Pastor Gruett was released to Ellisville, Missouri, and was succeeded by Reverend Wayne C. Schroeder as senior pastor; Reverend Schroeder was installed on March 12, 1978. The next year Calvary celebrated 50 years of blessings going back to its founding in 1929; in 1979, Calvary recognized a membership of 1,288 baptized souls and 949 communicants. Special services were in May, June, and September of 1979, and in January 1980.

Changes in the ministry as well as the church continued in the early 1980s, the first of which was Pastor Peckman's release in 1981 to Enid, Oklahoma; a year later, on July 25, 1982 seminary candidate Douglas P. Brauner was installed. Additionally the Voters' Assembly authorized the formation of Calvary Lutheran Foundation, Inc. to solicit funds for future expansion and upkeep of church properties. Around this same time, Calvary entered a church-growth process and several changes were made in the Pastor and Principal positions.