Special Events | Worship | Outreach | Fellowship & Study Groups | Retreats
Calvary Episcopal Church is a lively parish dedicated to making God's love visible in downtown Memphis, by worshiping the loving, living God; discovering God's call within a diverse, welcoming community; and learning the Christian practices that empower people for service. Whether centered on support, fellowship, service or spirituality, the following opportunities bring people further into community with one another and allow them to share their time, talent, and treasure. We welcome you to participate!
Listed below are immediate volunteer requests or other opportunities. Click on Parish Life and Outreach to learn about even more opportunities to get involved.
Festival of Ministries, a yearly opportunity for people to sign up to participate in or contribute to Calvary’s many ministries, will follow the 10:00 a.m. service, on Sunday, August 17. Come walk through the myriad displays in the Great Hall. Adult and teen classes will not meet, but a summer FUNdays session for children will be offered in Room 203.
Greeter Training- Calvary's greeters serve once every four weeks, alternating between the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services, and are stationed at the various main entrances to the church and the nave. This ministry begins about 15 minutes before the service and lasts until about 5 minutes after the service. Would you like to help welcome people to Calvary on Sunday mornings and help them find their way through Calvary's buildings? If so, please plan to attend one of the Greeter trainings on either Wednesday, August 20, at 6:30 p.m. in the Bethlehem Chapel or on Saturday, August 23, at 10:00 a.m. in the Emison Room. Contact Ebet Peeples to learn more or to sign up.
Focus Group Meetings: August 24-September 17- Please plan to attend one of the upcoming focus group meetings to hear the plans for improving welcome space and circulation through Calvary's buildings, preserving and enhancing the sanctuary, organ renovation and reconstruction, a new and exciting outreach initiative and more. The purpose of these meetings is to get parishioner input. View the schedule.
Foyer (Dinner) Groups- It is time to sign up for one of Calvary's Foyer Groups. Foyer Groups, made up of 10-12 people, provide opportunities to foster friendships within the larger Calvary community through monthly informal meals. The kick-off dinner for the new Foyer Groups will be held on Friday, September 5, in the Great Hall. Please register by Monday, September 1. Learn more or sign up today.
Upcoming Events in the Diocese of West Tennessee- Learn more about special lectures, support groups, concerts and events happening in Episcopal churches in our Diocese.
Fellowship & Study Groups
Adult, Teen, & Children's Sunday Classes take place at 11:10 a.m. The fall schedule will resume with new classes on Sunday, August 24, at 10:15 a.m.
Integrity (GLBT) will meet for worship, dinner, and a program on Tuesday, August 19, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Bethlehem Chapel. The program guest will be Mark Jones who will discuss the upcoming Outflix Festival, and also will be giving a preview of his latest film project.
Koinonia, Calvary’s Wednesday Evening Program of Dinner, Worship, Classes, and Choir Rehearsals resumes with dinner at 5:00 p.m. in the Mural Room, on Wednesday, August 20.
Enjoy the Downtown Table Fellowship lunch (view menu) served each Thursday in the Mural Room from 12:15-1:15 p.m. A Women's Bible Study is offered in the Luke Room from 12:15-1:15 p.m.
OPUS, Calvary's fellowship group for adults over age 55, will meet on Thursday, August 21, at 5:30 p.m., at Lucy Turnbull's home. This month, those whose names begin with A-M are asked to bring an appetizer. Beverages will be provided. Newcomers are encouraged to attend.
A Whale of a Tale- All rising 9th-12th graders are invited to participate in a bible study of Jonah at Barth House, 619 Patterson on the University of Memphis Campus, on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
The August Soup Sunday soup is Gazpacho, a cold summer vegetable soup. Soup may be purchased in the first-floor entrance hallway. Donations can be made in the Soup Sunday envelopes found in your Sunday bulletin.
Backpack/Uniform/School Supply Drive- July 27-August 10, Calvary will be collecting school supplies for our partner public school Carnes Elementary. Items needed include:
- Spiral Notebooks
- Pencils
- Crayons
- Safety Scissors
- Glue Sticks
- Kleenex
- Backpacks
- Uniforms (khaki, black or blue bottoms and white polo tops for boys and girls sizes 5-11).
School supplies may be left on the second floor underneath the community service bulletin board. Monday-Friday, school supplies may be left at the Information Desk on the first floor.
Community Breakfast Prep Coordinator Needed- The Saturday morning breakfast preparation crew is looking for someone to coordinate the monthly schedule of volunteers. Ideally this individual would volunteer one Saturday a month for 2 hours of prep work, although this is not a requirement. The coordinator is responsible for contacting the 8-10 volunteers by e-mail every two months to set up a two-month schedule. In addition, he/she helps find substitutes if volunteers have conflicts. The coordinator also alerts the Sunday morning breakfast crew if any food items are found missing on Saturdays. Coordinating tasks generally take less than one hour per month. If you are interested in coordinating this crew, please contact Noell Wilson by August 20.
Box Tops for Education- Calvary is collecting Box Tops for Education coupons for our partner public elementary school Carnes Elementary. A collection box is located on the Community Service table on the second floor. This will be an on-going outreach project.
HUB Packs- One of the children’s outreach projects during Summer FUNdays will help the ministry of the Hospitality HUB. Following is a list of items that our clients at the HUB need during the summer months. Items can be left under
the Community Service bulletin board on the second floor.
• Insect Repellant
• Soap
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Small pillow (like a neck pillow)
• Hand sanitizer
• Bottled Water
• Cracker Packs (Cheese and crackers, peanut butter and crackers)
The Community Breakfast Ministry is collecting blue jeans, sleeping bags, lotion, razors, toothbrushes, t-shirts, socks, belts, backpacks, and anything else men might need, to distribute on Sunday mornings. Donations may be left in the blue clothes bin on the first floor at the bottom of the main stairwell.
The Hospitality HUB, the downtown churches' ministry to the homeless, is in need of volunteer greeters on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Contact Dave Figiel for more information.
The Summer Sunday Worship Schedule, with services at 7:45 & 10:00 a.m. (with Children's Chapel), continues thru Sunday, August 17.
Acolyte Training- Rising 7th-12th graders are invited to gain new acolyting skills at one of the acolyte trainings on Saturday, August 9, or Saturday, August 23. Beginners and 8th graders will meet from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. 11th and 12th graders will meet from 10:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. 9th & 10th graders are welcome to attend either session.
Summer FUNdays Choir-On Sunday, August 10, the children of the parish who have been participating in Summer FUNdays will serve as the choir of the day. All Summer FUNdays participants are asked to wear their red Calvary t-shirts and to attend Children's Chapel that morning so that they can rehearse once more before they sing in church.
Godly Play/GROW Training- All those interested in learning more about the children's Godly Play/GROW curriculum or perhaps in becoming Godly Play/GROW teachers are encouraged to attend the training session on Saturday, August 16, from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. with Godly Play trainer Cyndy Bishop. Please contact Judy Nocifora to learn more and to let her know if you can attend and if you need childcare.
The three-service Sunday worship schedule will resume on Sunday, August 24, with services at 7:45, 9:00, and 11:15 a.m. A new series of adult classes, Journey to Adulthood classes for teens, and Godly Play/GROW classes will begin at 10:15 a.m.
New Wednesday Morning Eucharist Begins- Starting August 27, a Eucharist will be offered in the church every Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. If you've had to miss Sunday services in your spiritual home or are just looking for a chance to stay connected with your spiritual foundation during the week, please come and worship at Calvary this Wednesday. Free parking is available in the Calvary lot at Adams and Third.
Music Program Has Openings for Singers and Ringers- Have you thought, "Gee, the choir looks like SO MUCH FUN (and it is!); I should be up there, too?" Now is the time to get involved. Learn more about the Parish Choir, Calvary Choir, and Calvary Ringers. We have a need for all voice parts in both adult choirs and some more handbell ringers.
Children in SR-K through 3rd grade are encouraged to participate in the Children's Choir which rehearses on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 203 and sings once a month during the 9:00 a.m. liturgy. Learn more.
Morning Prayer Leaders Needed- Calvary maintains a cycle of Morning Prayer, offered in the church at 8:40 Monday through Friday (at 7:30 on Wednesdays). If you would like to explore leading one of these prayer gatherings, please contact Robyn Mauldin. Training is available.
Wedding Altar Guild Team- The Altar Guild Team that coordinates weddings at Calvary is expanding and looking for people who would like to be trained. If you would like to learn more about helping during wedding rehearsals and weddings, please contact Ebet Peeples.
Costume Makers- Children's Ministries needs volunteers who will make more sheep costumes for this winter's Advent pageant. Please contact Judy Nocifora ASAP, if you can volunteer your time to make some costumes. The Advent Pageant will take place one of the first Sundays in December, which will be here before we know it.
Homemade baked bread is served during the 10:00 a.m. Eucharist on Sunday mornings. There are a number of openings for bread bakers for August. Please contact Debbie Balling if you would like to bake bread this summer.
Altar Flowers & Aumbry Candles- If you would like to make a donation of Altar Flowers or the Aumbry Candle in memory or in honor of loved ones or a special occasion, please contact Cindy Yeager.
The 2008 Conference of the Episcopal Churchmen of Tennessee will be held at the DuBose Conference Center, in Monteagle, TN, over the weekend of August 15-17. The theme for this year's spiritually rewarding and fun summer weekend for men is "if you're going through Hell, keep on going for there are angels everywhere to help you through." Learn more.
St. Clare Silent Retreat Weekend- Ladies Only - Save the Date! October 24, 25, and 26 at St. Columba Conference Center