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Calvary is a vibrant, growing church with friendly members of all ages. Pastor Joshua Obermann is our dynamic spiritual leader who through Word and Sacrament guides us with love in the way of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We invite you to join us as we celebrate and explore our faith. It is our mission to connect people to the love of Jesus.

 

Calvary Celebrates 60 years of Connecting People with the love of Jesus

 

Our History

It all began in the fall of 1955 when Rev. J. Ralph Hess, Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Brushton, was calling on two of his members, Carl and Helen Pilz.  They mentioned that a “church should be built in the proximity of Murrysville.”  Pastor Hess told them to put a notice in the local newspaper about organizing a congregation here. As a result of this announcement and a subsequent survey, 18 persons attended a meeting on Nov. 20, 1955, in the Pilz home on Hobaugh Ave.  This group of people made a formal request for the establishment of a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregation in Murrysville. Thus, the formation of a mission congregation started to take shape under the guidance of Pastor Schultz and Rev. William Griebel, who at the time was Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Irwin. 

In 1956 Rev. Frederick Schoof was installed as the mission pastor of Calvary. He became the permanent pastor in 1957 and served until 1964. Then Pastor Ken Hoener served as pastor until his retirement in 1993. Pastor Ray Simmons was Calvary’s Interim Pastor from 1993 to 1995, after which Pastor Charles Minetree served as pastor for over ten years. During his pastorate Calvary adopted its mission statement of “Connecting People to the Love of Jesus”.

On September 10, 2006, David Weeks was installed as Calvary’s pastor, and he continued to be a blessing through his retirement on September 30, 2020 and as Calvary's Interim Pastor until February 28, 2021.

Calvary completed the Call process fo a new Pastor with the acceptance of our call by Pastor Joshua Obermann.  Pastor Josh was Installed as Pastor for Calvary on March 14, 2021.  We look forward to many progressive years of outreach ministries as we continue to "Connect People to the Love of Jesus Christ."

The present church sanctuary and basement were constructed in 1957.

In 1980 a pipe organ was installed in a newly constructed balcony within the sanctuary.

In 1986 the education wing and narthex connecting it to the sanctuary was constructed.

Calvary began its first kindergarten class in 1958, and it continued in operation for more than 20 years. In 1997 Calvary’s Early Learning Center was founded to serve children from age two through Kindergarten.  In 2007 Laura Hoff was called to be the School Administrator/Kindergarten teacher of the Early Learning Center.   

In 2019 Calvary purchased the old PNC Bank building across the street.  The building was renamed "Calvary Community Center."  Many internal and external updates have been made over the last 2 years with many expected uses for Calvary ministries and community activities.  

Calvary Lutheran Church offers many ways to connect with the love of Jesus, whether it is through traditional or contemporary worship, Christian education, or church and community ministries. We invite you to be a part of the journey to everlasting life and to know and experience the loving, saving grace of God.

 

We embrace Grace, Faith, and Scripture through our participation in the sacraments of the Lord's Supper and Holy Baptism. We receive these knowing that God freely forgives our sins and offers us eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

We are affiliated with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Visit www.lcms.org for more information.

+ Can I receive communion as a visitor?

             Yes you can if you....
 
   > believe that Jesus is your Savior.
   > acknowledge your sins.
   > believe that is this sacrament you receive the true body
       and blood of Jesus in, with, and under the bread and wine.
   > believe that in this sacrament the Lord gives and assures you
       of forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and strengthens your faith.
   > are baptized and agree with these statements.
 
 
+ What are Calvary's worship services like?
 
     > Our Sunday morning 8:30 AM service is traditionally formal using a liturgical
      format, organ music, and vestments. Holy Communion is celebrated the 1st,
      3rd, and 5th Sunday each month
 
   > Our Sunday morning 11:00 AM service is Praise/Contemporary oriented using 
      song leaders, piano, and lay participants. Holy Communion is celebrated the 2nd,
      4th, and 5th Sunday each month.
 
 > Our Monday evening 6:30 PM service is an intimate, informal, casual type
      of contemporary gathering with piano accompaniment, song leaders, and
      emphasis of God's Word. Holy Communion is celebratedthe 2nd,
      4th, and 5th Monday evening each month.
 
    > Our midweek Wednesday evening 7:00 PM meditation times during Lent and Advent
      feature longer focus on God's Word with attention toward specific and changing topics.
 
 
+ Why does Calvary promote praying for others?
 
   > We firmly believe that casting our cares, concerns, and needs upon the Lord Jesus helps
      us focus on the Healer and the One who can and does, not only hear our requests, answer
      according to His will and our good and the good of those for whom we pray. 
 
+ What's the big deal about "by grace alone, faith alone, God's Word alone"?
 
   > We know that we are by nature alienated from the Lord. We need a remedy for our sins.
      Grace is undeserved love and this comes from the Lord Jesus. His undeserved love for us
      demonstrated on the cross and in the resurrection is the only way we can connect to Him. We
      cannot earn it, be sincere enough, learn enough, or have the best intentions to attain it. It is
      only by grace.
 
   > We know that we embrace this grace only by faith. Believing, trusting, and hoping in the Lord
      through faith is primary to understanding our relationship to the Lord.
 
   > We know that there are many sources for religious understanding today. We believe there is
      only one source for the true and trusted understanding for Godly living and salvation in Jesus.
      This source is The Bible - God's Word. Because it is inspired, inerrant, and infallible, it is our
      only source for accurate information about the Lord and His plan for His creation.

Worship Times

Sunday     8:30AM   Traditional Service -   Join us live on BoxCast  

Sunday   11:00AM   Praise Service

Monday    6:30PM   Contemporary Service