Pastor Vince Rohn will be hosting a new members conversation from 5-7:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 21 in the Calvary UMC parlor. If you have been worshipping with Calvary and would like more information about the church and your next step here, this is it! If you have been connecting with Calvary for some time and would just like to know more about the congregation, this is your chance! A light meal will be served as part of the gathering, and you can sign up to attend here.

47% of area students qualify for free and reduced lunch through their school. With grocery prices on the rise it is getting harder for families to afford food for meals.  Midwest Food Bank tries to fill that gap for families by providing food for students that qualify for free and reduced lunch over their weekends when students are at home and not in school. Calvary has been a partner with Parkside Elementary School for many years now and this year we will be partnering with them again to provide bags of food for the children to take home for the weekend. Each month we receive a pallet of food from Midwest Food Bank and we meet as a group and unload the truck, organize the food and pack grocery bags that are delivered to Parkside Elementary School and given to the students on Friday to take home for the weekend. We are in need of volunteers to help once a month to unload the truck, organize the food and pack the bags. Our first time to meet for the new school year will be September 10 at 10:45 a.m. in the lower level classrooms. 
All ages and abilities are welcome to help. If you have any questions please contact Brenda Leopard.

Do you love to hold babies and play with toddlers? A new KidVenture Nursery will be opening in October during our 9 a.m. service and those babies and toddlers need you! You can choose to serve once or twice a month (or more) but don't have to serve every week. We're also looking for volunteers for our Preschool/Kindergarten room (both worship hours) or people who are willing to be on call or a sub in any of the rooms. If interested, please contact Miranda Lanza or Lori Short.

At Calvary, we invite youth in eighth grade (or older if they have not previously completed Confirmation) to participate in Confirmation. We will be starting a Confirmation Class in January, to conclude with a Confirmation Sunday in May. Please complete this form to confirm your participation in Confirmation. We will also be having an informational meeting about Confirmation 2025-26 on Sunday, September 28 at 10:05 in room 113. 

It’s Habitat for Humanity Season! 
Calvary is proud to announce our sponsorship of the Faith House for the 2025–2026 building season — Habitat for Humanity of McLean County's 201st house!
A huge thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and labor last year to help build a home for Dionne Anding and her family. Your generosity made a lasting impact.
This year, we’re excited to build for Davasha Williams and her family. 
Build Dates: Third Saturday of each month, starting in October
Location: 701 West Market Street, Bloomington
Time: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Who Can Volunteer: No experience required! Volunteers must be 16 years or older
Snacks Needed: Calvary is also looking for people to provide snacks for volunteers
If you're looking for a meaningful way to give back, Habitat for Humanity volunteering is a great place to be. Let’s make this another incredible season of service and community!

Help provide specific needed items for Home Sweet Home Ministries, Thrivent and Midwest Food Bank as they collaborate for 'The Big Give' Thanksgiving meal food collection again this year. This is an opportunity to help provide our neighbors in need with Thanksgiving meals.
Collection boxes will be in the atrium starting Sunday, September 14 through Sunday, September 28.
These meal boxes, complete with turkeys, will be distributed by HSHM and MWFB on Thursday, November 27 at the Normal Midwest Food Bank warehouse.
The following is a sample of needed items that we’ve been asked to collect: Stuffing Mix, Cans of Corn, Cans of Green Beans, French Fried Onions, Boxes of Mashed potatoes, Cans of Pumpkin Pie Mix, Boxes of Pie Crust mix, and Turkey certificates from Hy-Vee (Hy-Vee will give the certificate to Midwest Food Bank).   
With your help, Home Sweet Ministries and Midwest Food Bank will be able to provide 2,000 meal boxes again this year to families in need.

Each week during the school year students on free and reduced lunch at Parkside Elementary receive a bag of groceries provided by Midwest Food Bank to help sustain them through the weekend. Calvary's Backpack Ministry partners with Midwest Food Bank to fill and organize those bags. We would like to supplement that bag on long weekends and/or holidays by providing the students with a jar of peanut butter. We are looking for donations of 16 oz jars of peanut butter which can be left at the welcome desk. Your care for the students is appreciated.

In Matthew 25:35, Jesus says, “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me in.” This verse captures the heart of our mission. Through the distribution of food and drinks, Midwest Food Bank supplies partner agencies with the resources they need to reach the lost, lonely, and hungry in our community. 
As food insecurity continues to rise, so does the need for dedicated volunteers to help distribute these vital supplies. We’re reaching out to local churches to come together in faith and service—living out Matthew 25:35 in a tangible, impactful way. 
Our greatest volunteer need is during our Distribution days, when partner agencies pick up food to share with their clients. Volunteers help load cases of food onto carts and into vehicles. If you can lift 30 pounds, you can be a part of this important work! 
To support this effort, we’re forming a Servant Squad—a group of volunteers willing to step in when extra hands are needed. Servant Squad members will receive an email with a sign-up link and can choose the dates and times that work best for them. It’s simple, flexible, and incredibly meaningful. 
Anyone interested in joining the Servant Squad just needs to fill out the sign-up form to get started. 

Women of Calvary & guests, we invite you to join Heart & Soul for an event on September 11 . We will have a representative from Allies Against Trafficking speak about to human trafficking & their organization's mission to raise awareness in the community and empower the vulnerable.
Light refreshments will be provided. We'll meet in the Worship Center on Thursday, September 11th at 6:30 p.m. Feel free to invite a friend who does not attend Calvary. We hope you'll join us for this educational event with great fellowship! Register here.

Your next opportunity to donate blood is coming up on Monday, September 15 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Calvary's gym. Walk-ins are welcome or sign up online. Thank you for supporting our cooperation with the American Red Cross!