We at Calvary honor our baptismal covenant to “respect the dignity of every human being.” We celebrate the wonderful diversity of the human family, and strive to include a place for everyone at God’s table. Whether you’re young or old, rich or poor; married, partnered, or single; housed or homeless; gay, straight, trans, or questioning; native, documented, or undocumented…whoever you are (and just as you are), there is a place for you here.

Adult Forum at 9:30 AM in the

Fireside Room

Drop in and share your insights, thoughts and questions.


Illumination, fellowship & fresh brewed coffee!

In our Parish Community we pray for John Morris, Melinda Martin, Eric Martin, Marv Peterson, Al Reetz, Shirley Mooers, and Isabella Salido. We pray for all those who recently passed away. We pray also for Katie Knapp who is beginning a journey of discernment.

In our Deanery we pray for our deanery partner church, All Saints’ Carmel. 

In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer we pray for all mothers on Mother’s Day; for congregations in transition and clergy new to cure; and for our On Ramp program for clergy.



In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we pray for The Church of Pakistan (United).

FLOWER AND CANDLE DEDICATIONS

If you would like a way to honor your loved ones or to mark a special occasion, consider a dedication for altar flowers or the sanctuary candle. A donation of $30 will dedicate the altar flowers, and a donation of $10 will dedicate the sanctuary candle and the votive candles.

To make a dedication please use the "Flowers" envelope available in the narthex and in the pew racks, indicating whether your donation is for the flowers or the candle, and include the specific date you'd like your dedication to appear in the Sunday bulletin.

CALVARY CARES

At Calvary, we believe in the power of prayer and the strength of community. You are invited to submit the names of family members

and loved ones (with their permission) for inclusion on our Prayer List by emailing office@calvarysantacruz.org.

If you or someone in your family is in need of pastoral or parish care, please reach out to Rev. B Simon Dinglasan, Jr. at 831-205-3503

or via email at rector@calvarysantacruz.org.

We are here for you.

SAVE ON TAXES WHILE SUPPORTING CALVARY

If you have a traditional IRA, the IRS requires you to begin taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) at age 73. These withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income and can sometimes push you into a higher tax bracket.

There’s a simple way to turn this requirement into a benefit for both you and the church.

Through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), you can direct your RMD to a qualified nonprofit like Calvary Episcopal Church. When done correctly, this donation is excluded from your taxable income, which may help lower your overall tax burden.

Here’s how it can help:

• Reduce your taxable income by donating directly from your IRA

• Potentially stay in a lower tax bracket

• Give up to $108,000 per year (or $216,000 for couples)

• Support the mission and ministry of Calvary

Important: The funds must be transferred directly from your IRA to the church in order to qualify. Be sure to consult your financial advisor to arrange the proper transfer.

Several Calvary parishioners are already using this approach and have found it to be a meaningful and tax-wise way to give.

It’s a practical way to support the church while making the most of your required distributions.

FOOD ASSISTANCE DONATION DRIVE

Calvary Church is responding to the Bishop’s Call to Action: Food Assistance in the Diocese. The food you have donated is going to the Food Pantry at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Scott’s Valley. They express their sincere appreciation each time the donations are delivered and send their gratitude to all!

Please bring your donations of shelf-stable foods to church on Sunday mornings. Please ensure the donated items have not expired or been damaged. Canned items that are “easy open” with pull-top lids are helpful for those who may not have access to a can opener.

Specific items most needed by Food Banks include:

Canned fish, Canned vegetables, Canned stew, Canned fruit, Canned soup, Canned beans, Pasta, Rice, Peanut Butter. Packaged healthy snacks are also needed.

The bins are in the Narthex as you enter the church, and the Parish Hall.

Thank you for your generosity!

BISHOP’S VISITATION

We are delighted to welcome Bishop Lucinda Ashby for her official visitation on Sunday, May 31, with one service at 10 AM.

This special occasion offers our parish a meaningful opportunity to gather in worship, celebrate our shared life as a church community, and enjoy fellowship together. Bishop Ashby will preside at the service and spend time with parishioners afterward.

Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for this joyful and significant day.

And be sure to join Bishop Lucinda at Coffee Hour after the service where she

will share with us about her sabbatical time in February and her

experience of learning to weave from indigenous artisans.

Weekly Midweek Eucharist

LECTIO DIVINA

Join us for Lectio Divina on WEDNESDAYS at 9:00 AM, either in person at the church or via Zoom (link below). All are welcome to participate in this time of prayerful reflection and scripture.

Note that Lectio Divina is not a traditional bible study but rather a devotional practice of deepening our connection with the Gospel text for the following Sunday through contemplative reading and sharing.

GRATITUDE PICNIC

The Stewardship Committee along with the Parish Life Committee invite you to a picnic to celebrate Founder’s Day, and to share our Gratitude for your generous response to the 2026 Pledge Drive. The latest update is a total of $156,224.00 from 45 pledges. We are very grateful for your commitment to Calvary!

Join us for a picnic on Sunday, June 28, following the 10:30 Service, in the Calvary Church Courtyard.



Details to follow.

FIRST FRIDAY AT CALVARY

We plan to debut our Parish Hall as a venue on the First Friday Art Walks in downtown beginning on Friday, June 5th.

Our first few months of exhibits will showcase artists in our Calvary family. If you would like to show your work in the Parish Hall please let Juli Robbins know by 8:00 PM on Monday, May 18th, and include the number of pieces you would like to show. We will select the number of artists and number of pieces based on available display space.

Jörg Reddin, Murray Walker, and Britta Schwarz. Photo by Carol Walker.

The Central Coast Chamber Choir performs J. S. Bach's Saint John Passion, April 26th, 2026. Photo by Murray Walker.

Concerts At Calvary by Murray Walker

Consistent with the Vestry’s and Rev. Simon’s vision of Calvary as a community cultural center, several wonderful musical events were presented in our church this past spring. We have caught the attention of Jörg Reddin, the accomplished German organist who is the Artistic Director of the Santa Cruz Baroque Festival. Jörg likes our organ, our space, and our community. He regularly attends services at Calvary when he is town and even tunes in online, from Germany, to some of the spiritual practices that Rev. Simon leads during the week. Through Kate Saphir’s good graces, Jörg was our guest organist this past February, which not only brought fine organ music to our services but brought new congregants through our front doors.

In addition, the Baroque Festival presented three concerts at Calvary. The first was a program for brass and organ performed by Jörg and the Santa Cruz Brass Quintet, which was most enjoyable. There was a superb candlelight recital of Baroque songs and arias by acclaimed German mezzo-soprano, Britta Schwarz, with Jörg at the organ, that was highly moving. As a special bonus, Britta sang a sacred aria for us at a regular Sunday morning service. Jörg also held an organ master class at Calvary when he was in town. The final concert of the Baroque Festival was a performance, on April 25^th, of three of J. S. Bach’s exquisite but difficult works for solo violin performed by virtuoso violinist, Nancy Zhou. Her performance was breathtaking, flawless, and worthy of any concert hall in the world!

Nancy Zhou’s performance was part of a busy musical weekend at Calvary. The next night, April 26^th, the Central Coast Chamber Choir, a subset of I Cantori di Carmel, under the direction of Daniel Hendricks, presented a fine performance of J. S. Bach’s “Passion According to Saint John.” This is an extended work, two and a half hours in length, featuring soloists, choir, and Baroque orchestra. It was, in fact, the first performance ever, in Santa Cruz, of a major Bach work performed with historical instruments. The performers were from all over the country. While the core choir were from Carmel, there were also singers from San Francisco. The Evangelist, the principal vocal soloist, was from Chicago. The orchestra of Baroque specialists was from Santa Cruz, San Francisco, and New York. Without exception the performers told me how much they enjoyed making music in our space and were very grateful for the opportunity to perform here. The conductor said he heard details in the performance he had never heard before.

Looking back over the past few months, it is very satisfying to realize how many fine musicians have performed at Calvary and to know how welcome they felt in our community and how pleased they were making music in our space. I extend my gratitude to all the members of Calvary who assisted in anyway in facilitating these events.

CALVARY BOOK CLUB

Love a good book and great conversation?

Join our diverse group of readers as we explore stories that broaden our understanding of people and cultures—both real and imagined.

We meet on the 3rd Friday of each month, and always welcome new readers.

May15, 3:00, Charmion Burn's home, 3231 Sylvaner Circle, SC, 95062.

Falling Upward, A spirituality for the Two Halves of Life - Richard Rohr. 

Recommended by Al Reetz and Simon Dinglasan. Discussion to be led by Peter Brooks

June 19, 3:00, the Fireside room at the south end of Parish Hall

My Invented Country, A Memoir - Isabel Allende, heart-felt, charming.

Recommended by Liberty Lana. 

SUMMER BOOK STUDY

Join us this June to read and discuss the book Reading the Bible on Turtle Island.

"Comprehensive and visionary, Reading the Bible on Turtle Island reimagines Christian faith in view of Indigenous experiences and identity."—Foreword Reviews, November/December 2025

In Reading the Bible on Turtle Island, Indigenous scholars Chris Hoklotubbe and Danny Zacharias explore what it means to read the Bible from the lens of Indigenous peoples in North America. Exploring the intersection of Scripture, Cultural Traditions, Hearts and Minds, and Creation, they affirm Creator's presence with Indigenous people since the beginning. By recovering these rich histories, this book offers a fresh reading of Scripture that celebrates the assets, blessings, and insights of Indigenous interpretation.



We’ll meet for the four Wednesdays in June at 6:00 pm via Zoom, beginning June 3^rd, and cover the first two chapters at the first session. The book is available widely. If you need help with the purchase, speak with Simon.

We look forward to our usual rich and provocative discussions! Sponsored by your Adult Education Committee.

UCSC DEEP READ 2026

This May, University of California, Santa Cruz is hosting its annual Deep Read program, a community reading experience that brings people together around a shared book and conversation.

This year’s selection is Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake, an exploration of the fascinating world of fungi and their connections to life on Earth.

Participation is free (aside from obtaining a copy of the book), and all are welcome.

Learn more here: UCSC Deep Read Program

📚 INTRODUCING: CALVARY STORIES

We’re excited to share that we have created two beautiful books featuring the fascinating stories and biographies of some of our beloved older parishioners at Calvary Church.

$10 featuring: 

Liberty Lana

Charmion Burns

Jane Martin

Dave Meyers

 $15 featuring: 

Sarah & Marv Peterson

Ernst Rosenthal

Dana Bagshaw

Sonja & Al Reetz

These books are a wonderful way to celebrate our community and the inspiring lives within it.

To reserve your copy, please email Carlos at officemanager@calvarysantacruz.org.



Don’t miss the chance to own these special keepsakes!

Musical Soulmates Performers Collaborative Presents

“The Heart of a Woman”: A Black Classical Mother’s Day

Sunday, May 10, 2026, 4:00 PM

Progressive Missionary Baptist Church

$20–$30 suggested donation

Donate in advance via Venmo (@MusicalSoulmates) or call 831.227.7535 for reserved seating and a special gift.

To be in the Musical Soulmates loop, send a request to programs@musicalsoulmatesssc.com

“Music to soothe all its sorrow,

Till war and crime shall cease;

And the hearts of men grown tender

Girdle the world with peace.”

— Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825–1911)

Join Musical Soulmates Performers Collaborative for our Black Classical Mother’s Day celebration, returning for its third year.

This intimate afternoon of chamber music features works almost entirely by prominent Black composers, offered in the historic Black church in Santa Cruz. The program is presented with grace and joy by Soprano Candace Johnson, Flautist Teresa Orozco, and Pianist Kate Saphir Alm.

“The Heart of a Woman” celebrates the multifaceted experience of motherhood while also holding space for grief and loss that are part of that journey. It is an offering of music and reflection, honoring the healing power of art and the original intention of Mother’s Day as a call for peace and an end to war.

More about the music: 

 One of the featured song cycles: ‘Miss Wheatley’s Garden’, by the eminent Rosephanye Powell, takes its name from Miss Wheatley, the first known published African American poet, born in 1753 West Africa, sold into slavery, bought by slaveholders in Boston, and passed away 1784. Her “garden” refers to the poets who came after her, and in this case are three women poets (Frances Harper (1825-1911), Georgia Douglas Johnson,(1880-1966) ,and Angelina W. Grimké (1880-1958), all of whom have fascinating stories which will be easily accessible to attendees. 

The program includes another brief song cycle, by Berkeley raised Robert Owen, who would have celebrated his centenary last year, with music set to poems by Harlem Renaissance great, Paul Lawrence Dunbar. After serving in WWII, he accomplished his lifetime dream of resettling to Germany to learn to compose Lieder (Art Songs) in the lineage of Schubert and Brahms.

WORLDWIDE LABYRINTH DAY AT CALVARY CHURCH

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate Worldwide Labyrinth Day on May 2nd! It was a beautiful and meaningful day filled with reflection, peace, and connection as our community came together to walk the labyrinth. We are grateful to everyone who participated and helped create such a warm and welcoming experience. Your presence made the day truly special, and we look forward to gathering together again soon.

JOIN CALVARY FOR PRIDE!

As Pride approaches, we invite everyone to be part of Calvary’s presence in the celebration! Whether you’d like to march with us in the parade or help staff our booth at the Pride Festival, we would love to have you join in sharing a message of love, inclusion, and community. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with others and show that all are welcome at Calvary. If you’re interested or have any questions, please contact Rev. Simon for more information.

SNACKS OUTREACH

The Boys and Girls Club and Calvary Preschool are actively open and serving the children of our community. They are our neighbors and appreciate our outreach efforts to provide pre-packaged snacks for children. Please continue this longstanding tradition. You may deliver them in person or leave them in the narthex on Sunday morning.

If you have questions, email Alice Lopez at enna.lopez@yahoo.com.

SOCKS FOR PEOPLE IN NEED (SPIN)

Having a pair of clean dry socks when you live outdoors is a good thing. Over the years Calvary has contributed socks to SPIN, the fourth ministry of the Association of Faith Communities. Along with other Santa Cruz congregations over 60,000 pairs of socks have been distributed.

It’s simple: buy some socks, put them in the basket in the Narthex on Sunday morning and make somebody’s feet happy.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS TO SUPPORT

CALVARY’S COMMUNITY PRESENCE

Rev. Simon is forming a Community Presence Committee to help promote events at Calvary in a coordinated and strategic way. If you have broad community connections, marketing or graphic design skills, or a passion for helping Calvary grow as a centrally located

“community cultural center,” we’d love to hear from you!

We’re also looking for volunteers to help livestream our worship services for members who are homebound, hospitalized, or unable to attend in person. If you’re interested, please reach out to Rev. Simon or Alex Johnson.

This is a wonderful way to share your talents, strengthen our community, and make a meaningful impact!



☕ COFFEE HOUR HOSTS NEEDED ☕

We’re looking for volunteers to host Coffee Hour and help keep this beloved Sunday tradition going. Hosting is simple and a wonderful way to serve and connect with our church community.

If you’re interested, please call or email Sandy Goodman at 831-251-4030 or sansanag95062@gmail.com

NEW NEWSLETTER SCHEDULE

Beginning in May, our newsletter will shift from a weekly distribution to a monthly schedule, with the first issue sent on May 7.

As we make this transition, please submit written announcements and any accompanying graphics for upcoming events to the church office by the first Monday of each month.

Weekly emails from the Rector will continue, offering timely updates and reminders about special events.

THINKING ABOUT JOINING CALVARY? WE'RE HERE TO HELP!

Interested in making Calvary your spiritual home? We're happy to assist you with transferring your membership.

Please contact Carlos, our Parish Administrator, for guidance.

The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

📞 Call us at 831-423-8787

📧 Or email: officemanager@calvarysantacruz.org



We’re glad you’re here—and we’re ready to walk with you on this journey!

UPCOMING EVENTS TO NOTE:

Sunday, May 10th

Musical Soulmates Performers Collaborative Presents

“The Heart of a Woman”: A Black Classical Mother’s Day

Progressive Missionary Baptist Church

4:00 PM

Saturday, May 16th

Annual Calvary Vestry Retreat

at Michael Freeman's Home in Ben Lomond

10 AM - 3 PM

Sunday, May 24th

Pentecost Sunday and the Baptism of Eva Schewe

Calvary Episcopal Church

10:30 AM

Sunday, May 31st

Bishop's Visitation

Calvary Episcopal Church

10:00 AM

Friday, June 5th

First Friday at Calvary

Parish Hall

5:00 PM

Sunday, June 7th

Santa Cruz Pride Parade & Festival

Interfaith Worship Service at 9:30 AM

Parade Kick Off at 11:00 AM

Ministry Interest? Start Here!

Click red name for e-mail



Adult Education, Cathy Watson

Book Club, Dana Bagshaw

Archives/History, Carol Walker

Building, Grounds, Rentals, Margo Fisher

Calvary Cares, Sonja Reetz

Coffee Hour, Sandy Goodman

Communication/REALM, Treasurer, Cathy Watson

Parish Life, Juli Robbins

Creation Care, Dana Bagshaw

Labyrinth, Martha Dexter

Social Justice/COPA, Al Reetz

Stewardship, Alice Lopez

This Week at Calvary, Carlos Serna

Worship, Elizabeth Chandler

Read the Latest Issue!

Real Episcopal is emailed out every two weeks. Inside you’ll find news about our diocese, the Episcopal Church, unique parish programs, photos, diocesan event & conference announcements, grant opportunities, and messages from Bishop Lucinda.

Monday - Friday

10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

The Rev. B. Simon Dinglasan, Jr.

(pronouns: they/them)

Email

Senior Warden

Alice Lopez

Email

Junior Warden

Margo Fisher

Email

Calvary Vestry:



Alice Lopez (Sr. Warden), Margo Fisher (Jr. Warden), Jane Martin (Clerk),

Elizabeth Chandler, Colin Bowser, Tony Nickel, Patricia Messer, and Juli Robbins.