I will just briefly jot down some of my ideas about why Calvary is such a great community, and then point you to the letter I sent a couple months ago when you were still residing in the Blair House. I do hope you received it.

Calvary is a wonderful place to worship because of the people. I am an academic, as I know that you and your husband are, so openness to ideas and in-depth analysis of those ideas is a singularly important piece of the puzzle of faith for me. The vast majority of the congregation is open to discussing ideas about life, faith, love, community and care, as well as difficult ideas such as pain, poverty, suffering, and more. We dive in and look for truth and for solutions to the problems around us. People here are not afraid to act on their ideas and make potential solutions happen, and they certainly are not afraid to give of themselves for the betterment of the faith community and the neighborhood surrounding it.

In addition to this open and thoughtful quality, there is a welcoming spirit among the community here at Calvary that brings people of all backgrounds and life stories. We have large Hispanic and Burmese communities, as well as pastors who preside over worship for them. Visitors often say they feel at home in our church, and we are happy to welcome them and chat with them in coffee hour after service each Sunday.

Also, Calvary has a plethora of programs and opportunities to serve. Our music and youth programs have grown immensely in the last few years, and we regularly have performances, youth programs and other events at the church. Calvary has several partner organizations housed in our buildings who provide community programs and services, educational and music programs and also interface with the church’s youth, music and summer programs. In addition, lay committees in the church often participate in or even plan and direct community events, church retreats at Camp Fraser, our property in Northern Virginia, and programs to care for homebound and sick individuals, feed the homeless and hungry, and help in the event of natural disasters.

These are only a few of the ways in which Calvary provides spiritual nourishment and healthy community for its members. I do hope that you will consider coming, and I look forward to welcoming and speaking with you and your family in coffee hour after service.

Sincerely yours,
Ryan B. Harvey