September 25, 2024

Lord, we pray for peace,

not peace at any price

but peace at your price.

Make us and all your children so rich with your love,

your generosity, your justice,

that we can afford

to pay the cost of your peace.

- from The Book of a Thousand Prayers

A Message from the Rector

Dear Friends in Christ,

Television journalist and author Tom Brokaw once said about heroes he had met and interviewed in his career, “Heroes are people who rise to the occasion and slip quietly away.” Brokaw joined NBC in 1966 as a television journalist, eventually rising to the position of anchor of the NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004. Over those decades he interviewed thousands of people, covering every segment of society. One thing he learned is that true heroes usually aren’t public figures. They are average individuals who simply lend their skills and talents when the need arises, and then they go back to their average life.

No true hero sets out to be a hero. Heroes simply show up for life at the right time, do the work they are called to do, when a crisis needs those skills desperately. Today, thank a hero you know who has stepped up and offered his or her skills and talents for the common good.

Father Robert Harvey

Fellowship Meeting tomorrow at 5 p.m.

The Fellowship Committee at Calvary will have a hybrid meeting tomorrow, September 26th from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. You may attend in person in the Reception Room or online via this Zoom link and/or by calling (646) 558 - 8656. The Meeting ID is 881 0659 2156 and the Passcode: 899175. Light snacks will be provided for those attending in person.

The main focus for our September meeting will to make plans for a special October coffee hour with an apple theme and our November 16^th Fellowship/Fundraiser event. If you have not attended a Fellowship meeting in the past, but would like to help out with one or both of these events, please know that you are most welcome to attend. It’s a great way to meet people and get involved.

If you have questions or suggestions, please contact lorriearchdeacon@gmail.com.

SIGN UP DEADLINE IS TODAY!

YOUTH GROUP ROCK CLIMBING EVENT

Sunday, September 29th - sign-up required

If you are a youth age 13 or older, please join us for a Rock Climbing event and pizza party.

When: Sunday, September 29th from 2 to 4 p.m.

Where: meet at Niagara Climbing Center, 1333 Strad Ave., North Tonawanda, NY.

Cost: $20 per climber

The Sign-up Sheet is located in the Reception Room at Calvary Church. Please sign up by Wednesday, September 25th.

What else is needed: Parents of all attendees must complete an online waiver at: https://niagaraclimbingcenter.com/fill-out-waiver

Other helpful information: https://niagaraclimbingcenter.com/first-visit-faq

Parents: We need two additional adult chaperones for this event. If you can volunteer to chaperone, please indicate so on the sign-up sheet.

Photos for Revised Church Directory

The church office is collecting photographs of Calvary families for an updated church directory. Picture directories are a great way to get to know each other.

There are two ways for you to include your photo in the revised directory:

1. Have your picture taken by an in-house photographer. There will be no pressure to purchase a copy because this directory will be produced by Calvary's office instead of an outside company.
2. Submit your own digital copy of your family (portrait, not landscape, format preferred).

An in-house photographer will be taking pictures:

• After 4pm service this Saturday, Sep 28
• After 10am service this Sunday, Sep 29
• After 8am service Sunday, October 6

Pictures will be taken on a reasonable request after that.

The sooner pictures are taken, the sooner the directory can be distributed. Thank you for helping to make our parish directory accurate and complete.

Blessing of the Animals

Calvary’s Blessing of the Animals, in the Episcopal tradition, is an “All are welcome” event. Please invite your friends and neighbors, and please bring all your creatures, great and small, but PLEASE keep safety in mind! All animals should be appropriately leashed, crated, carried, or contained, and under responsible supervision at all times. If your pet is no longer with us or cannot mingle comfortably with other pets, please bring a photograph or drawing of your pet. Stuffed animals and toy pets also are welcome to receive a blessing on Saturday, October 5th, at 2:00 p.m. in the Kryder Courtyard.

A reception with light refreshments for all species will be offered in the Lobby Link between the courtyard and the parking lot, and a collection of pet food items for the Pet Food Pantry at St. Matthias’ Episcopal Church in East Aurora will be taken.

MONDAY DEADLINE

Honor or Memorialize Your Pets

Each year the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is observed on October 4. St. Francis is known for abandoning his life of luxury for a life of simplicity and compassion, and for devoting himself to the love of God and all His creatures. In next week's parish newsletter, we invite you to honor and memorialize your pets who, like God, love us unconditionally and from whom we learn how to forgive, console, and rejoice.

Please email Elizabeth Harten by Monday, September 29 to list the names of your pets (indicating whether this is in honor or in memory of each) in the Wednesday announcements and make a contribution to the Pet Food Pantry at St. Matthias’ Episcopal Church in East Aurora. (Contributions may be made in cash, by check, or online; please indicate “Pet Food Pantry Donation.”)

Choral Evensong Sunday October 6

Join the Calvary Church Choir for the traditional Anglican service of Choral Evensong on Sunday, October 6 at 4 p.m. Sung psalms, canticles and other prayers for the end of the day are at the center of this beautiful and reflective service.

Outreach Meeting

The Outreach Committee will meet Thursday, October 3 at 5:30 p.m., in person at the Reception Room, or join via this Zoom link. To listen by phone, call 646 558 8656 and use Meeting ID: 851 3261 7312, Passcode: 576417.

Anyone is welcome to join us. We will be planning future fall/winter projects.

Nolan Burch Blood Drive

The Annual Nolan Burch Blood Drive will take place on Saturday, October 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Hughson Hall at Calvary.

Sign up here to schedule a time to donate blood.

A light lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m., followed by the presentation at 12 noon, and concluding with a Question & Answer period to end at approximately 1:30 p.m. 

For additional information please contact the church office at 716-633-7800 or email general@calvaryepiscopal.net

All Hallows’ Eve Intergenerational Event

Saturday, October 26th at 6 p.m.

Calvary is having an All Hallows’ Eve Intergenerational Event on the Saturday evening before Halloween. It’ll be lots of fun for all ages, with a special activity for children. Look for more details soon. Mark your calendars now so you don’t miss it.

Requiem Concert Sunday, November 3

The choir of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Buffalo will join the Calvary Episcopal Church choir for the world premiere of Roland Martin's Requiem on Sunday November 3 at 7 p.m. here at Calvary. The concert will also include works by Henry Purcell, Giacomo Puccini and Eliza Gilkyson. Buffalo Chamber Players will be the accompanying orchestra.

Save the date:

Pub Night at Calvary 2.0 on Saturday, November 16^th

This Fall Fundraiser will once again feature delicious food, trivia competition, a basket raffle and silent auction. Keep reading your Calvary News for more details.

School 30 Adoption Ceremony Recap

Last Sunday, Principal Estrada and other School 30 staff, faculty, and former students attended Calvary’s 10 a.m. service for the School 30 Adoption Ceremony. Principal Estrada and Fr. Robert Harvey signed a proclamation renewing the partnership between Calvary and School 30 for the 2024-2025 school year. The service was followed by a cake dedication at Coffee Hour.

Back-to-School Drive Thanks



Thank you again for the generous donations of back-to-school supplies. With Calvary’s support, School 30 students were able to begin the 2024-2025 school year with necessary supplies!

Diocesan Partnership and Church News

• In October, everyone is invited to participate in a Diocesan Partnership evaluation listening session. You can find the schedule, which includes both in-person and online sessions, on the diocesan website.
• Sign up for Diocesan Partnership newsletters and/or read recent editions here.
• For more news about the Dioceses of WNY and NWPA and to sign up for emailed newsletters, go here.
• The Episcopal Church website offers resources for individuals, congregations, and various ministries. 

Worship at Calvary

In-person worship

• Sunday 8 a.m. Holy Communion
• Sunday 10 a.m. Holy Communion. This worship service is also live streamed.
• Saturday, 4 p.m. Holy Communion
• Wednesday, 7 a.m. Holy Communion

Online worship

• Sunday 10 a.m. Holy Communion, which is an in-person service, is also live streamed. The link to Calvary's 10 a.m. service can be found on the Calvary website or streamed on Facebook and YouTube. All three places will have the recording to watch later.

Vestry Liaisons

Each area of ministry at Calvary is assigned a Vestry member liaison. The liaison serves as an intermediary between the committee and the whole Vestry. These are the liaison assignments for 2024:

• Worship & Music - Fr. Robert & Nancy Bolton
• Christian Formation - Kelly Blackey
• Gathering Socially - Lorrie Archdeacon & Laurie Kaiser
• Reaching In - Ted Andrews
• Reaching Out - Larry Bernhard & Sandra Handy
• Spreading the Word - Howard Craig
• Property - Michael Bommer
• Giving / Development - Dennis McCoy
• Church Finances - Guy Whalen

Attendance

O Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen.

from The Book of Common Prayer