October 29, 2025

CHRISTIAN WORSHIP

This Sunday, November 2, is “All Saints Day”. In 1767, John Wesley wrote that it is “a festival I truly love”. In 1788 he wrote, “I always find this a comfortable day”, and in 1789, “a day I peculiarly love.” This was a day John Wesley had a deep appreciation for. It is a day we honor and remember all who have gone on to glory, and who have joined what Paul said is that “great cloud of witnesses”. It is a day of remembering our connection with them and a day to give thanks for all those who have gone before us in faith and who have passed down that legacy to us.

There are many in the Bible, like Paul and Peter, John and Luke and others that we refer to as saints. Most all of the Disciples are considered saints though Judas gets left off the list. In the New Testament however, all who follow Christ are referred to as saints, not just a select few.

United Methodists call people "saints" because they exemplified the Christian life and every Christian can be considered a saint. That means all of us are saints. Even as we might have questions about our faith and what it means to follow Christ, even as we might make mistakes along the way (don’t forget to remember God’s grace at those times), and even as we might laugh at the idea of being a saint, that’s who we are. As Christians it is not that we are perfect, rather we are continually being shaped and reshaped by God's grace to become “perfect in love for God and neighbor”. Saints are not perfect people but rather Christians who have lived lives of faithful love and courage.

We in our “sainthood” are passing from one generation to the next, the example and the wisdom of the generations before us along with our own. This Sunday we begin our series based on “Earn, Save, Give: Wesley’s Simple Rules for Money”, by James Harnish. And it all begins with wisdom. See you in church.

Please keep in your prayers:

Calvary’s mission and ministry and for the mission and ministry of the church in the world; for those who need the presence of God in their lives; for those serving in armed forces; and for those serving in ministry around the world and here.

And for: Duane, Mike, Serena Rose, John and Audrey, Carol F., Tom, Michael & Chelsea, Laura & Marc.

And those members of Calvary who are no longer able to be active among us as they once were: Joan, Bernie, Dottie, Bill, Bob, Pepper, Shirley, Marj, June, Helen.

Virtual Prayer Request

If you have a prayer request that you would like lifted during Sunday services you can now submit them online at our website or by clicking the link below. We have also created this QR code, which can be found in the Sanctuary and round the building. It can be scanned at any time to send a request.

Calvary Online Prayer Requests

JOYFUL GIVING

Continuing the Joy — A Call to Faithful and Joyful Giving

Dear Calvary Family,

Grace and peace to you in the name of Christ!

This past year has been one of the most joyful and fruitful in Calvary’s ministry. Your generosity has helped us live out our mission in powerful ways — expanding Adult Education, strengthening Family and Youth Ministry, supporting our Preschool’s renewal, and deepening our care for homebound members through our visitation team. Truly, we have embraced our core value of Joyful Giving and seen how God multiplies our faithfulness.

As we look toward 2026, we celebrate what God has done — and we also look forward to what God is calling us to do next. We are prayerfully inviting each household to consider increasing your annual pledge by 5–10% this year. This increase will allow us to:

Support modest staff salary adjustments.
Cover increased costs for snow removal and building maintenance.
Continue expanding our mission programs, including our vision to become the church known for feeding people.

John Wesley once said, “When I have money, I get rid of it quickly, lest it find a way into my heart.” Stewardship is not about money — it is about the heart. As James Harnish reminds us in Earn. Save. Give., “Stewardship is not God’s way of raising money; it is God’s way of raising people into the likeness of Jesus Christ.”

Your giving is an act of spiritual discipline and connection to God. It expresses our shared faith and enables Calvary to be a light in our community.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll explore John Wesley’s timeless guidance for faithful stewardship: Earn all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can. Together, we’ll rediscover how these simple words can shape our lives and strengthen our church.

You can make your 2026 pledge by:

Downloading and printing the pledge card linked in this email and bringing it on Commitment Sunday to place on the altar or mail to the church office.
Completing it electronically and emailing it to the church office.
Picking up a pledge card from the Gathering Space any Sunday during the campaign.

Takeaway: Joyful giving is not about raising money — it’s about raising hearts toward God.

With gratitude and hope,
Pastor Drew & The Calvary Finance Team

Pledge Card for 2026

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Join a House Church

Calvary’s House Church ministry continues to grow and remain a vital component of our worship life together. With five active house churches, thirty participants we are seeing tremendous response. One participant has said “Joining house church was the best thing I’ve done for myself in a long time.”... See More

Book Study:
Earn. Save. Give. - Wesley's Simple Rules for Money

We are excited to announce our upcoming 4-week stewardship book study, Earn. Save. Give.: Wesley’s Simple Rules for Money by James A. Harnish, which will run Wednesdays, October 29 through November 19, led by our Finance Chair, Carl Shepard. The first 12 books will be provided for those who sign up at no cost.

This small-group study will accompany our worship series as we explore financial discipleship through the lens of the Wesleyan tradition. Harnish presents Wesley’s timeless guidance in clear, approachable language: “earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can.”

Throughout the study, participants will be encouraged to reflect on how money, generosity, and stewardship shape our lives as followers of Jesus. To deepen that journey, a daily devotional will be available to guide personal reflection and prayer between sessions. All are welcome—whether new to stewardship or experienced in financial faithfulness. Join us as we grow together in wisdom, trust, and generosity rooted in God’s grace.

Meeting Zoom Link

For more information, and upcoming events check out our Family Ministries Page.

Church Nursery - Volunteers Needed

Family Ministries is in need of volunteers for our nursery! All interested volunteers must be over 18, safe sanctuaries trained or willing to become trained. If you are interested, please reach out to Sharon Kunkel - kunkesilk@gmail.com.

PASSIONATE SERVICE

An Urgent Call to “Double Up” for Our Neighbors

Our Justice Ministry Team and Mission Ministry Team invite you to read this important article highlighting the growing strain on Capital Area food pantries during the ongoing government shutdown. Many of our ministry partners are seeing a dramatic increase in families seeking assistance as paychecks are delayed and resources run thin.

As you learn more about their work and the challenges they face, we encourage you to respond with compassion and generosity. This week, let’s “double up” on our giving — if you planned to bring one box of macaroni, bring two! One pack of tuna? Make it two! Together, as Calvary seeks to be a church that helps end hunger, our small acts of doubling can make a lasting difference in our community.

The Food Pantries for the Capital District Article

Cook & Serve at the Capital City Rescue Mission - CANCELLED

Please note: Due to the cancellation of this month's Cook & Serve at the Capital City Rescue Mission, we will not need any cakes at this time. Our next night to cook will be January 30, 2026.

Outdoor Fall Clean-up
Saturday, November 1st, from 9am - 12pm

All Are Welcome!

There is much to be done outside, weather permitting! Bring a rake, a leaf blower, maybe a tarp…whatever you have to help rake around the church. If you are willing to help out, please come! Contact Linda Melanson (melansonlinda@hotmail.com) if you have any questions.

Red Bird Mission Shoebox Project

LAST DAY for donations is Monday, November 3rd

Calvary UMC is once again serving as a designated collection site for the Red Bird Mission Shoebox Project this year. Shoeboxes are being collected for individuals of all ages starting this Sunday.

A list of suggested items to include in the boxes is available here, and labels for the top of the boxes are found here. We ask that you please be sure to tape the label on the TOP of the box.

In addition to filled shoeboxes, Red Bird Mission also gratefully accepts donations of new:

Pillows
Twin and full-size bed sheets
Blankets
Towels
School supplies
Cash or checks made out to "Endwell UMC"

Clear plastic shoeboxes will be available in the Gathering Space starting September 7th, so start shopping now during the back-to-school summer sales!! All donations must be dropped off by Monday, November 3.

If you have any questions, please contact Cecelia (Cece) Broomhead at 518-577-0985 or ccb1018@nycap.rr.com.

Thank you for supporting this meaningful mission!

Calvary Missional Partnerships

Calvary has long standing relationships with a number of mission organizations that impact people from the local area. For more information on the following organizations, please click here.

Rags to Riches
St. Ambrose Food Pantry

Find More Volunteer Opportunities

OPEN TO ALL

Calvary’s Annual Thanksgiving Dinner is Coming Soon!

Dinner will be held Sunday, November 23rd at 5:00pm in Fellowship Hall! We need 4, 20-25 lb turkeys and volunteers to help with set up, cooking, serving and clean up. If you are interested in volunteering or donating a turkey, please sign up on the round table in the Gathering Space or contact Tracy Balogh at tdb1214@gmail.com (518-630-4257) or Elliot Friedman elfriedm71@gmail.com.

Benefit Concert - For the Children of Ukraine

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2025, 4:00 PM

On Saturday, November 15, 2025, Calvary United Methodist Church, 15 Ridge Pl, Latham NY, will present a concert of classical music to benefit "CIRCLE OF ALL", a non-governmental organization in Kyiv that helps children with special needs and their families who are caught amid the destruction, caused by the Russian war on Ukraine.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear baroque, romantic, and modern compositions performed by Robert Dembo (Clarinet), Sue Rangeley (Cello), and Natalia Shevchuk (Piano/Organ/Keys). The program’s highlights include the sparkling “Sant-Angelo” Clarinet Concerto based on Vivaldi’s arias, magnificent Brahms Trio op. 114, a stunning Chaconne by Tomaso Antonio Vitali, transcribed for Clarinet and Organ (featuring the Church’s 3-manual pipe organ), and John Williams’ music from the movie “The Terminal”.

A special talk on the Ukraine War will be given by Peter Cipkowski, political and literary historian at UCLA.

Doors open at 3 pm. Intermission will be provided.

Free will offering will be collected during the concert.

Checks should be made out to: CalvaryUMC ("Children of Ukraine" on memo line)

Preschool Update & Panera Fundraiser

We had a wonderful Halloween party. It was so much fun to invite family and friends into Preschool to celebrate with us.

Thanks to all who supported our Panera fundraiser.

Contact Michelle at LathamCalvaryPreK@gmail.com if you or anyone you know is still looking for a preschool.

FUMC of Delmar to Celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month in October

The Reconciling Ministries Team of FUMC Delmar has a month of interesting opportunities planned for the community. The line up includes forum discussions, photo exhibit, and a concert. In addition to the special events listed below, we will also be sharing information about important LBGTQ+ folx in Methodist History during worship services and plan a display of important LGBTQ+ folx in history in our building.

For more information on events please see the link to their press release and Concert poster.

Support Calvary

If you would like to Support the ministry of Calvary, you may do so using the link below or QR code. Thank you for your generosity.

https://giving.servantkeeper.com/CalvaryLathamUMC

For more ways to support Calvary, please click here.

Tellers Schedule

The Tellers for this Sunday, November 2nd, 2025

Neil Francese and Bob Savage

Click here to see the full Teller Schedule.

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