Calvary Community Staff:
Lee Content, Karen VanHolstyn, Brenda Neher
Calvary Community
What a privilege to be part of what God is
doing in community here at Calvary church. To be
in community (whether on Sunday mornings, a
Monday Night Bible study, a community group or
an affinity group) is to experience God in amazing
and unique ways. Calvary defines community
as a group of people who meet together, pray
together, study God’s word together, and care for
one another.
Last fall, we were tasked with the job
of getting a more accurate assessment of
community group involvement in all areas of
adult ministries. We asked Adult Sunday Classes
and our community groups to send us their
rosters and be more diligent in maintaining them.
We also began to implement a more uniform
way for all other ministries to record those
in community. This would include Women’s
Ministry, Men’s Ministry, Young Adults and Yellow
House Ministries. With the implementation of
our new database this fall, we hope this will
become easier for all ministries to know who is
in community, in order to help us better connect
those who are not.
6 | Calvary Church Annual Report
Calvary Community is directly responsible
for Adult Sunday Classes, Monday Night Bible
Study, membership classes and neighborhood
small groups.
• This year we had 27 Adult Sunday Classes
representing about 1500 people.
• Monday Night Bible Study had about 150 men
and women.
• 173 people completed the membership class.
• About 400 people are involved in neighborhood
community groups.
A new event this year to further promote
community was our Winter Launch we held in
February. We added 61 people to community
groups from that event. In May, we held a
Summer Launch adding 54 more people and in
June, an East Grand Rapids Open House added
another 48 people to community.
As we head into the 2011/12 ministry year,
we continue to earnestly ask the Lord to go
before us and prepare people’s hearts to say
“yes” to our invitation to do life{together} by
getting into a smaller community.
Our journey
since moving from
San Antonio to
Grand Rapids in
October, 1999 has
come full circle. We
initially visited Calvary Church in 2000
and enjoyed the ministry and fellowship
here, but did not feel led to join at that
time. Since then, we have been active in
the local Christian community, but God
re-kindled a desire in us to return here last
year. After a few months as visitors, we felt
led to join and began attending the New
Member classes on Sunday mornings.
It was an enlightening experience to
find such kindness, openness, organization
and clarity in the presentation of what
it means to be a Christian and to
become members of Calvary Church.
The materials shared were very helpful
and informative and the class leaders
were well suited to the task of helping a
group of over 30 candidates prepare for
membership. We believe God brought us
back to become members and participants
here as part of His plan for our spiritual
growth, development and service.
It is an awesome experience to be
ushered into God’s presence through
the Word and music that is shared
so beautifully each week. There is an
inspirational spirit of excellence and
dedication among the leaders and
members here that shines through with
each service, project and activity. We too,
aspire to serve God with excellence and
passion and feel so blessed to be here.
We look forward with expectation to see
how he will use us to bless you — our
new family, and we appreciate the warm
welcome we’ve received!
We’re honored to be part of the body
of Christ here at Calvary Church, and
pray that God will continue to shower this
church with blessings as we continue to be
a blessing to others.
Community
Close-Up:
Jacques &
Joyce Davis