Larry Gamblin, Calvary's Director of Buildings and Grounds, recently celebrated his 20th anniversary on the church staff of Calvary UMC. If you see Larry or have an opportunity to share a card, be sure to thank and congratulate Larry.

Faith in Action provides spiritual, physical and emotional support to seniors 60 and over, to maintain independence, dignity and improved quality of life. We provide transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping assistance, friendly visits and calls, and light home maintenance. Services areas include Bloomington-Normal, Downs, Heyworth, Hudson, Towanda, Chenoa, Ellsworth, LeRoy and Lexington. We are primarily a volunteer organization - any help would be appreciated!
Contact information: (309) 827-7780, www.bnfia.org and like us on Facebook Facebook.com/bnfia or twitter.com/bnfia.
If you are interested in volunteering, Jan Kibler (jckibler11@me.com) is our new liaison for FIA & CUMC. 

Join us Tuesday May 7 from 6-8 p.m. at Normal's Midwest Food Bank. Projects work towards meeting the needs of those in our community. Volunteers will work together under the direction of a trained lead volunteer to complete the assigned project (and have fun doing it)!

Volunteers who have not participated post-Covid are asked to complete a waiver form found on the website. Closed toe shoes are required, and duties may include lifting.

Calvary’s Prayer Shawl Ministry will be in the Atrium between services on May 5 to give away shawls. If you know of someone in need of a little warmth or comfort, stop by and check out our collection. All shawls are handmade from allergy-free yarns and free to anyone who wants them. 
For more information, contact Linda Ferrence at LMFerrence@gmail.com.

There will be a blood drive in Calvary's gym on Monday, May 13 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. You are always welcome to walk in, or can make an appointment here. 

Pastor Vince Rohn is leading us on a new sermon series, “LOVED.” Join us April 7-May 5 as we enhance our understanding of love.

Kids 5-12 years old are invited to join rehearsals for a children's choir performance on Mother's Day, May 12. We will meet in room L6 from 10 to 10:30 a.m. each Sunday from April 7 to May 5. No previous music experience required!

Save the Date for Calvary VBS 2024!  It's almost time to "Start the Party!" Calvary VBS will be held July 15-18, 2024 from 6-8 p.m. each evening. Watch for more information coming soon or visit www.connectwithcalvary.org/vbs.  

The United Methodist General Conference will be meeting in Charlotte, NC from April 23 through May 3. This global body of elected delegates is the only group that can speak for the whole UMC, and the only one that can change our structures, positions, rules, and official statements.
If you would like to watch the General Conference livestream, click here.
If you would like to access daily updates on the work of General Conference, an "official" account can be found here.

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MINISTRIES

Calvary United Methodist Church is seeking a full time Director of Student Ministries to provide leadership, vision, and specific programs for the church’s youth ministries (grades 6-12).

Responsibilities include planning, coordinating and leading ministry activities such as Sunday School, weekly youth gatherings, mission and retreat trips, community service opportunities, and special events for students. 

Qualifications: Strong faith in Jesus Christ; the ability to communicate the Christian faith with youth in a way that encourages commitment and discipleship; ability to recruit and train volunteers; organizational skills; self starter who can also work as a part of a team; familiarity with United Methodist teachings. Ministry experience and/or a pertinent degree are strongly preferred.

Interested parties should send resume and cover letter to Rev. Vince Rohn; 1700 N Towanda Ave. Normal, IL 61761

We completed our first mat, added another loom, and we now have our own room!! Come join us for a weaving session in room L8.  Weaving sessions are held on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of the month from 10 a.m. to noon, and on the 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month from 2 to 4 p.m.

For more information, contact Sandy Dickson (309) 825-1148.

Greetings, all. We have once again heard that an email has gone out alleging to be from Pastor Vince Rohn. The first email is an invitation asking for a quick favor or conversation, followed by a request to buy gift cards on his behalf with a promise of repayment. This and all requests such as this are scams. If you receive an email claiming to be from Pastor Vince or any other staff member that is not from an official church email, it should be treated with great suspicion if not completely disregarded. Also, neither Pastor Vince nor any other staff member will request a vague purchase via email. 

Enrollment is open for Calvary Kid Connections preschool school year that begins August 2024. Information regarding class time, days of attendance & cost per month are on the main Calvary website under the preschool tab.
Calvary Kid Connections preschool is a Nationally accredited preschool. If you have any questions, or would like more information, please contact Val Funk at val.funk@connectwithcalvary.org. We would love to have your child join us this fall!

Calvary has partnered with the Salvation Army to minister to the needs of Bloomington-Normal's homeless community for several decades. Our current commitment is feeding evening meals to clients at their Safe Harbor Shelter in downtown Bloomington on the first and third Fridays each month. This commitment involves planning and shopping for the meal, preparing the meal in Safe Harbor's kitchen or catering it in from a licensed restaurant or caterer, and serving the meal. Folks at Safe Harbor do all the clean-up. We have many families and small groups that faithfully participate in this ministry each year, and would love to welcome more to our ranks. If your small group, family, or you and a few friends or coworkers can help out with a meal or two a year, contact Ralph Smith at ralph@resmith61.com to sign up or get more information.

Are you a caregiver, family member, or friend of someone with dementia? If so, you are invited – and encouraged – to attend the Alzheimer’s support group. The mission of this group is to provide education and support to caregivers and loved ones. Please note that it is not designed for those with dementia. Meetings are held in Calvary’s conference room on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

Facilitators are Mary Sanko and Lurinda Venezia.

Prayer is a fundamental part of the Christian faith and is a strength of Calvary. Calvary’s prayer team invites you to join us in the chapel between services for a focused time of prayer for:

• Our church

• Our staff

• Specific prayer requests that have been submitted to Calvary

• Any other needs.

You may come for the full 30 minutes or join us for just a few minutes.  You can come every week or just when you are moved to do so.  Also, if you feel called to join the Prayer Team on a regular basis, please contact Nancy Behrens nbehrens7@gmail.com, as we would like to grow this ministry.

Calvary’s Prayer Team

In his sermon "Living Beyond: Beyond Me," Pastor Vince spoke of the importance of knowing our Spiritual Gifts so we can be the person God created us to be. God desires us to live as a part of something bigger than us and beyond ourselves, equipping us for ministry and service to the church and the world. 
If you haven't completed one before (or it's been a while), a Spiritual Gifts Inventory is a great place to start.

Many children in our community get their breakfast and lunch at school at a reduced price or for free; however, when school is closed on weekends and holidays, many of these children go hungry. Calvary has partnered with Parkside Elementary School and the Midwest Food Bank to make sure the Parkside students don’t go hungry outside of school. Last year we were able to help 100 students from Parkside each week to supplement their food needs. Once a month we receive a pallet of food from Midwest Food Bank and Calvary members meet at the church to create weekly food bags for each student. We will usually package between 400 and 500 food bags to be delivered to the school each month.

We are always looking for more people to join us to build the bags. All ages and abilities are welcome to join us in room L3 at 10:45 a.m. on May 1. If you have any questions please contact Brenda Leopard, leopardhouse5@gmail.com or 309-824-1347.