Worship at Calvary United Methodist Church
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.” -Psalm 100:1
We are excited to welcome you to a worship service at Calvary! Worship at Calvary offers an accessible and spiritually fulfilling service rooted in our United Methodist tradition. We offer two one hour worship services every Sunday:
9:00AM Service: In person worship with Holy Communion
11:00AM Service: In person and online worship via Youtube. At the 11:00AM service we serve Holy Communion the first Sunday of the month.
Worship Rooted in the UMC Tradition
Worship at Calvary UMC follows the United Methodist structure of worship which organizes the praise of the Lord into 4 elements:
ENTRANCE: The people come together in the Lord’s name. There may be greetings, music and song, prayer and praise.
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE: The Scriptures are opened to the people through the reading of lessons, preaching, witnessing, music, or other arts and media. Interspersed may be psalms, anthems, and hymns. Responses to God’s Word include acts of commitment and faith with offerings of concerns, prayers, gifts, and service for the world and for one another.
THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION: In services with Communion, the actions of Jesus in the Upper Room are reenacted: taking the bread and cup, giving thanks over the bread and cup, breaking the bread, and giving the bread and cup. In services without Communion, thanks are given for God’s mighty acts in Jesus Christ.
SENDING FORTH: The people are sent into ministry with the Lord’s blessing.
What to Expect as a Guest
Children and Youth Worship and Activities
Calvary offers meaningful ways for children and youth to worship and learn about God every Sunday. This includes opportunities to participate in worship, volunteer, participate with an active youth group, and learn through Sunday school. To learn more, please contact our Family Ministries Director, Beth Posey, at family@calmeth.org. All leaders in ministry with children complete background checks.
A wide array of additional resources are available for our children and youth. To view these resources click here.
All Means All
At Calvary, we model God’s love for all people. All are welcome at Calvary UMC, whether you are new and looking to explore faith or have been a longtime member of any church tradition. The atmosphere at Calvary is warm and friendly and our Pastors love connecting with you and answering any questions you may have. Guests are encouraged to attend our fellowship hours after service as a chance to meet new people and learn more about our Church community.
Hour Services
We’ll be done in about one hour so you’ll be ready to go pick up your little ones, socialize at our after service Coffee Hour, meet new friends for lunch, or go about your day.
Singing our Praise
We’ll be singing songs to express our love for God. The words are found in our bulletins and in the pew hymnals each Sunday. All skill levels of singers are welcome. Our Chancel choir is open to anyone interested in joining, connect with Pastor Jan if you are interested in joining.
The Message
Our pastor will share a relevant message (click here to hear recent sermons), to enable you to discover new truths that help you see life from God’s point of view. We encourage you to use your Bible (either print or via a phone app) to follow along.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I participate in Worship? Whether you worship God through silent reflection or you live to sing a good hymn, Calvary encourages congregants to engage in the worship in whatever way they feel comfortable. During worship there are opportunities to engage with God through song, prayer, reflection, participating in communion, and through responding to the sermon.
Is there a certain way to dress? We want you to feel comfortable. Our congregation spans the gambit, from casual to formal dress during Sunday Worship.
Where can I park? Calvary has a small parking lot attached to the church and street parking on both sides of the street on Sunday. Parking is also available next door at Melwood Resources (750 23rd St S, Arlington, VA 22202). Crystal City Metro is 15 minute walk from the church and there is also a bike rack near the parking lot and a nearby bus stop on 23rd street.
Do you offer Nursery and/or Childcare? Calvary offers both nursery care and children’s Sunday school during worship. On Sunday parents may drop off their child at the entrance to the preschool building, which is located by the staircase in our parking lot marked by the Calvary Children’s School sign. Children are welcome to join for the full worship service but are also able to leave worship, with the Family Ministry Director, to engage in worship activities more geared towards children. At the conclusion of service, children are picked up at the preschool building (Calvary Children’s School).
Our United Methodist Sacraments
Holy Communion
Holy Communion is one of the main sacraments of the Methodist Church. We are currently serving Communion every Sunday during the 9 a.m. worship and the first Sunday of the month at both the 9 a.m. and the 11 a.m. service. After the pastor officiates the sacrament, we offer multiple ways to receive the elements to accommodate different levels of comfort. Methodist practice an Open Table, which means that “all who love God, who earnestly repent of their sin, and seek to live in peace with one another” are invitied to take Communion.
Baptism
Through baptism, we are born anew by the free gift of God and placed within this family called church. As with most families, we inherit a narrative, in this case God’s mighty acts narrated in scripture. The narrative we inherit is not only one of the past, but one into which we are now invited and the Spirit empowers us to embody it in our own lives, here and now. Calvary upholds the UMC’s belief in one baptism and offers baptismal services for families and new members. To learn more about baptism in the UMC click here.
Office Hours
Tuesday-Friday
9 am-3 pm