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February 13, 2020   •  No. 7

Silent Auction Kids Camp Fundraiser
By Jenni Chilton

Calvary family, I am so excited to share with you that next Sunday, February 23rd, after church, in conjunction with our fourth Sunday lunch of fajitas, we will be having our annual children’s camp fundraiser! The fundraiser will be a silent auction with lots of meaningful and creative items donated by the Calvary family (baked goods, home-cooked meals, concert tickets, babysitting, and artwork—just to name a few!)

Last year we were able to raise enough money for 10 children to go to camp at less than 1/3 of the original price (for only $100!) We really hope that we can support families again in this way and also create opportunities for those who might not otherwise be able to attend camp and encounter God in this new way.

Passport camp is absolutely one of my favorite events of the whole year. Last year, at camp, we learned how to fear less and love more. The button I received at camp last summer that reminds me to “love others” (1 John 4:18) is still on my backpack as a prompt to remember how God has called me to love as He first loved me. Lessons like these from camp are ones that children carry with them throughout the year. They serve as reminders of who they are in Christ while pointing them to  follow Christ with their whole lives. Truly I cannot say enough what an incredible opportunity the Calvary family provides through this fundraiser for our children to attend Passport camp!

If you would like to donate an item or experience to the fundraiser, contact Jenni at jchilton@cbcwaco.net or follow this link and sign up to donate to the auction! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ckupXeSzb4ID8e8yMxMcWEQzywdxrlkmUeh4axFinyc/edit?usp=sharing

 

Thanks so much for the many ways you invest in the life of Calvary’s children!

Up Ahead
02/13
10:00a - Meals on Wheels

02/16
09:30a - Sunday School
10:45a - Worship
6:00p - Youth Dinner


2/18
10:00a - Meals on Wheels

2/19
6:00p - Wednesday Night Activities
7:00p - Intergeneration Choir Rehearsal

Birthdays
02/14 - Jan Purdy
02/15 - Sally Weaver


Worship
02/16

Message


Instructions for Living a Life: “Do Not Worry About Your Life”

Matthew 6:25-34


Mary Alice Birdwhistell

Personnel Update

By Doug Weaver and Mary Alice Birdwhistell

On Sunday, the Coordinating Council voted to extend Ali Chappell DeHay’s responsibilities and make her our Minister of Youth and Communications at Calvary. Ali has been sincerely dedicated to her work with us at Calvary for over five years, and we are excited about this opportunity for her to further serve with us. When our previous Office Manager left, the personnel team met several times to try to do some creative and strategic thinking about how best to replace this position, which has seen significant turnover in the past several years. Below are some of the key points that were discussed and presented to the Coordinating Council on Sunday:

  • Part of our discernment process was discussing how Calvary’s online presence (website, social media, etc.) is (or can be) an important “front porch” view into the life of the church, and these areas are strongly in need of improvement. The website and social media have largely been overseen by the Office Manager. However, we felt that someone who already knows the heartbeat of Calvary is better poised to help us re-imagine, develop, and maintain our online presence in a way that more fully captures who we are and what we are about.
  • Ali is very gifted in public relations/social media. Many of the areas of work that need improvement, she was already doing through work outside of Calvary at another organization.
  • Ali normally works twenty hours per week as our Minister of Youth. This change will be adding 8 additional hours of work per week. Her new responsibilities will include: designing worship folders, planning and designing the Tower, updating and maintaining the church website and social media accounts, updating and maintaining a database of church photography, and designing other media pieces as needed.
  • We will now begin a search for a part-time Office Manager, which is changing from a 25-hour position to a 15-hour position. The new office hours will be 9 AM – 12 PM, Monday – Friday, which are the hours the office has been open during the interim time at Calvary. We felt that having a consistent presence in the office each morning is still very important to Calvary’s daily operations, and we want to continue to offer a welcoming presence to our visitors. However, we were willing to reduce these hours given the growing significance of our online presence, as stated above.
  • This addition does not increase the overall personnel budget that was approved for 2020. It is simply a redistribution of the previous Office Manager salary.

Ali has already begun training with Dave McCarroll this week and will officially start serving in this capacity on Monday, February 17. Ali has great ideas for leading Calvary forward in these areas, and we are excited about this opportunity and all that it will mean for us in the days ahead.

Instructions for Living a Life – February Worship Series
By Mary Alice
 
Wendell Berry once wrote, 
You mustn’t wish for another life. You mustn’t want to be somebody else. What you must do is this: ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks.’ I am not all the way capable of so much, but those are the right instructions.”
 
And likewise, Mary Oliver wrote the following:
“Instructions for living a life:
 Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.”
 
So, like these poets, if you and I were asked to write out the instructions for living our lives, what would we say? (Spoiler alert: we will be doing this in worship!) When all is said and done, what do we want people to say that our lives have been about?
 
This month, we will be looking at various words that Jesus shared with us about a life well-lived. And in so doing, perhaps all of us can become a bit more intentional not only in what we say we want our lives to be about, but in actually living these ways, too.

 
February 2: Instructions for Living a Life: “Do This, And You Will Live”
Matthew 16:24-28

February 9: Instructions for Living a Life: “Those Who Lose Their Life Will Find It”
Luke 9:21-27
 
February 16: Instructions for Living a Life: “Do Not Worry About Your Life”
Matthew 6:25-34
 
February 23: Instructions for Living a Life: “Because I Live, You Also Will Live”
John 14:1-3, 18-20

 

Spiritual Direction at Calvary
Last month’s sermon series was about how we as followers are tending to the light of God, living in and connecting with the Holy Spirit in ourselves and in this world.
The church is also starting a Wednesday night series about Spiritual Formation. I am not sure about you, but it really seems like the church is at a place of hunger and desire to connect with God in new ways and seeing his presence in our lives and the world. You may be looking for something to pursue during this time or would be willing to help some fellow travelers on this spiritual journey to develop new skills.
There are four Calvary members who are currently in the Spiritual Direction training program through Truett Seminary. We are looking for individuals who would be willing to meet for Spiritual Direction. Spiritual Direction is a time of prayerful reflection and conversation with God to see the presence and calling God has in our lives.
If you are interested in this you may email any of the following to set up a time for Spiritual Direction. If you have questions about what Spiritual Direction is please feel free to reach out to us. 
Geneece Goertzen - EmeraldGen@icloud.com
Adam Jones - jones.m.adam1994@gmail.com
Noel Forlini - noel_forlini@baylor.edu
Katelyn Hiatt - katelyn.hiatt@live.com
Lebanon in July
For almost ten years, Calvary has had a special relationship with the Dar El Awlad, a residential program in Lebanon for boys who come from at-risk situations all across the Middle East.
To this day, boys who live at Dar El Awlad have pictures in their dorm lockers of the Calvarians who have visited them, sent them shoes, and made a difference in their lives, but the truth is that they have made a difference within us, too. We are excited about the opportunity to go back to Dar El Awlad this summer.

Our tentative dates for this summer are July 10-18th. For more info, contact John Hunt.
Welcoming Paul Baxley
Paul Baxley, the new Executive Coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, will be visiting Calvary on Wednesday night, February 19. We will host a come-and-go reception for you to meet Paul in the Welcome Center that evening from 6:00-7:00 PM. This will be a great opportunity for Paul to learn more about Calvary and for us to hear about further ways to connect within CBF life. We hope you will stop by and welcome him to Calvary!
CBF General Assembly
Every year, the CBF family gathers together from around the world for our General Assembly, and this year, Mary Alice has been asked to be the preacher for the closing worship session on Friday night! 
You might consider joining us for this year’s Assembly at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, Georgia, June 24-26. It’s always a great week to connect with the larger Calvary family, too, many of whom are serving as ministers and CBF field personnel. For more information, visit https://cbf.net/general-assembly-2020

 

In a couple of weeks we are launching our spring small group series based on our Lenten worship series: Learning How to Walk in the Dark. Groups will meet for five weeks total, from the week of February 23rd through the week of March 31st (excluding Spring Break) in the homes of various Calvary members. This year's theme will be particularly rich for us to explore in the community of small groups. Small groups are also a great way for us to dig further into the content of worship and to get to know other folks at Calvary. They have been an especially meaningful way to welcome new people into the life of the Calvary family.

If you would like to participate, click on the link below where you can sign up for a group based on day of the week and time that is best for you. There will also be a physical sign-up sheet posted in the hall behind the sanctuary before and after worship on Sunday. 


Link to Google Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uG4c2iOphbFV1lAKTSOSnOlK-b9UzjJajhM2S5pPhb0/edit


Special Business Meeting Regarding Licensing 
On Sunday, February 9, the deacon body voted to recommend Dakota Farquhar-Caddell to the congregation to be licensed as a minister. Licensing is a practice in the Baptist tradition that happens before ordination, at the beginning stages of someone’s call to ministry. According to Calvary’s operations manual, "Any member of the Church, who, in the judgment of the Church, gives evidence of being called of God to the work of the ministry may be given license to preach the Gospel, upon recommendation of the Pastor and the Diaconate, provided two-thirds of the members present at any business meeting agree thereto.” Therefore, we invite you to a special called business meeting before Sunday School on Sunday, February 23 at 9 AM to learn more about licensing and to participate in this vote. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided. Dakota has been serving as the leader of Calvary’s college students for a year and a half, and a statement of his call to ministry will also be available in the Tower next week and at the meeting for further information.

West Ave Reading Buddies Needed!
West Avenue Elementary school currently has a waiting list for students who would like to have reading buddies. We would love to clear that waiting list with folks from Calvary! If you are interested in being a reading buddy (30 minutes/once per week) please contact Jennifer Low for information or with questions at jlow@hot.rr.com.

4th Sunday Lunch – Fajita Fiesta
On Sunday, February 23rd, following worship the entire Calvary Family and visitors are encouraged to join our fellowship lunch!  The church will provide chicken and steak. Young Adult & Intergenerational classes are asked to provide tortillas, cheese, and sour cream.  The Adult Blend, SALT, & Unique Blend classes are asked to provide chips, salsa, tomatoes, lettuce and tortillas.  The Adult All Stars class is asked to assist with clean up at the end of the meal.
Save the Dates: Spring 2020

February 19: Meet-and-Greet with Paul Baxley (5:45-7:00 PM)
February 23: 4th Sunday Lunch and Children’s Camp Fundraiser, Lenten Small Groups Begin
February 26: Ash Wednesday Service (6 PM)
March 22: 4th Sunday Lunch
April 5: Palm Sunday in the Park with Greater New Light
April 9: Maundy Thursday Service (7 PM)
April 10: Good Friday Service (7 PM)
April 12: Easter Sunday
April 18: Calvary Night Live (Youth Camp Fundraiser)
Ministerial Staff
Mary Alice Birdwhistell - Senior Pastor
mab@cbcwaco.net

John Hunt - Associate Pastor
jhunt@cbcwaco.net

Randall Bradley - Minister of Worship & Music
randall_bradley@baylor.edu

Ali Chappell DeHay - Minister of Youth & Communications
acdehay@cbcwaco.net

Jenni Chilton - Minister to Children
jchilton@cbcwaco.net
 
Administrative Staff
Phillip Sitton - Stewardship Administrator
psitton@cbcwaco.net

Gabby Warnick - Preschool Coordinator
gwarnick@cbcwaco.net

Jeanette Rudd - Interim Office Manager
cbcinfo@cbcwaco.net

Glen Guthrie - Building and Grounds Manager
gguthrie@cbcwaco.net 

Austin Harris - Music and Worship Associate
Austin-sinclair_Har1@baylor.edu
 
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