Calvary Church Highlights for the Week of August 2, 2026

Sunday, August 2, 2026

The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

8 a.m. - The Holy Eucharist, Rite II

A said service of Holy Communion

in the Chapel

9 a.m. - The Holy Eucharist

A service in the Garden (weather permitting),

with hymns and music

11 a.m. - The Holy Eucharist, Rite II

A service at the Crossing in the Church

with music for choir, organ, and congregation

[This service will be Livestreamed]

Online Worship

Follow this link for the livestream:

www.calvarypgh.org/live

The bulletin and readings may be viewed

on the Calvary website as PDFs at

www.calvarypgh.org/bulletins-and-readings-archive

Visit our YouTube page where you will find an archive

of our services, sermons, and classes at

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAsWoq8c-yqHDFay_hWtkyQ

Calvary welcomes the Rt. Rev. Matthew Cowden, Bishop of West Virginia, to be our preacher at the 9 and 11 o'clock services on Sunday, August 2.

He was consecrated as Bishop Coadjutor of West Virginia on March 12, 2022, and became Bishop Diocesan on October 14, 2022. After an early career as a college theater professor, he followed his joy to pursue ordained ministry and received his Master of Divinity degree at Virginia Theological Seminary. Bishop Cowden was ordained deacon and priest in 2006.

He served parishes in the Dioceses of Virginia and Northern Indiana. Bishop Cowden is a friend and recent colleague of our former Associate Rector, the Rev. T.J. Freeman.

Interested in learning more about outreach at Calvary? Join us on Sunday, August 2 at 10 a.m. in the Evans Room for an outreach gathering to learn more about current and future outreach opportunities at Calvary.

Deaths in our Parish Family

All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Amidst the ever present hope of Christ’s resurrection, we share news about the deaths and funerals of two long-time and faithful parishioners of Calvary Episcopal Church.

Sara Pendleton Woodside died on Sunday, July 26. Sara was a member of Calvary since 1981 and was involved in the life of this parish, particularly through the Women of Calvary and the Calvary Bazaar. A service to celebrate Sara’s life will be held at Calvary on Friday, August 14 at 10 a.m. All are welcome.

Anna Brophy died on Tuesday, July 28, at age 98. Anna was a faithful member of the 8 o’clock congregation, attending every week until she stopped driving at age 97. Anna was very involved in the life of the Church throughout her adult life. At Calvary, she served as a lector and chalice bearer. Details about a service honoring Anna will be forthcoming.

Please join us in holding Sara, Anna, and their families and friends in your prayers.

Rest eternal grant to your servants, Sara and Anna, O Lord: And let light perpetual shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Eucharist to observe

the Feast of the Transfiguration

Each year, on August 6, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This feast commemorates Jesus’ radical change in appearance when he was on the top of the mountain with the apostles Peter, John, and James. It is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. We will observe the Feast of the Transfiguration on Thursday, August 6 with a Eucharist at 6 p.m. in the Lady Chapel. Please join us as we celebrate this holy event in the life of Jesus.

Altar Flower Delivery Volunteers Needed Beginning in the Fall

One of Calvary’s oldest ministries is the delivery of the flowers that grace the altar each Sunday to members of our congregation who need to know of Calvary’s care and concern for them. The flowers are a sign that the congregation is thinking about them in times of loss, illness, recovery – or is rejoicing with them in happy times such as the birth of a baby or a special anniversary.

Because of some anticipated volunteer attrition this fall, Bonnie Weiss (Co-Chair) and I are looking for some volunteers to add to our volunteer roster. We hope you will consider volunteering – the time commitment for the delivery of altar flowers is approximately an hour to an hour and a half after the service once and (at most) twice a quarter. Volunteers often recount meaningful experiences they have had with the flower recipients during their brief visits in hospitals and homes.

Training is provided, and you would be scheduled with a seasoned volunteer for your first couple of Sundays.

Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to volunteer. – Judie Compher, Co-Chair, Calvary Altar Flower Delivery Ministry, jmcompher@aol.com, 412.608.3916.

CORRECTED DATE: Save the Date!

20s, 30s, and 40s and Parents of Little Ones (POLO) Picnic. Mark your calendars and join us on Friday, August 15, at David and Ashleigh Riehl's house for a picnic. More details to come.

20s, 30s, and 40s Hike

Join us on Saturday, August 22 at 9 a.m. for a three-mile loop at Schenley Park. Plan to meet at Bridle Trail near Overlook Drive.

CORRECTED DATE: Family Newcomer Gathering

On Sunday, August 30, at 10 a.m., we will have a newcomer event designed especially for families. Come and meet other Calvary families, learn about faith formation and baptism, and get connected to the Calvary Community! We will meet in the Refectory and Swan Garden following the 9 a.m. Garden Service. To RSVP or if you have any questions, please reach out to Rev. Bonnie-Marie Yager-Wiggan at byagerwiggan@calvarypgh.org.

Safe Church Training

We will hold our annual in-person Safe Church Safe Communities training on Saturday, August 29, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. If you are a new volunteer for Children's Ministry, lay eucharistic minister, or adult acolyte, please save the date! This training must be renewed every 3 years. There is also an online class option if you are unable to attend in person. More details to come! For questions or to sign up for the training, please contact Rev. Bonnie-Marie Yager-Wiggan at byagerwiggan@calvarypgh.org.

Supporting Trinity Cathedral Walk-In Ministry

The Walk-In-Ministry needs women's and men's underwear in all sizes. The drop-off box is located in the reception area.

Feeding Our Neighbors

Calvary Church continues to contribute non-perishable food to the food pantry at the East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM) throughout the year. These donations continue to be important, as the shelves aren’t always full. Particularly needed items this month are: ramen, apple sauce, cold cereal, reusable grocery bags, and any type of canned fish. Thank you for continuing to fill the grocery carts in the lobby and for helping our neighbors in East Liberty and the surrounding areas of the East End.

The deadline for submission of news and notices for the next issue is Friday, August 14, 2026. Please e-mail your text to calvary@calvarypgh.org or deliver it directly to the

church office. Agape, the newsletter of Calvary Episcopal Church, is published monthly (except July), and is mailed to active members and friends of the Parish.

Children’s Programing: Key Dates

Lead Catechist and Assistant Director Position

Details at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a9UxYeMXrQ6nYJGAHqha96NF2JWgnDfSEXR0Ux_UX-g/edit?tab=t.0

Youth Confirmation

Calvary will offer in-person Confirmation Preparation classes beginning Sunday, September 27. Sessions will meet on Sundays from 10:00–10:50 a.m. at Calvary. Confirmation Preparation is open to students 13+ years old (8th grade and up). Registration opens August 1st. Questions? Email vrispoli@calvarypgh.org

Visit https://www.calvaryfaithformation.org/confirmation-prep.html to learn more.

Less than two weeks remain until the start of Calvary’s Used Book Sale, happening Friday, August 14 through Sunday, August 23. Be a part of this amazing event! We are still looking for volunteers to work the sale. In addition to the daily 10 a.m-2 p.m. sessions, an evening session is set for 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20. To sign up, or for more information, contact Cindy Pepples at lucindapepples@gmail.com or 412-298-8274.

Former parishioner Tom Slater sheds light on one of the forgotten women of Hollywood’s early years in his new book June Mathis: The Rise and Fall of a Silent Film Visionary, now available in the Bookstore. Mathis was not only a screenwriter, she also directed and produced movies including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, which launched Rudolf Valentino’s career. The Wall Street Journal calls the book “impeccably researched … a valuable contribution to movie literature.”

If you’re looking online for your summer read, we’d be delighted if you did it on bookshop.org, where a portion of your sale will benefit The Bookstore at Calvary. Just visit bookshop.org, type zip code 15206 in the Bookstore Near Me box, click on Calvary Bookstore, then the red Support this Shop! link. You can use the Search Bar to order any book at all and part of the proceeds from your order will go to the Calvary Book

The Bookstore is open Sundays from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you can’t visit, call the Bookstore at 412.661.0120, ext. 133 (please leave a message) or email bookstore@calvarypgh.org and we will contact you.

The Contemplative Prayer group meets for silent prayer and reflection, both in person and on Zoom Mondays at 7 p.m. in the Evans Room. For more info and a Zoom invitation, contact Lucy Weingartner at lweingartner20@gmail.com.