We invite you to learn more about these ministries, including:
Calvary Croppers Scrapbookers
Calvary Sewing Group
Campus Ministry
Evangelism
Revelation Arts
Social Ministry Committee
In addition to the links above, there are numerous organizations and agencies that are assisted through Calvary’s Social Ministry Committee, which works on behalf of the ill, the aging, the underprivileged and the imprisoned.
The committee welcomes participation from all members. There are many opportunities to fit your schedule. Some people volunteer weekly; others just once a year.
Through the committee, Calvary members volunteer with:
Calvary Builders
A group of men and women who spend a weekend at Bear Creek Camp each year to do construction, repair and clean up. Calvary Builders also does as other construction projects to help the community. Builders traveled to Mississippi to assist with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, and additional trips are being planned.
Good Works Home Repair
Good Works is a Christian nonprofit home-repair ministry which exists to improve the living conditions for low-income families in Chester County, PA. Services are offered to homeowners at no cost and volunteers do most of the repairs.
Calvary has a “Good Neighbor” team - meaning we adopt a home for a period of time to improve the conditions for a homeowner who cannot do it themselves. One Saturday a month, up to 15 Calvary volunteers work to repair plumbing, electrical, roof repairs, windows, etc. We have varying levels of skills, so there is a job for everyone. One of our most valuable jobs is fellowship with the homeowners!
Calvary volunteers meet at 8:15 a.m., the third Saturday of each month at Bernard & Bolmar Streets in West Chester, spend the day making home repairs and finish by 4:00 pm. You can visit Good Work’s website for more information about the organization and their mission at
www.goodworksinc.org.
If you want more information on the Calvary team and/or want to join our mailing list, you can contact Calvary member’s who help to lead the Calvary Good Neighbor team – Steve & Christine West (
swest0630@comcast.net) or Debby Nemecek (
nemecekd@comcast.net). (If you have questions about Good Works, please note “Good Works” in the subject line to draw our attention.)
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity of Chester County's provides basic, well-built, affordable, owner-occupied housing.
Pocopson Home
A long-term health care facility for adults of all ages providing professional medical, nursing, and rehabilitation services. Calvary members have been going to Pocopson Home for 24 years to play Bingo with the residents. Volunteers go 10 months out of the year and two groups -- one afternoon and one evening -- play for an hour.
Thresholds Prison Ministry
Thresholds trains volunteers to work one on one with inmates to teach decision-making skills.
We also cook up a storm with our Community Meals Programs!
Aid For Friends
Many people throughout our area are hungry – both for food and friendly companionship. Aid For Friends responds to this need by providing home cooked meals for people who may have limited mobility outside their homes or have lost contact with friends and family.
Delivered by caring and supportive visitors, this repast is more than just a meal – it’s a way to connect and foster spiritual growth with people who are lonely and alone.
Calvary members who support the program never formally “meet” – they help by picking up empty meal containers at church, filling the containers with home cooked meals, and bringing them back to a special freezer at church. These meals are then delivered every week by visitor volunteers.
Occasionally, Aid For Friends hosts Cook-Ins, when members gather to prepare up to 200 meals at one time. These meals are often shared with other participating churches throughout Chester, Delaware and Philadelphia counties.
Participating in Aid For Friends is easy: Look for the foil meal containers at Calvary’s Welcome Center and do a little home cooking for others! Or you can sign up to be a visitor (training is provided) or a driver, if our freezer is overflowing and the meals need to be transported to another program church in the area.
For more information, please contact Ed Edleman at
ededleman@msn.com.
Safe Harbor of Greater West Chester
Calvary Teams prepare and serve meals on the 2nd and 4th Mondays at the Safe Harbor Homeless Shelter in West Chester. Calvary assists with other needs throughout the year such as clothing drives, Sunday morning breakfasts and fundraisers.
Salvation Army – West Chester Corps
The Salvation Army alleviates crises through food, clothing, rent assistance and housing. Calvary teams prepare and serve meals on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays each month at the Salvation Army center in West Chester. Calvary also provides volunteers to “ring the bells” at Christmas time and participates in the collection of food for the October food drive.
The Gift of Giving!
Calvary members are generous in many ways. In addition to sharing their time and talents, members have supported the church and Social Ministry Committee in helping the following programs with donations and gifts:
Bear Fair and Toys for Tots
The committee works with local organizations and provides a collection site to Share Christ’s love with local families during Christmas.
Chester County Migrant Ministry Gift Program
In cooperation with the Chester County Migrant Ministry program, the committee coordinates a December gift drive which provides a substantial Christmas gift to family members in the Kennett Square program. This year, Calvary members provided 69 gifts for 17 families, including four bicycles, a microwave, and a number of winter coats, household items and toys.
Church World Service
The Church World Service is a cooperative ministry of 36 Protestant, Orthodox, and Anglican denominations that provides disaster relief, and refugee assistance in more than 80 countries. The Social Ministry Committee holds Blanket Sundays annually in May near Mother’s Day. Calvary members can make $5 donations to purchase blankets which are distributed by Church World Service to disaster victims. In May 2007, $1,300 was collected--- enough to provide 260 blankets to people in need.
Healthy Start
Diaper collection is done in February to benefit pregnant women in the Healthy Start program.
Juvenile Detention Center in Chester County
Books are provided to the girls residing in the shelter.
Mother’s Day Gift Program
In collaboration with Calvary’s Sunday School program, small Mother’s Day gifts are collected and distributed to the children at the Care Center for Christ to give to their mothers on Mother’s Day. Additional gifts are taken to residents of Pocopson Home.
Salvation Army Bell Ringing and Salvation Army Food Drive
The committee members coordinate the volunteer sign-up process and help man the bell-ringing posts. This past holiday season, more than 100 Calvary members participated in “Ringing the Bells.” Calvary also sponsors a canned food drive – The Souper Bowl of Caring – on Super Bowl Sunday.
Silver Springs Martin Luther School
Since it’s founding in 1859 as an orphanage, the children’s program of Silver Springs – Martin Luther School in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, has provided a home, education, and treatment for thousands of children and their families from Philadelphia and the surrounding counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Today, Silver Springs offers a nurturing and healing environment for children dealing with past traumas and significant emotional and behavioral issues. Calvary supports the school in July and December. In July, books are purchased by Calvary members for the children and then given to them at a “Christmas in July” party. In December, the committee organizes a gift drive so that each child at the school receives a nice Christmas gift.
A Dollar Well Spent
Calvary also provides financial assistance through the Social Ministry Committee to several local human service organizations, including:
Bridge of Hope
The mission of Bridge of Hope Lancaster and Chester Counties is to end and prevent homelessness for women and children with the help of trained mentoring groups within congregations. Each year Bridge of Hope provides case management services for 33 to 36 single mothers working to attain stability and enhanced self-esteem through ongoing mentoring friendships. Last year 112 churches partnered with Bridge of Hope to exemplify Christ's love and promote physical, emotional, social, and spiritual wholeness for these women. Calvary member mentors a local woman who is homeless or an at risk single parent chosen by the local Bridge of Hope organization. When not actively mentoring someone, the group works to support the local organization.
Care Center for Christ
Ministry to provide spiritual, educational and social programs that empower families in the immediate vicinity of the center. The Center has a pre-school program, an after-school program, and a literacy program and computer instruction.
CHAD
Provides a wide variety of information, services and opportunities utilizing effective communication methods. Volunteers provide help such as setting up home assistive devices or regular home visits. Knowledge of sign language in not a requirement but is offered by CHAD.
Domestic Violence Center
Assists victims of domestic violence with one-on-one counseling, support groups, safe house, legal advocacy, court accompaniment, transitional housing, community education and training.
Interfaith Housing Assistance Program
The goal of the Interfaith Housing Assistance Program is to prevent homelessness among working single parents with dependent children in Chester County. Interfaith Housing provides financial assistance for housing, social service and mentoring support for single parents with dependent children, enabling families to remain in clean, safe, affordable hosing while they work towards independence.
Pennsylvania Home of the Sparrow
Provides transitional housing to homeless women and children.
Volunteer English Program
Recruits, trains and matches volunteers to teach English on a one-to –one basis to immigrants in Chester County. This organization was formed by members of Calvary in 1986, and we continue to recruit volunteers!
There are many ways to get involved and share your love and gifts with those who need it most. Call the Calvary Church Office at 610-696-2475 or email Chris Turner, Discipleship Ministries Facilitator at chris@clcwc.org and we’ll help you get connected.
