Parish Profile - Calvary Episcopal Church

Life events such as a baptism, a wedding or a funeral introduced some to Calvary. For others, that introduction wastheir marriage, an acquaintance with a parishioner, or a friendship with a member of Calvary’s clergy that drew them.Some sought refuge at Calvary when our diocese was rent by schism and found a new church home here. Otherswere nurtured in our Sunday School, youth group, or at Calvary Camp and made the decision as adults to remainor return to the church home of their youth.Regardless of the initial attraction or the circumstances that brought people here, Calvary welcomes, Calvaryembraces, Calvary laughs, and above all, Calvary loves, by providing a church home and community for all ofGod’s children.Our WorshipLiturgyWe unite ourselves with others to acknowledge the holiness of God,to hear God’s Word, to offer prayer, and to celebrate the sacraments.–The Book of Common PrayerOur common worship defines our community as Episcopalians and is grounded inthe Book of Common Prayer and the liturgy of our Anglican tradition. It is centralto many parishioners’ connection to Calvary Church. Calvary welcomes all personsto experience God in the beauty of holiness.The Eucharist is “the principal act of Christian worship on the Lord’s Day” (BCP,p.13) and on Sundays Calvary celebrates this sacrament at three services with atotal Sunday attendance averaging approximately 350 communicants each week.Eucharist is also celebrated in the Lady Chapel on Mondays and Wednesdays, withapproximately 25 communicants on average per week. All baptized persons areinvited to share as the “Risen Lord [is] known to us in the breaking of the bread.(BCP, p. 224, 372.)”Our worship at the 11 o’clock Sunday service follows Rite II with a sung Eucharistand a complement of three clergy (the celebrant and two assisting clergy), a choirof 60 to 80 men, women and children, seven youth acolytes, four lay chalice bearers, and a verger. On feast days andspecial occasions, there may be additional choir, soloists, instrumental musicians,acolytes and vergers as needed. Attendance averages about 215 people per week.On Sundays at 8 o’clock in the morning, we gather in the Lady Chapel to offer ourprayers and thanksgiving at a said Eucharist according to Rite II. On average 28communicants attend this service each Sunday. The Eucharist is celebrated againan hour later at 9 o’clock at the crossing in the nave. This Rite II service is similarto the 8 o’clock service but with the addition of organ and congregational hymns.On average 112 communicants attend the 9 o’clock Eucharist each week. Duringthe summer months, the 9 o’clock service moves to the parish garden, weatherpermitting. The garden service is quite popular among Calvary parishioners andaverages 146 persons every Sunday from early June to Labor Day.-7-