Calvary has been a wonderfully visible fixture in downtown Memphis for almost two centuries. It has been a refuge for those who need spiritual refreshment and Christian community and a force for justice and change. But what may be less visible is the way Calvary’s mission is sustained year after year, decade after decade. You are probably approached regularly by many organizations in Memphis who need our support, and we hope you offer it generously to the ones you feel called to give to. The difference in a church is that the resources to operate our beloved community come from within that community.
The following offers a brief description of the ways that your pledge dollars support Calvary’s mission and ministries.
Worship is at the heart of our identity at Calvary. Blessed with some of the finest musicians and liturgists in the Mid-South, our worship helps define who we are. Our inspirational prayers, our soaring music, and our sacramental core remain an uplifting invitation to be transformed for both members and visitors.
Calvary is a caring church, and our love for each other grows as we share our lives with one another. Our pastoral care teams place a high priority on caring for the most vulnerable members of our parish family. Made up of clergy and lay visitors, the teams connect with members of our community who are home-bound and hospitalized, who are going through difficult life moments, or who are welcoming new life into their family.
Calvary has a proud legacy of going outside our walls and into our city to actively love our neighbors, especially those downtown. Outreach connects us to our city, making our faith active and tangible, and helps us continue to grow as disciples. Daily, we are called to take our faith out into the world, and our continued commitment to serving our city, of being the hands and feet of Christ in the world, helps transform us all. Together, we support significant gifts to the city, including our Lenten Preaching Series, The Waffle Shop, and diocesan-wide missions and ministries.
Calvary is a thinking church, a searching church, an inquiring church. As Christians, we are called to be transformed and, in turn, to transform the world around us. We offer formation opportunities and programs for groups, both large and small. Our children receive formative experiences multiple times each week that are both innovative and classic. Our youth are formed in the classroom and in the world, with mission opportunities every year. Our adults are invited to participate in formation through offerings that include study, dialogue, and service.
Our life together is also a celebration of our many blessings. Coming together for fellowship and ministry strengthens each of us, inspiring us to continue to do the work God has given us to do in the world.
Calvary is clearly defined by and rooted in downtown Memphis. There is a challenge in maintaining an historic facility such as ours. We remain committed to a building where so many have laughed and cried and prayed, and will continue to honor the sacredness of this space. We welcome the use of our facility by any group looking to serve and support those with the greatest need in our city. We continue to be a vibrant place in the heart of a vibrant city.
It takes resources to keep our church home the welcoming, unique place it is. Calvary’s staff are our most irreplaceable asset. They deserve livable salaries and benefits. And they need computers, phones, copiers, and other technology and office supplies to do their jobs effectively and creatively. Calvary’s staff does the work of churches twice our size, and the 40-hour workweek is something of a myth at 102 N. Second.