June 11, 2025

Living God, eternal Holy Spirit,

let your bright intoxicating energy

which fired those first disciples

fall on us

to turn the world again.

- from A New Zealand Prayer Book.

A Message from the Rector

Lucille Ball said, “One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.” That’s great advice to us all from fellow Western New Yorker, Lucille Ball. Did you know she was the first woman to lead a major television studio (Desilu Studios in Hollywood and Culver City, California)? Lucy certainly had her share of ups and downs during her long career in acting and studio management, as well as her personal life. But she learned that she could keep busy and choose optimism to help her face those challenges.

It’s sometimes easy to feel discouraged. But like Lucille Ball, who made us all laugh, we can choose to keep busy and make optimism a way of life. Find something today to focus your optimism on, bring with it a good healthy sense of humor, and you’ll find it restores your faith in yourself.

Father Robert Harvey

Dinner Dance Planning

Calvary will host a Dinner Dance on November 8! There will be a planning meeting for the event on Monday, June 16 at 7:00 p.m.

Come in person, use this Zoom link, or call 646 558 8656 using Meeting ID 824 9260 3267 and Passcode 261801.

Contact Janet Metcalfe with questions or for more information.

Vestry Invitation

All are welcome to attend a hybrid Vestry Meeting on Tuesday, June 17 at 7 p.m. The minutes for the May vestry meeting may be found here.

Please keep in mind that guests are silent observers with neither voice nor vote during the meeting. Come in person or use this Zoom link for the Vestry meeting. To listen by phone, call +1 646 558 8656  and use Meeting ID 853 1394 2359 and Passcode 773398.

We hope you can join us to meet Salva Dut and hear his presentation.

To read more and join us in supporting the work of Water For South Sudan, click here.

Friends of Night People



Calvary Team 2 volunteers will be serving dinner at Friends of Night People on Tuesday, June 24. Please sign up in the Reception Room. Volunteers will meet at Calvary's parking lot at 4 p.m. to carpool and return by 8 p.m. Click here to watch training videos for volunteers. For more information for FONP Team 2, contact Ellen Marshall (716) 689-2133.

Strawberry Sunday Coffee Hour June 29, 2025

The Fellowship Committee will be providing a special Strawberry Sunday Coffee Hour on Sunday June 29th. Please join us after the 10:00 service for fresh strawberries, strawberry shortcake or sundaes as a special seasonal treat. Coffee, tea and lemonade will also be available.

Parish Picnic

This past Sunday over 80 parishioners attended our Parish Picnic in Hughson Hall. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch together of grilled hotdogs and burgers, an array of homemade picnic side dishes,  watermelon, and ice cream. We also surprised Father Robert with a hearty round of Happy Birthday and a cake which we all shared.

Thank you to the 20+ volunteers who set up Hughson Hall, provided homemade picnic salads and beans, grilled the hot dogs and burgers, served our food and beverages, assisted with children’s activities, and cleaned up after to make this Fellowship event a great success.

Thanks for a Successful Fundraiser!

Many thanks to everyone who promoted, sold, served, and supported Calvary's Chicken Dinner last Wednesday.

The event raised over $1,000, and several folks requested a repeat for next year.

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

Attention Parents of Graduating High School and College Students

Our Congregational Care Committee would like to recognize this important milestone in your child’s life, but we need your help. Please let us know if your children are graduating this year by contacting the Parish Office (716-633-7800) or Elizabeth Harten. Thank you!

Parish-Wide Garage Sale

Get ready to clean out your house! Calvary is having a garage sale on August 16^th and we are welcoming donations starting this week. Items can be brought to the church and placed in designated areas in the Sunday School classrooms. We are looking for glassware, clothing, kids stuff, artwork, jewelry, electronics and a whole lot more. Please make sure items are reasonably clean and that electronics are in working condition.

Pat Zebrowski

Vestry Prays for Parishioners

Calvary's vestry continues to pray for all parishioners in the Calvary Parish Directory, focusing on one page per week. This week the vestry is praying for the following people:

Joe & Deb Pawlowski

Dan & Barbara Peters

Jean Peterson

Lewis & Ann Pierce

John & Susan Polvino

Gretchen Porcher

Jim & Sally Porter

Bob & Julie Preston

David Preston & Sue Roberts

Ken Preston

Cindy Primus

Jamie & Danielle Printz and children

Susan Puerner

Brian & Heather Quinn and children

Richard Radel

Tom Ralabate

Lois Randaccio

Mary Lou Rath

Moira Restall

David & Tina Reynolds

If your last name falls within the alphabetical range of the names above but is missing from the list, please contact the office (716) 633-7800 to be included in the directory. Couples with different last names will be mentioned only once for prayers although they appear twice in the directory. If you haven't already, please submit your photo and any updated information to the office.

2025 Areas of Ministry & 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 2025:

• Worship & Music - Fr. Robert, Nancy Bolton and Janet Newall
• Christian Formation - Emily Sityar
• Fellowship - Howard Craig
• Pastoral Care - Ted Andrews
• Outreach - Larry Bernhard
• Communications - Laurie Kaiser
• Property - Bryan Gorney
• Giving/Development - Dennis McCoy and Janet Metcalfe
• Finance - Guy Whalen

Diocesan Partnership and Church News

• Join us as we honor and celebrate the accomplishments of our partnership on Thursday, June 19th at St Mark’s, Erie. The Celebration will begin at 11:30 a.m. with lunch following. As this coincides with Juneteenth, the celebration will include the Joint Commission to Dismantle Racism & Discrimination.
• Sleep Away Camp for youth exiting grades 2 -12 will be held at Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Camp from August 10-13 at a cost of $250. Contact Wendy Schumacher for questions and scholarship information.
• 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.

... the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10