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Dear Calvary Family,

I have always loved the encouraging and hope-filled words of Jesus in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” In this verse, we see His victorious power that brings us peace and His tender heart that understands the troubles we face.

I pray that in these uncertain times, we would develop a deeper trust in Jesus and experience more of His great love for us. I pray that we would continue to be a church family marked by love and grace for one another. And, I pray that as we navigate the next phases of this pandemic, whether we feel cautious or confident, that the enemy will not be able to use the differences of our views as a foothold for dividing the church. I encourage you to take a moment to pray and ask God to give you compassion for your brothers and sisters in Christ that may think differently than you.

Here are some updates for how we are living as a church family together right now and some plans for what's next:

1. We will have an online, all-church United Service this Sunday at 9:30am followed by our first-ever, online Annual Members Meeting. In this 30-minute Zoom webinar, we will share leadership updates, inspiring stories of how we are reaching neighbors and nations for Jesus, and our vision for this next season of ministry together. We will also be holding the vote to affirm elders (or you may return the ballot by mail sent with this letter). Find the link to participate at CalvaryLife.org/meeting

2. We have loved seeing how we can care for our church and our larger community in a few different ways, made possible by the generous support of so many. Our Good Neighbor Task Force is running errands and helping our shut-ins or more “at-risk” members of our community. We have started the Pop Up Food Pantry to give groceries to families in need. We are praying for the Holy Spirit to work miracles and we have clearly seen His hand at work. You can help support these efforts by giving to Calvary's Emergency Needs Fund at CalvaryLife.org/give

3. We are beginning a transition from offering midweek livestreams to starting new online LifeGroups. This will be a major area of focus for us as a church as we head into summer. We have given opportunities to be connected to Calvary, but we want to move towards greater connection with each other. So, we have lined up some great studies for this summer on Psalm 23, Sabbath, The Lord's Prayer, and Digging Deeper in Hebrews. To learn more about finding a group or leading a group, please visit CalvaryLife.org/groups

At this time, it is not clear when we will be back to meeting in person for our worship gatherings, LifeGroups, and other activities, but our leadership is prayerfully and thoughtfully preparing for a variety of scenarios. We will continue to communicate with you as these develop via email, on our website, in our Sunday morning live stream services, and in this Sunday's Annual Meeting. We are confident in our faith in Christ and also aware of the need to express wisdom with how our decisions would impact the health of people around us.

May the Lord bless you and keep you,
Eric Wakeling

P.S. Will you please help us by filling out a 5-minute survey today? The intent of this confidential survey of our church family is to help Calvary's leadership understand your current thoughts and feelings about returning to in-person church activities as conditions allow. It will also help us understand how our church family is engaging during this time.

Your input will help us enhance the way we connect as a church family, serve you and your family, and navigate this next season together.

FILL OUT SURVEY HERE