Update from the Vision & Discernment Team

We are entering an important next phase of discernment as we build on the stories and reflection you have already shared. Thank you for your engagement and participation. It really makes a difference. Our Vision and Discernment Team agrees that we have been doing significant internal work over the last few years. Through earlier discernment, small-group conversations, and ongoing congregational life, you have shared with us many of the qualities that make Calvary meaningful. We feel the next right step is to take that shared understanding and express it more clearly, both within our congregation and to people outside the church.

Calvary’s current vision, mission, and values remain important as a helpful foundation for our messaging and direction. Calvary’s existing values are a great starting point for us; however, they need explanation, stories, and examples that show what they look like in practice. For example, a value such as “open-minded theology” may be meaningful to people already connected to Calvary, but it may not immediately communicate its meaning to someone driving past the building or visiting the website for the first time. We are now working to translate this internal language into messages that are clear, memorable, and inviting to those less familiar with church and to those who may have preconceived notions about what the words “Baptist” or “Church” mean. The same is true of unconditional love, hospitality, healing, service, and community: these values become more powerful when people can see and hear how Calvary lives them out. One story shared in our last congregational meeting captured this well: a congregant described being in the hospital for three weeks and experiencing the church’s support, using the phrase “this church shows up for people." That is a concrete example of how to translate a value of “caring” or “community” into lived experience.

You may be asking, What about Calvary’s name? For now, our focus is not a name change. That remains a possibility for future discernment if needed, but our immediate work is values-based messaging, storytelling, signage, digital communication, and inviting all of you to help us articulate what Calvary means to you and the community in fresh, engaging ways. We are focused on Calvary’s future and how we can help more people understand who Calvary is, what we believe and value, and why it matters for their lives. We want to sustain and grow a vibrant community that continues to experience and share God’s love with others.