Reach: Local
Evangelism involves everyone at Calvary Church! God expects us to share our good news with others and all of us need to be prepared to do so. Our goal is to have every one at Calvary actively reaching out to those around you through prayer and relationships.
Fire Relief
Many are asking how they can help the families and victims of this past weekend's devastating Orange County Fires. There are a few immediate ways you can get involved - find out more...
Calvary Christmas Community Outreach Highlights
Angel Tree
This Christmas season, Calvary Church is hosting the Angel Tree program, a ministry that reaches out to the children of inmates and their families with the love of Christ.
A tree will be in the Worship Center lobby beginning Sunday, November 16 with name tags of 200 local children who will receive one brand new toy and clothing item costing $15-20. You will have the opportunity to select one or more of these tags, purchase the suggested gift, and return the unwrapped gift and tag by November 30. The gifts will be presented at a party Calvary is hosting for the children December 14.
In addition, we need volunteers in the following areas: Spanish translation, planning and conducting the party, mailing invitations, tag preparation, wrapping gifts, photo and overall support. Please contact Marlene Eckert at meckert1@socal.rr.com. You can also learn more about the ministry of Prison Fellowship and Angel Tree at their website - angeltree.org
Angels Unaware
an original musical comedy
Tickets are now on sale in the lobby on Sunday mornings or in the Corner bookstore during the week for our Christmas Outreach production, Angels Unaware, a musical comedy. This is a great opportunity to Invite a friend to church through a fun and Christ-centered Christmas outreach event.
Friday, December 5 @ 7pm
Saturday, December 6 @ 2pm & 7pm
Sunday, December 7 @ 7pm
- Visit the Angels Unaware Website
Samaritan's Purse
Operation Christmas Child
Calvary Christian School participates yearly in the Operation Christmas Child project which encourages all students to fill a shoebox with items like: toys, candy, socks, art supplies, and basically anything that might bring joy to a needy child receiving the box.
For more on Calvary Christian School's participation in Operation Christmas Child
- Click Here
Ongoing Local Community Partnership Highlights:
1. The Cabrillo Park Project (Santa Ana)
On Saturday, October 11th we gathered together as a church to renew Cabrillo Park.
You can view photos of a few of our all-church work days
at the park in the galleries below:
To learn more about Calvary's ongoing partnership with the City of Santa Ana and discover ways you can get involved - contat Janice Fitzgerald at (714) 973-4800 ext. 310 or jfitzgerald@calvarylife.org
2. KidWorks (Santa Ana)
Helping kids in central Santa Ana with after school tutoring, computer skills and leadership life skills. This neighborhood is slowly being transformed from a community of gangs, school drop-outs and poverty to being a community that lives with the hope found in Jesus Christ. You can help continue this transformation.
Contact volunteer coordinator Cole Ng at (714) 834.9400 ext. 107. for more info of how can join what God is doing at KidWorks!
3. Birth Choice (Santa Ana)
Birth Choice is a faith-based, pro-life, organization providing medical services and education to teens and adults. Birth Choice promotes abstinence and positive alternatives to abortion consistent with the inherent value of every human life.
Birth Choice offers free pregnancy tests, free ultrasounds, and free STD testing.
The clinic seeks to give truth and grace to women in crisis as Jesus would have us do.
To volunteer as a pregnancy counselor, mentor or to get involved if you are health care professional please contact Ma'May Fauchner in Santa Ana at 714.836.5447 or mamay@birthchoiceclinic.org.
4. Release Time Christian Education (Orange and Anaheim)
Serves the public school by providing IN-School bible studies for students with parent's permission. The ministry is always looking for individuals to help teach the morning and afternoon studies as well as groups to come on Saturday's and clean the chapels on wheels!
Contact Candy Kenney at rckenney1@att.net for more info.
5. The Orange County Rescue Mission (Tustin)
Serving the Least, the Last, and the Lost of our community through the provision of assistance in the areas of guidance, counseling, education, job training, shelter, food, clothing, health care and independent living communities.
If you're interested in finding out more about volunteering with the Orange County Rescue Mission, check out the volunteer page on their website or contact their Volunteer Manager at jmarino@rescuemission.org or call (714) 247-4334.
6. Olive Crest (Santa Ana, Orange, Riverside)
A local ministry that serves in Jesus name by serving foster kids and running group homes. There are a variety ways you can get involved with the kids at Olive Crest including pursuing foster care and adoption, supporting a group home to clean or bring gifts too or transporting kids from their group homes to youth group here at Calvary Church.
Contact 1-800-550-CHILD, ext. 1144 or e-mail info@olivecrest.org
7. Cabrillo Park Ongoing Renewal Project (Santa Ana)
Take an afternoon or a Saturday morning and go serve with your family, friends or LifeGroup in our neighborhood park. There are always needs for trash clean-up, graffiti removal, planting, trimming and painting.
Contact Matt Doan at (714) 973-4800 ext. 378 or at mdoan@calvarylife.org for more info or scheduling opportunities.
8. Project Hangout (Throughout Orange County)
Equips people with the skills to provide lifestyle mentoring to un-churched teens through the sharing of common activities (surfing, guitars, coffee, etc.).
E-mail Ryan Zuelner at rz@projecthangout.com for more info on how you can impact the next generation!
9.Young Life (Tustin)
Reaches out to un-churched adolescents by entering into their world through attending school events, games, school campuses etc. Young Life is committed to introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. You can get involved by opening up your home for weekly club, sponsoring students to winter and summer camp or by joining the volunteer leadership team.
Contact Kristy Fox, Tustin Young Life area director at (714) 412-9826
10.Sheepfold (Orange)
Ministers to woman with children who have faced abandonment or abuse. Gives these families an opportunity to recover, have a safe place to live, receive counseling, obtain job skills and education.
Go to www.thesheepfold.org/volunteers for the latest volunteer opportunities.
There are also several key ongoing ministries and special outreach events throughout the year that serve as bridge-building opportunities for people at Calvary to invite their friends, family, coworkers and neighbors to church:
Vacation Bible School (1st - 6th grade)
This is a week of adventure and exitement during the summer where kids can bring their friends to hear about Jesus. Each day kids will be part of fun Bible learning, and it's absolutely free! Find out more...
Light the Night
This is a fun and safe alternative to "trick or treating" on October 31. Activities include: Carnival game booths and rides, cakewalk, large inflatable games, live entertainment, puppet show and a special carnival area just for preschoolers. There is lots of candy for the kids and the public is invited. This is event is free!
Find out more...
Christmas Production
The annual Christmas outreach production is a dramatic musical with many opportunities to use gifts in acting, dance and singing. To find out more about Calvary's Drama Ministry or how you can be a part of this fantastic outreach, contact Linda Paszkiewicz at (714) 973-4800 ext. 301 or lpaskiewics@calvarylife.org
Athletics Ministry
Athletics is a ministry "beyond the sanctuary" to break down social barriers and build stronger Christ-centered relationships by providing opportunities for fellowship, outreach and service.
Athletics is a common denominator that bridges across ethnic, language, cultural and economic barriers. This attribute makes athletics an ideal vehicle for reaching people for Christ who would not resist other means.
Find out more...
Cabrillo Park Restoration
Some Photos of the Park Restoration Work
These are shots from a day that the high school students spent restoring the bleachers at Cabrillo park. If you would like to be involved with this ongoing ministry to our local community, please contact Matt Doan at ext 378 or mdoan@calvarylife.org
July 28th Calvary Church Serve Day Report
Cabrillo Park Restoration Project
During the morning, we had an enthusiastic group of 40-50 people who did a lot of “dirty work” to help make Cabrillo Park look better. It was especially encouraging to see families come to work!
Alone in the back corner of the park, one father-daughter team spent hours cutting down old, sagging netting to increase safety and beautify the area. Another couple carefully removed small pieces of trash that were imbedded in the mulch of some of the flower beds. Others spent hours sifting through the sand in the children’s play area removing trash and hazards like broken glass.
The biggest crews weeded the new plants, along the walls; others weeded the front flower beds, transplanted plants to better locations and generally improved the irrigation coverage. It was a great team effort with major thanks to Eric Wakeling and Michael Welles for their coordination and enthusiastic leadership.
Kidworks Carnival
Calvary Church staffed a booth at the Annual KidWorks Carnival at Jerome Park on Sat., July 28. Ten people from Calvary Church helped set up, decorate and run a football toss game for hundreds of Hispanic families.
We invited families to our own Vacation Bible School, handing out many fliers. Our own John Reed stopped by and captivated kids with an impromptu presentation with his friends and props. One little boy named Eduardo prayed to receive Christ with John.
All the Calvary people served with open hearts and love for the kids there. It was a privilege to join with KidWorks, Rock Harbor and the other churches who came together to put on this event.
July 28th Calvary Church Serve Day
We will join over 30 other local churches
Who will also be serving the greater Orange County area
in a variety of ways on this Saturday.
There are two (2) opportunities for our people to serve on this day. Spread the word about this day and join in as well!
#1 - Cabrillo Park Restoration Project
(need approx. 50+ Calvary Church Volunteers)
When: Saturday, July 28th (8am to Noon)
Where: Meet in front of Church Gym at 8am for Team Assignments
Walk down to Cabrillo Park at 8:15am
What to Bring: Work Clothes, Work Gloves, trash bags, Gardening Tools, (especially hedge clippers and rakes)
What we will do: Trim bushes and hedges, plant new plants, clean-up trash, paint over graffiti, re-paint park benches and tables, clean playground equipment, remove broken BBQ's
Why we are doing this: We as a church have adopted Cabrillo Park and have pledged to continually work on the park to improve its conditions, equipment and overall look. We have formed this partnership with the city so that we can show our neighborhood in a tangible, real way, that we are followers of Jesus who feel called to be a church that operates as a city on a hill, shining the light of Jesus into our neighborhood and community.
How do people sign up? Sign up at the Cabrillo Park table in the courtyard, Sunday, July 15th and Sunday, July 22nd or simply show up at 8am in front of the gym on Saturday, July 28th.
#2 - KidWorks Carnival
(need approx. 15-20 Calvary Church Volunteers)
When: Saturday, July 28th (8:30am to 3pm)
Where: Meet in front of Samsvick Chapel at 8:30am to organize Will carpool over to Jerome Park in Central Santa Ana to host (3) Calvary Church sponsored carnival booths for the annual summer KidWorks Carnival.
What to Bring: Comfortable clothes, sunscreen, water bottles, hat, sunglasses
What we will do: Set-up (3) carnival booths at Jerome Park at 9am.
Calvary Church will provide (3) E-Z ups and Carnival game supplies
Calvary Church volunteers will run carnival booth games from 11am to 3pm
Why we are doing this:
We as a church have formed an on-going partnership with KidWorks, a Santa Ana non-profit faith-based organization whose mission is to bring hope to the youth of central Santa Ana by providing mentoring relationships, tutoring, healthcare and computer training and the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
This is are first organized event to participate in with KidWorks!
KidWorks is also looking for donations to give out at the carnival.
Anything as small as stickers or pencils to things as large as DVD players or Playstations. If you cannot volunteer but would like to donate a item, please contact Pastor Matt Doan about this at anytime.
How do people sign-up? Contact Matt Doan at (714) 973-4800 ext. 378 or by e-mail at mdoan@calvarylife.org
Park Restoration Project Update #2
Saturday, July 28 from 8 am to Noon
Joe France, one our Church members has faithfully been working at the park 2-3 days a week, maintaining the growth of the ivy plants we installed in April, removing graffiti from the bathrooms we painted, installing new sprinkler heads and mapping out new projects. Joe is an incredibly hard worker who has been so dedicated to this project. Thanks Joe!
The Next Church-Wide Park Restoration Day will be held on Saturday, July 28th from 8am to Noon.
Volunteers are to check-in at 8am in front of the Church Gym for team assignments.
We will walk down as a group at 8:15am and work until 11:30am when we will break for a free lunch.
Here are some of the projects we will work on July 28th:
• Clean the sand and sweep playground area
• Paint over Graffiti in the Park
• Paint bathrooms.
• Remove weeds from the sidewalk plant area.
• Remove weeds/Bermuda grass from around all the ivy plantings.
• Prune and beautify all plants
• Water plant/ivy areas
• Remove broken bar-b-ques
• Repaint the Bleachers
* Tear-Down Old Tennis Court Fences
* Repair Softball Diamond
* Replace Basketball Nets/Clean Basketball Court/Repaint White Line on Court
What to Bring:
* Gardening Tools
* Brooms
* Clothes to Paint In
* Wire Cutters
* Ladders
* Paint Brushes/Paint Trays
* Water Bottles (It will be a hot day!)
Park Restoration Project Update #2
- On Monday, May 21 - the City of Santa Ana presented Calvary with a Certificate of Recognition for our outreach efforts on Cabrillo Park.
- Joe France is our church liason to the Park. He waters the ivy and planters every Tuesday and Thursday.
- 2/3rds of the Ivy on the South and North Walls is growing and doing well.
- We are replacing the other 1/3 of the newly planter ivy this Saturday (5/19) as part of our High School ministry outreach to the park. The city is providing the replacement ivy.
- Our next church wide Cabrillo Park Restoration Day is scheduled for Saturday, July 28th from 8am to Noon
- The front parking lot plants are growing well (except for 1 Palm that was dug up and stolen!)
- The newly painted trash cans are all intact (no graffiti!)
- The bleachers by the softball field will be freshly painted and 2 boards will be replaced this Saturday.
- The Hispanic Ministry will join our Church Wide Park Day on Saturday, July 28th.
Park Restoration Project Update #1
We're on a new series in both Celebration and Elevation. We're learning from Philippians how to be a "bridge builder" for Christ. The key word is "Crossing." Just as we emphasized an "Encounter" with Christ, we now want to grow in our ability to help people cross that bridge to fully experience salvation in Christ. There is no greater joy than participating in that gospel ministry.
My thanks to the over 200 people who helped literally paint a picture of Restoration to our community at Cabrillo Park on Saturday, April 14. It was pure joy to participate together in serving Santa Ana as we helped restore many features of that park. Participating together as we did is a good model of what Paul is addressing in Philippians. As we work together in the gospel ministry, we will grow in joy. Consider what part you will play in continuing this outreach by contacting Matt Doan at mdoan@calvarylife.org
Who do you know that needs Christ's salvation? Continue to pray for them and invite them to church. Experience that great joy.
David Mitchell
Senior Pastor
Check out photos from the restoration - click here
CABRILLO PARK RESTORATION PROJECT
In the past we’ve purchase Easter Lillies in memory/honor of loved ones and enjoyed a beautiful display of lillies on the platform in our Worship Services on Easter Sunday.
This year, instead of decorating the Worship Center with lillies, we’re planning to reach out to our community. The Encounter Series has challenged us to examine our mission, motivation and means to build bridges in our community. We’ve identified Cabrillo Park as a location where we’d like to invest our time, talent and treasure.
We are asking you to join us in this Outreach, as a church body we plan to Restore Cabrillo Park. Cabrillo Park is located on the corner of Fruit Street and Cabrill Park Rd. We’ll hold an all church work day on Saturday, April 14. We’ll paint, plant & repair a very used and worn community space. We are working with the city of Santa Ana to develop and execute a plan. We will also invite anyone in the community to work with us on that day by posting a banner w/ the details of the Park Restoration Day a few weeks ahead of the event.
We also want to maintain the park improvements over the next 12 months.
This will provide an opportunity for various ministries, LAF groups, families, small groups to serve as teams once or twice during the next year providing simple maintenance.
We will soon provide an opportunity to give. If you normally donate lillies, please consider giving toward outreach instead. You won’t walk away with a lilly on Easter Sunday morning but you will have invested beyond the walls of our sanctuary to the community on the other side.
Saturday, April 14 (8am-12noon) All-church work day:
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Plant trees and color.
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Remove graffiti from walls, structures and tables.
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Vines (boston ivy) planted along wall to cover preventing further graffiti.
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Paint center structure, benches, and picnic tables.
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Clean playground equipment and remove sand from rubber surface.
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Sift sand of debris.
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Pick up trash.
Ongoing Weekly Maintenance
- Graffiti Removal, this would include require training.
- Clean playground equipment and remove sand from rubber surface. Sift sand of debris.
- Pick up trash
Let’s trust God to open doors for us to ENCOUNTER our neighbors with the love and grace of Jesus Christ our Wonderful Savior.
Contact Matt Doan at mdoan@calvarylife.org or
Tammy Harris at tharris@calvarylife.org to be involved.