One of the priorities of Calvary Church is Creating Engaging Worship. Calvary Church is a warm and inviting spiritual community, and our Music and Worship Team works to ensure that our worship services are rich with Scripture, songs, prayer, message, and fellowship. The team, which includes congregants, the pastor, and the music director, tries to ensure that we experience a mixture of the traditional and the new while we worship God.

Whether you are a longtime member, a visitor to the Arlington area, or are seeking a church community, you will find open hearts, open minds, and open doors at Calvary Church, a reconciling church. All are welcome to join in our services, and we look forward to seeing you and worshiping God with you.

Worship Schedule

Labor Day through June:

10:30 AM ET – Worship Service in the Sanctuary with Zoom and Facebook Live broadcast
Partway through service – Junior Church for children ages 3-10 on the stage in the 2nd floor Fellowship Hall

August through Labor Day:

9:30 AM ET first Sunday of the month – Worship Service on the lawn
9:30 AM ET the rest of the month – Worship Service in the sanctuary

Communion Service is usually the first Sunday of each month. In the Methodist tradition, all are welcome to share in communion. We serve grape juice and gluten-free bread so that all may partake comfortably.

For Children During Worship

We offer child care for children ages three and under in Classroom 3 (go through the front door of the sanctuary down the hall, turn right, go to the end of the hall to the last room on the right). The service is audible through speakers in this room.

Children who need to move around during the service may go with a parent to the Upper Room (above the main entrance to the sanctuary). The service is audible from this space.

Midway through the service, children gather at the front of the sanctuary with the pastor and worship leaders for the children’s message. From September-June, children ages 3-10 are invited to leave the sanctuary to attend Junior Church to continue the worship experience. The Junior Church leaders lead the children through an age-appropriate worship service with singing, bible story, offering and prayer. The time is completed with related activities and crafts. A team of volunteers rotates leadership for Junior Church. (Children in grades four and up are encouraged to stay in the sanctuary with their parents.)

Special Services

Christmas Eve – We offer a family-friendly service at 5 PM with lessons, carols, and candle lighting.

Easter Week – We offer several services during Easter Week:

• Maundy Thursday service at 7 PM on the Thursday before Easter
• Easter Sunrise Service at Robbins Farm Park; check the calendar for the service time
• Easter Service at 10:30 AM on Easter, featuring participatory singing of the Hallelujah Chorus (no Sunday School on Easter)

Liturgy

Our Sunday morning worship service, as presented in our weekly worship bulletin, follows this basic format of liturgy:

Entrance	The people come together in the Lord’s name and are seated in the Sanctuary, while the musical prelude is played. A worship bulletin is given to worshipers as they enter the Sanctuary, and visitors are invited to leave their address/email.
Welcome and Announcements	The Pastor or leader welcomes the congregation and visitors and makes brief announcements.
Gathering Words and Opening Prayer	The Worship Leader invites all to join in the Gathering Words and Opening Prayer, declaring that the Lord is present and empowers our worship.
Passing the Peace	The people greet one another and offer signs of reconciliation and love, and wish each other the peace of our Lord.
Hymns	All join in singing hymns. Hymns are usually printed in the bulletin and hymnals are available in the pew racks.
Scripture Readings	The Worship Leader reads from the Bible.
Children’s Message and Song	The children are invited to come forward and the Pastor or other leader shares a message with the children and the congregation. After the children’s message, the children are invited to attend the nursery or Junior Church program. The congregation sings a song while the children depart.
Music	One of the church’s musical groups sings or plays.
Thoughts	The pastor or leader speaks to the congregation, usually incorporating one or more of the readings into the theme.
Prayers	Worshipers are encouraged to share their joys and concerns with the congregation. The Pastor offers a prayer or a time of silence, followed by the entire congregation joining in the Lord’s Prayer.
Offering	The congregation is invited to think about what they will offer to the world this week. There are baskets outside the sanctuary doors if people wish to give monetary donations to the work of the church.
Doxology and Prayer of Thanksgiving	All sing the Doxology, printed in the bulletin, then speak the Prayer of Thanksgiving.
Communion (first Sunday of each month)	Worshipers come forward and are offered grape juice and bread.
Benediction	The Pastor declares God’s blessing and the service is ended.
Postlude	Music is played while the worshipers go forth from the Sanctuary.