October 14, 2026

For a Church Convention or Meeting

Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who take counsel in the Diocesan Convention for the renewal and mission of your Church. Teach us in all things to seek first your honor and glory. Guide us to perceive what is right, and grant us both the courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

from The Book of Common Prayer p 818.

A Message from the Rector

Fr. Robert Harvey sent these photos of the first days of Team Calvary's mission trip to Our Little Roses in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Please keep Team Calvary and OLR in your prayers.

Captions for photos below:

• a warm and humid welcome
• central gardens at OLR
• where the girls eat breakfast
• woodshop at OLR



Fellowship Meeting October 22

The Fellowship Committee will have a hybrid meeting tomorrow, October 22^nd from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Light snacks will be provided for those attending in person. Or use this link to attend online, Meeting ID: 896 6604 8987 and Passcode: 304875.

The main focus for our October meeting will be to plan the receptions following the November 8^th Such Glorious Gifts Great Music Concert and the December 20^th Festival of Lessons and Carols and to begin planning our winter and spring Fellowship events. If you have not attended a Fellowship meeting in the past but would like to help out with one or more of these events, please know that you are most welcome to attend. It’s a great way to get to meet people and get involved. If you have questions or suggestions please contact Lorrie Archdeacon or Amy Gorney.

Friends of Night People

Calvary Team 2 volunteers will be serving dinner at Friends of Night People on Tuesday, October 27. 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 Lisa Barone.

FONP is always looking for clothing donations, especially for men. In addition to socks for Calvary's Socktober Collection Drive (see below), clothing such as outerwear and boots are much appreciated at FONP this time of year. Please place your new or gently used clothing donations in the FONP bins located inside the Pixie Village Preschool hallway across from the Scaife Building lobby. On weekdays when preschool classes are in session, the hallway to the bins is locked. It’s best to bring donations before/after church services when the bins are accessible.

If you wish to donate other items to FONP, visit their website or check out their Amazon wish list. Wishlist items can be delivered directly to FONP or to your address.

Thanks for all your support!

Vestry Invitation

All are welcome to attend a hybrid Vestry Meeting on Tuesday, October 27 at 7 p.m.  Click here to read the agenda for the meeting.

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 646 558 8656  and use Meeting ID 853 1394 2359 and Passcode 773398.

Feast of All Saints/All Souls

In celebration of All Saints/All Souls, on Sunday, November 1 we will publish in the bulletin the names of beloved family members who have passed, to honor them in thanksgiving for the gift of their lives. It is our tradition to read aloud the names of our family members who have died within the past year.

Names of relatives you would like to be remembered may be placed in the offering plate or emailed to the office. Forms are available on the counter at the Reception Desk but any list will do. All names must be received by Wednesday, October 28. Add a star * by the names of those who have died in the last year. Please print clearly and include phonetic pronunciation for the names which will be read aloud. Donations are welcome.

Mentoring Program at School 30

Melinda Sanderson is restarting a mentoring program for fifth and sixth graders at Buffalo Public School 30 for social and emotional support, not tutoring. The program will take place every other Wednesday from 10 - 11 a.m. at School 30, beginning on October 28. Interested? Please fill out the sign-up sheet in the Reception Room. Contact Melinda Sanderson (716) 983-7928 for more information.

Calvary Scholarships

The Scholarship Committee is accepting applications for college/higher education training through October.

Contact Margie Chritton for an application and more information. Please turn in your applications by October 31.

2027 Stewardship Campaign

Our Church continues to thrive as a place of worship, Christian hospitality, and witness because of your faith, your generosity, and your commitment to our shared ministry. There is so much life and light in our parish. At the heart of it all is you--the people of Calvary--faithfully and compassionately living out your baptismal promise to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Click here if you wish to fill out a 2027 Calvary pledge card online. Calvary's Giving website has further information about ways to make a gift to Calvary.

Please send in your pledge card by October 31. All pledges will be blessed on November 22, the Sunday before Thanksgiving. As of Tuesday, 103 households have pledged $329,182 in support of Calvary in 2027. Thank you to those who have pledged.

Diocesan Convention

This weekend is our Diocesan Convention in Chautauqua! As Canon Cathy Dempesy-Sims described, convention is like a family reunion with Episcopal churches across the region. Representing Calvary are George Faeth, Janet Newall, Helen Cochran, and Deacon Leann McConchie. Bruce Davidson, who is on Standing Committee, will also be present.

Business before the convention includes the adoption of the diocesan budget, elections for various diocesan committees, hearing reports and updates on topics including youth ministry and the bishop search process, and more. Read about it here. Please pray for your delegates.

Socktober Drive

Calvary's Outreach Committee is collecting warm socks for Journey's End Refugee Services and Friends of Night People during the month of October. Friends of Night People is predominantly in need of men's socks, but Journey's End will take men's, women's, or children's socks.

The drive ends on Sunday, November 1. Thanks to those who have donated already!

Great Music: Such Glorious Gifts

Great Music at Calvary presents Such Glorious Gifts on Sunday, November 8 at 4 p.m., featuring vocal and instrumental works by Robin Milford, Gerald Finzi, Roland Martin and more, with pieces to commemorate Veteran's Day. Performers include Tyler Huj (tenor soloist), Anna Mattix (oboe), The Calvary Church Choir directed by Roland E. Martin, and the Buffalo Chamber Players.

Ashby Church Calendars

Calvary is taking orders for 2027 Ashby church calendars. These Episcopal calendars list the lectionary readings for Sundays and major feasts. Each day lists the liturgical color and saints commemorated. The $5 calendars are for reference; the boxes are too small in which to write personal schedules. Let the office know if you would like one before the church places its order on November 12.

Thank You to All the Common Ground Helpers!

​We were blessed, not only with a beautiful day, but also with the exceptional publicity that brought so many to our 16^th Common Ground lecture, "The Dirty Story Behind the Birth of Four of WNY's Architectural Treasures."

We welcomed over one hundred guests, many from the wider community, to hear the fascinating story told by Alan Nowicki, Director of Programming of The Roycroft Campus, of the complex relationship among four giants in American history: John Larkin, Elbert Hubbard, Darwin D. Martin and Frank Lloyd Wright. 



But none of this special day could have happened without the help of many of our own Calvary parishioners. Thanks to all who helped with set-up, food, welcoming and all the other tasks needed for a successful event! Brad & Lorrie Archdeacon, Ro Cherpak, Howard Craig, Karen Davidson, Robert Firestine, Charles Golightly, Amy Gorney, Elizabeth Harten, Cris Hicks, Rowan & Liam Fleming, Ellen Marshall, Dennis McCoy, Patty Rooss, Emily Sityar, Linda Zeitz, and other helpers whose names may not be listed.  

THANK YOU ALL!

Dale Harten & Joan Jennings Scalfani

Common Ground Co-Chairs

Harmonia Concert on October 24

First Inversion from Rochester, New York and the Harmonia Chamber Singers from Buffalo, New York will present "As We Walk" a choral music concert at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, October 24 at Calvary Church.

Visit www.harmoniacs.org to purchase tickets: $25 for adults, $10 for students, and free for children 12 and under.

2026 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 2026:

• Worship & Music - Janet Newall and Fr. Robert Harvey
• Christian Formation -
• Adult Education - Ryan Fleming
• Children's Education - Ted Andrews
• Fellowship - Howard Craig
• Pastoral Care - Karen Davidson
• Outreach - Karen Davidson
• Communications - Helen Cochran and Laurie Kaiser
• Property - Bryan Gorney
• Giving/Development - Dennis McCoy and Janet Metcalfe
• Finance - Guy Whalen

A Prayer for our Bishop Search

Gracious God, we give thanks for your loving care for the people of the Diocese of Western New York and the members of the Bishop’s Search and Transition Committees. Give us wisdom and understanding as we discern your will. We ask for the gifts of honesty, to speak the truth in love; openness to the gifts and ideas of others and to the Holy Spirit; and willingness, to see your Light shining among us and on the path ahead. Prepare for our Diocese a bishop who will be a faithful pastor, and equip us for the ministries to which we are called in these changing times. Help us to love and serve your world and one another in the Spirit of Christ, trusting in you to be our steadfast helper and guide. Amen.

Diocesan and Church News



• For more news about the Diocese of WNY 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.

Attendance

On October 18, online viewers for the 10 a.m. service came from NY, MA and ONT.

Lord, we give you our love;

accept it, as you accepted loaves and fishes from a young lad.

Use our small offering to bless many,

and make good the poverty of our efforts

by the richness of your bounty.

from The Book of a Thousand Prayers.