Born in Memphis and a Roman Catholic priest for the Diocese of Memphis for 44 years, Msgr. Val Handwerker is presently pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church, located in the southern end of downtown. He is committed to urban ministry, and St. Patrick’s offers that vision, building upon its more than 150-year legacy at the same location. His preaching
While in medical school, the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Robinson felt unequivocally called by the Lord to a bi-vocational synthesis of medicine and ministry: healing individuals, families and communities while joining God’s work to holistically “heal the land.” He is a systems-directed change agent: transforming urban churches into multi-faceted social, economic, and community development engines; delivering a more diversified physician
In In the Midst of the City: The Gospel and God’s Politics, the Very Rev. Barkley Thompson argues that Christian faith and politics are inseparable. Politics is, in Thompson’s words, “commentary and action that affect the polis…and the citizens for whom the polis is home.” To embody God’s politics we must first steep ourselves in God’s vision embodied in
Rabbi Micah Greenstein loves Torah no matter where it comes from. “Torah” in a broad Jewish sense refers to the teachings and wisdom of Judaism, but he treasures insights on goodness, love, justice, shalom, and compassion from every faith tradition and every reflection of God’s unity. What inspires him most about the Jewish legacy he lives and teaches is
Rabbi Micah Greenstein loves Torah no matter where it comes from. “Torah” in a broad Jewish sense refers to the teachings and wisdom of Judaism, but he treasures insights on goodness, love, justice, shalom, and compassion from every faith tradition and every reflection of God’s unity. What inspires him most about the Jewish legacy he lives and teaches is
Lent is a time of reflection, inquiry, and prayer, as we prepare for the heartbreak of Good Friday and the resurrection joy of Easter. During the noon hour of the Lenten season, Calvary Church invites wise and inspiring preachers into our pulpit from places near and far (geographically, philosophically, and even temperamentally). People from across Memphis come to hear
A persistent, passionate question in the Rev. Buddy Stallings’ preaching and ministry has been how is it that modern people can and, in fact, do remain faithful to an ancient practice of the faith. Admitting that the church drives him nuts, particularly when it is especially certain, he also acknowledges that he can’t do without it. In the mystery
A prophetic voice to local parishioners and online listeners, the Rev. Dr. Stacy Spencer believes in the power of biblical teaching to transform lives. His multi-campus church ministers to spiritual needs, while his non-profit foundation provides scholarships to high school seniors. Spencer considers himself a change agent. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a figure both prophetic and pastoral, is
The Rev. Dan Matthews is a consistent favorite at Calvary’s Lenten Preaching Series. His preaching is inspired by powerful and meaningful stories, like the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. In light of these stories, Matthews pushes us to recognize when genuine blessings come our way. He believes that these moments of being “kissed by God” are more than
The Rev. Dan Matthews is a consistent favorite at Calvary’s Lenten Preaching Series. His preaching is inspired by powerful and meaningful stories, like the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. In light of these stories, Matthews pushes us to recognize when genuine blessings come our way. He believes that these moments of being “kissed by God” are more than