Calvary Memorial Church

Our members welcome visitors and children of God to learn about Jesus's amazing saving grace. I appreciate in person worship especially due to pandemic caused closings. With pastoral leadership and ministry staff that teach about salvation through Jesus Christ, I grow in faith. The Calvary Memorial Church website also includes a virtual link that allows worship services from the comfort of your home.🕯 Believe.

Scripture being fulfilled through God; the Father, Son & Holy Spirit! Jesus 💖 Amen.

Attended a wedding and reception there.

At this writing in late 2017, Calvary Memorial Church, under the long pastorate of Nathan James, is a bit of an atavism, a throwback to Evangelical congregations of the forties through the sixties before the advent of the "seeker sensitive" megachurch and its smaller wannabes, when there was little difference between the worship styles of Presbyterians and higher class of Baptist. While somewhat responsive to modern tastes, it is not trendy--no drum sets or electric guitars. One can hear (theologically vetted) "praise choruses," but it is not at the expense of Watts, Wesley, Mendelssohn, and Hayden. It still uses a (somewhat dumbed-down and partially neutered) Evangelical hymnal and the congregation sings in parts. Overhead projection is not used during the service of worship. It has a fine organ, well-played, and an excellent handbell choir. Governed by a board of elders, the denominationally unaffiliated congregation is doctrinally conservative and Baptistic. There is a healthy mix of ages; the youth program is active and missions-oriented (as is the church in general), and adult Sunday school classes are offered. Typical of Baptist/revivalist churches it has a low view of the sacraments, communes with grape juice instead of wine, and believes one becomes a Christian by having a conversion experience.

In my experience there are very few churches of this kind left, that is, Evangelical congregations where one does not receive the impression that the first order of business is religious entertainment calculated to attract the common man--to Jesus, of course. But neither in its anti-catholic tradition does it have any allegiance to a classical liturgical form or understand its place in church history on the left wing of the Protestant Reformation. Consequently, its service of worship has been invented over its hundred-year lifetime in response to American revivalism in the wake of the Second Great Awakening, cultural influences, and congregational tastes.

ADDENDUM, MARCH, 2020:

This will be a final note from me on Calvary Memorial Church. Nathan James will be retiring in August of this year after a 32-year pastorate. When the average Protestant minister's tenure is something less than five years, this one has been extraordinarily long, which not only speaks well for him, but for the stability of church. Doubtless there will be changes under a new pastor.

Biblical teaching, beautiful music and warm, friendly people. Lots of programs for all ages. Highly recommend!