January 8, 2025

God, bless our year

giving us

time for the task

peace for the pathway

wisdom for the work

friends for the fireside

love to last.

from The Book of a Thousand Prayers

A Message from the Rector

Dear Friends in Christ,

Comedian Bob Newhart once said, “Don’t live in the past. There’s no point. You can’t change anything in the past. It’s a waste of time.” 

It’s true, when we live in the past we waste precious time we have to do something of value in the present. This is especially true of regrets. We all have regrets; they are part of being a human being and making choices. But instead of living in the past, think of all the things you can do in this moment to make a difference. What if the time we spend living in the past was spent instead on a new endeavor? We could explore a new hobby or read up on a subject of interest. We could reach out and make new friends or renew old friendships. We could volunteer our time to a worthy cause. As we start the new year choose something to help you look forward rather than living in the past.

Father Robert Harvey

Annual Parish Meeting

The Annual Parish Meeting will be held in Hughson Hall on Sunday, January 26, 2025 immediately after the 10:00 a.m. service.

All are welcome to attend the meeting to learn more about the work that committees have been doing throughout 2024 and about the general financial state of our parish. The Parish election results will be announced at the conclusion of this meeting.

A light lunch will be provided to all who are attending. In order for us to plan properly for the food and beverages, please sign up on the form in the Reception Room.

Childcare for the Annual Meeting

Unfortunately, Calvary is not able to offer childcare for this year's Annual Meeting. Families are encouraged to bring quiet activities for the children and to attend together.

Parish Election News Update

The following people will be running for Vestry Positions in the 2025 Parish Elections.

The candidate for Warden for a two-year term will be:

• Bryan Gorney

The candidate for Warden for a one-year term will be:

• Emily Sityar

The candidates for Vestry person positions will be:

• Gretchen Brand
• Marcy Diaz
• Dal Giuliani
• Janet Metcalfe
• Dennis McCoy
• Janet Newall
• Guy Whalen

The three vestry candidates with the highest number of votes will each serve a three-year term. The vestry candidate with the fourth highest number of votes will serve a two-year term.

Each candidate filled out a brief questionnaire to help parishioners make an informed choice in the elections. Read candidate biographies here. Those parishioners who do not use email and normally receive their parish news via standard mail will be sent printed copies of the candidates’ information with their ballots.

Ballots are being mailed today to all those who are eligible to vote. To be eligible to vote, one must be a member of Calvary Church for at least one year and be a giver of record.

Deposit your completed ballot in the ballot box in the Reception Room prior to the Annual Meeting, no later than 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, January 26, 2025. 

You may also mail your ballots. Please address them to: Wardens of Calvary Church, 20 Milton Street, Williamsville, New York 14221. Mailed ballots must be received by Saturday, January 25, 2025.

Meet the Candidates This Weekend January 11 and 12

Calvary parishioners will have an opportunity to see and hear from our 2025 candidates during the sermon time at the 4 p.m. Saturday service and the 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday services. Candidates will introduce themselves and respond to questions from the congregation as time permits. This format will also enable our homebound or out-of-town parishioners to listen to our candidates via our 10:00 a.m. live-streamed service. 

Outreach Meeting

The Outreach Committee will meet tomorrow, January 9 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 who is interested in Outreach Ministry is welcome to join us as we plan upcoming projects. Email Amy Gorney or phone her at 716 445-1602 if you have any questions.

Friends of Night People

Calvary volunteers will be serving dinner at FONP on Thursday, January 16. Sign up in the Reception Room if you wish to join us. We will meet at Calvary's parking lot at 4 p.m. to carpool and return by 7:30 to 8 p.m. Click here to watch FONP's YouTube training videos for volunteers.

We deliver donations to FONP on our service day. FONP accepts gently used seasonal clothing and has especially requested socks, blankets, hot chocolate, thermal underwear, gloves, boots, winter hats, and hand & foot warmers. Please drop off your donations in Calvary's FONP bins, which are located just inside the Pixie Village hallway and are accessible when preschool classes are not in session.

If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, contact Ro Cherpak at 718 863-4267 or Chris Coburn Miller at 716 597-5263.

The Fellowship Ministry at Calvary

Did you attend the Derby Eve Party, the Strawberry Social or Apple Sundae Coffee Hours, An Evening in France, or Pub Night at Calvary? If so, you were enjoying a Fellowship Ministry special event. The Fellowship Ministry serves to provide our parishioners whether they are newcomers or long standing members with opportunities to enjoy socializing together.

There will be a hybrid fellowship meeting on Thursday, January 23^rd in the Calvary Reception Room from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.  Please join us with your ideas and suggestions as we plan our 2025 calendar of events. If you are unable to attend this meeting, but have ideas you would like to share or learn how you can help with future events, please email lorriearchdeacon@gmail.com 

Thank You!!!!

Thank you to all of our Altar Guild members and additional volunteers who helped take down the Christmas decorations, Christmas flowers, and candles last Sunday after church. Many hands made much lighter work, and we are grateful to each of you.

A special thank you to Bryan Gorney, Dale Harten, Guy Whalen and Robert Harvey who helped with those extra heavy tasks of removing the Christmas trees, the nativity creche, the Advent wreath and moving the pews back into place around the altar.

Thanks also to Paul McKenna for taking down the Christmas wreaths off the church’s doors.

Thank also to Ted Andrews, and Cinda and Wes Stone for taking down the stars. 

With so many people helping we were able to finish the job quickly. Thanks to all who helped to make our church so beautiful at Christmas.  

School 30 Students Say Thanks

Second and fourth graders from School 30 showed their appreciation to Calvary for their Mitten Tree books and fleeces by writing thank you notes and decorating a large poster. If you missed them last Sunday, take a minute to read these sweet messages festooning the trees in the Reception Room.

Diocesan Partnership and Church News

• 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 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

Eternal God,

to whom a thousand years are no more than a moment;

renew us in your Holy Spirit,

so that we may serve you with courage

while we have life and breath;

through the grace of Jesus your Son.

-from A New Zealand Prayer Book