preached God's word and baptized those believers in the River of Jordan.

 

Pastor Garner attended Union Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has received numerous awards, such as Honorary Assistant District Attorney of Calcasieu Parish in 1993; Office of Community Service Award for Volunteers in 1998; and Religious Man of the Year Award by the Kiwanis Club in 1998.

 

He received a conferred Doctorate Degree from the Christian Bible College of New Orleans, Louisiana and earned his Mastor of Theology Degree in April 2001.

 

Pastor Garner is actively involved with the Baptist Ministers Union of Lake Charles and Vicinity and the Baptist Youth Week Observance. He was the Baptist Ministers' Union  City Wide Revival Coordinator for ten years. His positions with the Louisiana Home and Foreign Missions Baptist Convention  have been; Secretary for  the Evangelical Board, 1999 to 2008, Youth Director; 2008 - 2017 Congress Director, and presently the serves at Third Vice President. He served on the Board of Directors of the Baptist Ministers Union American College Extension; United Way of Calcasieu Parish; The American Heart Association; NAACP of Lake Charles; and is a former member of the Calcasieu Parish Pastors on Patrol.

 

Pastor Garner has visted Guyana, South America; Kingston, Jamaica; and Rome, Italy with the Lott Carey Pastors Excellence Program.

 

Under his leadership at Mount Calvary, Pastor Garner has integrated many programs and developed several effective ministries that have continued Mount Calvary's growth and spiritual development.

 

His greatest desire is to serve Christ and to walk worthy of his calling. He loves the people of God with a pure heart. His prayer is that they will have a strong committed relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

 

His favorite scripture is "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work." John 9:4