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What you can do during this time. Read More…

Tags: Top Story

10:30 a.m. Worship
Preacher: Rev. Anne J. Scalfaro
Scripture: Mark 12:28-44 (NRSV)
Title: Drawing Near As We Draw Apart
In Mark 12, Jesus and a scribe have an interaction where both reiterate the greatest commandment: to love God and to love your neighbor as you love yourself. When the scribe repeats this back to him, Jesus says to the scribe: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” The more we love, the closer we are to actualizing the kin-dom of God. That should be good news for us. But often we define loving God and loving neighbor in ways that have become so normalized and routine to us that we aren’t forced to grow in new ways. Well, that’s no longer true, is it?
COVID-19 has landed us in a time of unprecedented unknowns. We feel far away from one another and from our normal routines. We are perhaps feeling emotions that we haven’t felt before. What does it mean to love and to draw near in a time of social distancing? After the exchange of Jesus with the scribe, we are given two examples of people living out their faith. We can learn a lot from their actions. What pushes people away? What draws people in?
It’s kind of paradoxical, but in this time of physically distancing ourselves from one another, we have an opportunity to draw nearer God, one another, and ourselves in ways that we’ve perhaps never tried before. What does it mean to love God, love neighbor, and love self in such a time as this? Join us on the livestream Sunday as we unpack the greatest commandment and see it in a new light. Perhaps it is more relevant now than it ever has been before. Read More…

Tags: Top Story

Read here to make sure you receive all Calvary communications during this time of isolation. Read More…

Tags: Pastoral Care, Enews, Top Story

Follow along with these worship programs for morning worship and evening worship. Read More…

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Tags: Top Story, Enews, Worship, Intergenerational

Hello Calvary,



I hope you are having a meaningful Lenten season so far, finding moments to “pause” and engage in Sabbath rest and renewal. I hope you’ll join us for our first Lenten Sabbath Supper this Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Youth Lounge as we gather for a time of food, fellowship, fun, and reflection on a question related to Sabbath practice. Please RSVP to Pastor Alice if you are planning to attend so we prepare enough soup and salad. You do not have to have engaged with our Sabbath curriculum to attend; in fact, if you have yet to engage with our congregation-wide emphasis on Sabbath – Lent is a great time to begin!



We’ve been getting a few questions about the growing concern of the transmission of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), as well as recommendations for how to prevent or minimize the risk of infection and transmission. At Calvary, we take these concerns seriously and want to be responsible in how we practice faith and community together.

Based on the recommendations of infectious disease experts from UC Health and the CDC this week, we will be using individually wrapped communion elements at Common Table, Common Life on March 15 and for the communion elements we offer each week at the back of the sanctuary in our 10:30 a.m. worship services in March. We will evaluate closer to April 5 as to how we will partake of communion on that Sunday. While the science is unclear as to whether any infectious disease has been or might be spread through the method of “intinction” (dipping bread into a common cup), it seems reasonable and responsible at this time to take this precaution in an effort to minimize risk.
It is also recommended that we temporarily forego our customary “greeting” ritual, which sometimes includes handshaking at the beginning of our services. Some congregations have temporarily replaced the “handshake” with an “elbow bump,” so you can give that a try for the next few weeks or simply cross your arms over your chest during the Time of Greeting if you do not wish to be touched at all.
Of course, if you are feeling under the weather, or if you’re at higher risk for serious illness as a result of flu or other infectious disease, please take advantage of our live-streaming service on Sunday morning. I also hope that, whenever you are unable to be physically present at Calvary for worship, you’ll use our online giving options to ensure that the ministries of Calvary continue to thrive, even in your absence.
We have also placed new signs in the restrooms encouraging you to wash your hands for 20-30 seconds (with fun suggestions of what songs you can hum to yourself as you wash!)

Final reminder: don’t forget to move your clock forward an hour this Sunday for the start of Daylight Saving Time. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday – either at our 10:30 a.m. service or as we celebrate our one-year birthday of The Gathering at 6:30 p.m. – and greeting you with an elbow bump in the name of Christ!



Peace,

~Pastor Anne Read More…

Tags: Top Story, Intergenerational, Enews

10:30 a.m. Worship
Preacher: Rev. Anne J. Scalfaro
Scripture: Mark 10:32-52 (NRSV)
Title: What Do We Want from Jesus?

Sometimes we forget that Jesus’ has his own mission and purpose, and is not just here to attend to our needs and desires. At the beginning of this passage, for the third time we hear Jesus’ tell his disciples about what is going to happen to him. For whatever reason – it is not sinking in for them. They still want Jesus around to meet their own needs and they have their own concerns and desires about what will happen when he’s gone.
Twice in this passage Jesus asks, “What is it you want me to do for you?” The first time he asks this to James and John, and their answer reveals that they do not really know what they are asking for; they want to be near Jesus forever without realizing the sacrifice and service it takes to truly experience that nearness. The second time he asks this to Bartimaeus, a blind man who wants healing. When Bartimaeus asks for sight, immediately his prayer is granted.
Sunday’s sermon will explore these two questions and responses and the difference between them. We’ll then turn Jesus’ question to ourselves and explore what is that we really want from Jesus. Do we want a miracle worker who will fix us and our world? Do we want someone to be our friend and comfort us? Do we want someone who will grant us privilege and power? Do we want someone who will teach us how to be good? Do we want someone who will make our life easier? What do we really want from Jesus? And is what we want actually something Jesus can give us? Or are we missing the mark altogether in who Jesus is and what he has come to offer us? Read More…

Tags: Worship, Enews

10:30 a.m. Worship
Preacher: Rev. Anne J. Scalfaro
Scripture: Mark 10:17-31 (NRSV)
Title: Anything But That

As we continue our journey through Mark’s gospel, we are met with a text that speaks to the heart of our struggles in discipleship. We can feel like we are doing all the right things and that we are more or less a “good person,” and yet still know that something is missing. We are not fulfilled; we feel empty, spiritually thirsty, and are left wanting for something deeper, something more.
In the case of the man who runs up to Jesus in Mark 10, he discovers that what he is missing is something that he doesn’t know yet if he is ready to give up – his wealth, his possessions. Jesus has compassion and love for this man; he knows it will be hard for him. He also knows that it is the only thing that will allow this man to inherit the life eternal he is so longing for. Jesus reassures us in our doubts that the most seemingly impossible things to us, are possible with God. So why do we still cling to material things as a means of reassurance and identity and comfort?
On this first Sunday in Lent we will grapple with this text as a way of taking stock of what we, too, must do to experience fullness of life with God. Just like the man in the text we will look at what we have already done and are doing now, and see still yet what is lacking. That will then lead us to look at those parts of our life that we really don’t want to change and ask the question: could that be the very area in our life where God could unlock for us a whole new depth of faith?

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Tags: Enews, Worship

Come for this presentation by Rev. Chuck Goertz at Piccolo’s Restaurant (3563 S. Monaco Pkwy) titled "The Myth of a Christian Nation." People arrive at 6 p.m. for dinner; presentation begins at 7 p.m. (buying dinner is optional). With inclement weather, cancellations do occur. Email David Ferguson (dfergusonhome@msn.com) or Dave Crane (dcrane1049@aol.com) to be put on the email list and notified of cancellations.
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Tags: Top Story, GPS Groups

Sun. Mar. 22 & Sun. April 5– Connections Class for Those Considering Membership– 3:30 p.m. - Fireplace Room.

If you recently joined the church or you’re considering membership at Calvary, please join us a series of two classes and an afternoon at the Pastor’s home. Dinner is provided.

Description: This class is designed for those who are new to Calvary and/or those who are interested in becoming a member of our church. During the two sessions you will be introduced to key staff and lay leaders, church structure, ministry areas, service and small group opportunities, Calvary history and denominational affiliation, membership requirements, and more. In addition, we will learn more about you and how you would like to connect with Calvary. The third session you will have the opportunity to connect more personally with staff and lay leaders at the Scalfaro’s home.



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Tags: Top Story, Enews, Intergenerational, Discipleship