At Calvary316 we place a high emphasis on our Sunday service as it provides the optimal time for the church to gather to worship, partake of communion, and spend time in God’s Word. While we believe consistent attendance on Sunday will afford the most ample opportunity to foster genuine community with other believers, we also recognize the reality that many need another outlet for the development of these important relational connections. This is why we encourage those who attend Calvary316 to “Move Beyond the Sunday Service.” Every other initiative we place our energies and resources into (whether it be our monthly Church Fellowship – Ladies, Men’s, Community, or Youth Events, the Free Cereal Bar, or Home Groups) has been created with the specific desire to help our members create community with one another.

In 1 Samuel 7, the Israelites found themselves under attack by the dreaded Philistines. Fearing for their lives, God’speople begged the Prophet Samuel to pray for them in their impending battle against this fearsome foe. In turn, Samuel offered a sacrifice to God and prayed for His protection. God heard the prayers of Samuel for the people and the Philistines suffered a great loss and retreated to their territory. After the victory, the Bible records in 1 Samuel 7:12, “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us’.” 

“Ebenezer” comes from the Hebrew word ’Eben hà-ezer, which means “stone of help.” Though it’s not a word we commonly use, an Ebenezer is simply a monument stone set up in remembrance of some great work of God. At Calvary316 we believe to effectively look forward it’s important to take a moment and recognize the sovereign ways God has worked in and through our lives over the past year. With this in mind, on Sunday, January 5th, we’re to have a special Ebenezer Service to recap what God has done in preparation for what He’s planning to do.

On Sunday, January 5th, we’re going to be having our next Connecting Point. Once a month before the church service (9:15-10:00 AM) Mike Bower leads a small group back in the Blue Room. Open to all, in addition to refreshments, this time is dedicated to building community as well as spending time in prayer. For more information, you can email Pastor Zach at [email protected]. Upcoming 2025: February 9th. 

On January 12th, directly following the Sunday service, we’ll be having our monthly Church Potluck. The theme for this month’s get-together is “Soups & Sandwiches” so we encourage everyone to bring their favorite dish to share. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to bring additional items such as plates, drinks, ice, or utensils, simply email Pastor Zach at [email protected]. Upcoming 2025: February 16 (Scattered, Covered & Saved), March TBD (Pub Food), April TBD (Southern Fixings), May TBD (Mexican), August TBD (BBQ), September TBD (Tailgate), October TBD (Chili Cook-off), November TBD (JB’s Famous Gumbo).

Join Pastor Zach, Creighton Vaughn, Justin (AKA Spice Daddy), and a rotation of different guys from the church for a conversational Bible study every Wednesday at 8 PM. The show streams on our YouTube channel as well as our Facebook page making it easy to interact in real time. On Thursday the audio is released on our podcast. You can learn more about the ministry of Outlaw Radio by visiting OutlawRadio.org.

Free Coffee & Cereal Every Sunday:

Every Sunday morning before the service we run a full-service cereal and coffee bar free for the whole family! In addition to the fact you can’t get cereal for breakfast at McDonalds, Starbucks, or even Dunkin, we offer cereal because this breakfast luxury is one of the few things our culture has still reserved for the home. While the coffee is available throughout the morning, we reserve the cereal before the service. Come out early, grab a bowl of cereal, and fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Linguistically, the word “Sabbatical” finds its root in the Biblical term “Sabbath.” While it has a broader application than our understanding of a weekly Sabbath, a Sabbatical is a period set aside for intentional rest. More than simply being a vacation, you might think of a Sabbatical as a break from the normal grind for the specific purposes of refreshment and renewal.

At Calvary316 there is no doubt our Sunday morning service is 100% dependent on our faithful volunteers. Every aspect of making Sunday morning a unique and special experience requires the sacrifice of both time and energy from our members. Knowing that for a 52-week year, this can become a grind, we have decided to set aside Sunday, December 29th as a church-wide Sabbatical. Whether you utilize this weekend as an opportunity to schedule a family vacation or simply choose to relax at home, we hope you enjoy the break and come back the following Sunday renewed and refreshed.

Do you have any talents that aren’t being used? Maybe you’re still trying to figure out what gifts you have.  Or, you have always dreamed of experiencing the life of a foreign missionary, but don’t want to commit to something long-term. Perhaps you just need a vacation from the everyday grind but feel bad about just going to the beach or mountains. Calvary 316 has the perfect solution for you!!! If you feel led:  Join us February 2nd-8th, 2025 for a trip to Siguatepeque, Honduras, where we will be assisting Bridges Across the Mission Field in their ministry goals of assisting the missionaries of Honduras in fulfilling their callings.  The goals of this trip will be determined by the talents of those in the group. Contact Justin Holcombe for more details [email protected].