Staff/Servent Leaders

Pastor: Renae Meggitt

Music Director and Pianist: Tony Casacchia

Lay Leader: Sonia Skripac

Church Secretary: Cindy Wessel

Custodian: Todd Newland

“And when the people gather, there’s singing and there’s praying, there’s laughing and there’s crying sometimes, all of it saying: I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together! “
We Are the Church by Richard Avery and Donald Marsh
God has continued to bless Calvary United Methodist church but we have also faced many difficulties this past year. Although hard to do at times, we much accept the challenges placed before us and move forward, continuing to be a place of worship and fellowship for our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Calvary was faced with several challenges in 2007, including our church secretary being injured and out of work for several months. Prayers were answered and the Lord provided individuals who filled in during the absence and her healing was faster than expected. Our church was also able to provide monetary support as well during her time off by raising money through several different fundraisers. The power of prayer once again displayed at Calvary.
The unexpected death of our pianist/choir director and dear friend John Huebert stunned us at Calvary UMC. The week after he announced his resignation due to another job he had taken at another church, we were faced with his tragic death. Not only did we have to find a way to move forward through the grieving process, we had no pianist for our worship services. Once again, the Lord provided people who filled in. Calvary still grieves that loss of our friend John. In October, we welcomed Tony Casacchia as our new pianist/choir director and are looking forward to a new era of music at Calvary.
Challenging economic factors and declining attendance were two other issues we faced this past year. We need to view these challenges as opportunities to trust and serve our Lord as opposed to negative factors. As we have experienced in the past, the Lord will provide.
We continue to be a praying church as we have reached so many through our prayer quilt ministry.  Part of this ministry is the fellowship of making the quilts and then tying the knots as prayers are lifted up to the Lord. The power of prayer truly does pass all understanding.
Calvary UMC has opened its doors on Election Day and is now the site for voting in the community. What a great opportunity to get people exposed to our church. Friendship Service Circle has had lunch and bake sales during elections as well.
Calvary has continued with its Chicken BBQ, apple dumpling sales, Christmas cookie sale, Samaritan’s  Purse Christmas gift boxes,  and election bake sale and luncheon. Additionally, a spaghetti dinner was held to raise money for our church secretary after her injury. We continue to support several missions including SRCCC, Red Bird Mission, World Vision Adopt a Child, Youth Service Fund, and Rescue Mission. This past summer, money was collected by the younger children in their “noisy buckets” during worship service to assist children who could not afford school supplies and the older children sold root beer  floats at the community corn roast.  We are blessed to have so many people that dedicate time and energy to make these events successful.
Calvary continues to have an active youth program that participates in many activities throughout the year. Youth Annual Conference, 30 Hour Famine, and other District Youth Council events are just a few of the things they have participated in. One of our youth continues to serve on CCYM executive board and another youth serves of Mahoning Valley District Youth Council. A new group was developed this past year for youth in grades 4-6 called CKC or Calvary Kidz for Christ. It was developed to be an introductory Youth Group and meets once a month. We celebrate as our young adults continue to build their faith in Jesus and encourage others to do the same.
To help in the administrative duties of the church, we were able to purchase a new computer for the office. It was a much needed improvement and now allows our secretary to have internet access among many other upgrades. Keeping up to date with technology needs to be a part of our ministry.
The Sunday School program continues to be very strong at Calvary UMC. We have three adult Sunday morning classes and programs for every age youth. We have a strong sense of fellowship at Calvary and this has added to the success of our group gatherings before our Sunday morning worship service.
As Calvary UMC looks to the future, we need to focus on growth: spiritual growth, congregational growth and community growth. We need to keep moving forward, with Jesus as our focus, learning from past experiences, praying and trusting in the Lord for the future of our church and the development of His kingdom.