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Message INSIDECALVARYSUMMER | 2025INSIDE:Sermon SeriesSabbaticalA Kintsugi LifeEventsAnd more!
WELCOMEWelcome! We are thrilled to embrace the summer months ahead. This season always brings a vibrant energy to our community as people take advantage of the recreational opportunities available. With the arrival of summer break, many enjoy the outdoors and more flexible schedules. It’s also the time when our snowbirds return to bask in the warmth. Amid the excitement of summer, we remain dedicated to the importance of gathering together, teaching God’s word, equipping the saints, and continuing our mission in a season often focused on recreation. While we appreciate the unique beauty this season brings, we also look forward to how the Lord is preparing us to meet the needs of our community for His glory. We are eagerly anticipating the next four months and invite you to join us! In this edition of Inside Calvary, we will feature updates on ministries, testimonies, equipping resources, and events scheduled from May to August. We hope you find this a valuable and encouraging resource, and we would love to hear your feedback! Please email joe@calvarycommunity.net with any thoughts or suggestions, and we look forward to connecting with you! 2 | INSIDE CALVARY SUMMER 2025
The Book of Daniel In his first Epistle, the apostle Peter reminds his readers that followers of Jesus are to live as sojourners and exiles in this world. We have become citizens of heaven. In that way, we are living in exile—living in a place that is not our true and eternal home. We live here as ambassadors for Christ, with God making his presence known through our lives submitted to and revealing him! While it is a great privilege to be his ambassador, it is also filled with a longing to be in our eternal home. The psalmist asks how we can sing the songs of the LORD when we are in a foreign land. This causes me to think of how we can best reveal Jesus while we wait for his return in a world that is so often turned away from him and so dierent from the eternal home for which we long. In the book of Daniel, we see the example of a man who did just that with a life lived faithfully for the Lord while in exile. Throughout his life, in many situations, positive and adverse, his testimony remained true, and the light of God shone through him. He revealed the one true God in great darkness, and it made a true dierence. This summer we will look to Daniel and see how we can follow his example to reveal God as we live in exile.Pastor ChuckTEACHING SERIESJOIN USSunday Services 8:00am & 10:45am we will reveal him as we live in exile CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH | 3
We, the elders, want to communicate the upcoming sabbatical plans for Pastor Chuck and Karen. We have been encouraging Pastor Chuck to take a sabbatical this upcoming fall. He has served Calvary for 21 years, and his last sabbatical was in 2017. The concept of sabbatical is rooted in the biblical concept of “Sabbath,” which God modeled (Genesis 2:1-4) and commanded in Scripture (Exodus 20:8-11). Sabbaticals are for the purpose of rest, reflection, renewal, and for preparation for future service at Calvary Community Church. Sabbatical leave is intended to benefit both the pastor and the church body. If you know Pastor Chuck, you know the value he places on regular rest and the Sabbath. This includes the extended season of Sabbath that is laid out in Scripture. We also understand that, for the continued health of our church family and the health of our pastor, this is an important element of care laid out in Scripture that must be obeyed. There never seems to be a perfect time for a Senior Pastor to be gone for an extended period. However, we believe that God has positioned us well for this to be His perfect time. We are grateful that God has provided the sta needed for this time of sabbatical to be given to Pastor Chuck. The sta will work together to cover his day-to-day responsibilities, and the elders will be stepping in to help with various aspects. The church oice will continue to function as normal under Pastor Jon’s leadership. Pastor Dustin and Pastor Jon will join the leadership team, which consists of the church chairman and the elder board chairman, to oversee the day-to-day ministry of the church. We want to remind you that during this Sabbatical, to please refrain from reaching out to Pastor Chuck and Karen. The weekend worship service messages will be brought to us by several dierent men. Pastor Dustin, Pastor Dave, ABF leaders: Perry Bradford, Christiaan Snedeker, Steve Jensen, as well as our district superintendent Jon Payne, and Jon Rich, a man who has been very important in the ministry to pastors in our area. They will be looking at what it means to live life on mission, revealing Jesus around us. Pastor Chuck and Karen will be gone from August 18 until November 9. Pastor Chuck will plan on preaching the weekend of November 9. During their time away, they will be traveling to the northwest with time at a retreat center, some time in northern Wisconsin for personal retreat and reflection, time in Missouri with family, and then near Branson for reading and reflection. Their sabbatical will end with a trip to Israel for renewal.4 | INSIDE CALVARY SUMMER 2025
Pastor Chuck has made the following prayer requests for his time away: • Pray for the sta in my absence. They are an incredible group of people. I am not worried at all about them stepping in but pray that God will guide and protect them as they take on additional roles. • Pray that this would be a time of renewal and refreshment for Karen and me and that we will have special moments together seeking the Lord for His continued presence in the midst of our relationship. • Pray that God will provide a great time of renewal, refreshment and recalibration where needed. I am mindful of the refreshing that came to Elijah, and I am praying for that same kind of refreshment for me. I long to have fresh insight from the Lord as we move forward in ministry. Pray that just as God spoke to Moses when he went up the mountain, that He would lead me as well. We have exciting days ahead and I am longing to lead well for our Savior. • Pray that I will remember that this is God’s church and that you all will be just fine during my time away. Pray that God would use this time to increase my humility before Him. The elders and leadership ask that you would pray for us as well, as we assume responsibility and oversight in Pastor Chuck’s absence. • Pray that the Lord will use this sabbatical to grow us as a church. • Pray that the Lord will empower the men who are preaching from God’s Word in each of the worship services. • Pray that we will continue to Know Christ and Make Him Known in our community and workplaces while Pastor Chuck is away. • Pray that there will be great unity and growth in the Church family. If pastoral care is needed, please continue to call the church oice and speak to any of the pastoral sta and they will be ready to help. Or feel free to contact any of us and we would be happy to assist you. Grace and peace, The Elders and the Church Chairman Jason Arndt, Elder Chairman Perry Bradford, Church Chairman Pat Allen Larry Clinton Brian Elvert Joey Haywood Greg Ingersoll Rich Olsen Keith Pollek Christiaan SnedekerCALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH | 5
UPCOMING EVENTSVACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (VBS) July 21-25, 6:00 - 8:30 PM. Kids entering 4K-6th grade in the fall are invited to join us for A Great Jungle Journey! Each day, our kids will tackle important questions: Did God really create everything? Why do bad things happen? Was the great flood real? Why do I need to be saved? Can I trust the Bible? During this VBS, children will discover Biblical answers to these inquiries as they embark on an epic adventure from Genesis to Revelation. They’ll navigate the Amazon on a thrilling jungle cruise, learning how to connect the Bible to their daily lives! GRADUATION SUNDAY Sunday, May 4 we will honor our graduating seniors. FAMILY PICNIC Wednesday, May 28, 6:00 - 8:00 PM. bring a dish to share and come ready for a fun picnic! Enjoy games, food, and a time of fellowship with all families! WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIPSaturday, May 31 at 10:00 AM. Join us for a time of fellowship and learn how we can support and respond to tragedy. UPGRADE SUNDAYSunday, June 8, 9:30 - 10:30 AM. Kids and youth of all ages will oicially be promoted to the next grade in a celebration held in the worship center! Parents will have the opportunity to meet teachers and leaders, gather valuable information about Calvary KIDS and youth ministries, preview summer activities, and receive support from Calvary’s counseling team on Parenting an Anxious Generation! Mark Your Calendars!6 | INSIDE CALVARY SUMMER 2025
To see what other opportunities are happening at Calvary, visit calvarycommunity.net/whats-happening or scan this QR codeBABY DEDICATIONSunday, June 15, during the 8:00 and 10:45 AM services on Father’s Day, we will have opportunities for those wishing to dedicate their child. MEN’S BREAKFASTSaturday, June 28 at 7:30 AM. Join us for a time of fellowship and reflection on our faith journey as men. ANNUAL MEETING Sunday, July 13 3:00 - 4:30 PM. Child care will be provided. A financial meeting will take place at 2:00 PM.MUSIC IN THE PARK Thursday, August 14 at the Phoenix Park Bandshell in Delavan.BAPTISMSunday, August 17 at 6:00 PM we will host our annual baptism at Williams Bay Beach. CHANGING PLACEAugust 27 - September 1 at the Walworth County Fair. We provide a clean and safe space for moms to nurse and change their infants’ diapers at the Walworth County Fair. This is a wonderful opportunity to share Jesus’ love with those we meet at the fair!CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH | 7
The crowd cloud activity, mentioned in the last edition of Inside Calvary, allowed us to look at the people in our lives. That tool allowed us to specifically and intentionally think about the people that have been brought into our lives and are open to hearing about the good news of Jesus. Now what? So, we have names, what is the next step?Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (ESV) Acts 1:8 makes it clear that we are to be intentional witnesses. Hearing that may seem daunting or overwhelming, but let’s break it down. The first part of Acts 1:8 says that we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, and if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you are indwelled with the Spirit. This should give us great comfort! The Holy Spirit is in YOU! I wish this meant that everything DISCIPLESHIP CORNER“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”Matthew 9:36 (ESV) 8 | INSIDE CALVARY SUMMER 2025
• What experiences have shaped your beliefs the most? • How do you see God revealing Himself in your life? • How have you witnessed the faithfulness of God? • Who is Jesus to you? Deuteronomy 31:8a, “It is the Lord who goes before you.” God has prepared the way before you! Let’s be intentional about taking the next step with the people in our lives who are open to the Good News. Looking forward to celebrating God’s faithfulness as we step out in faith.Pastor Dustinbecomes easy and we don’t make mistakes, but unfortunately, that isn’t the case. What it does mean is that God has come and dwelt in us. We have personal access to our Creator and Sustainer. What a blessing and comfort to know we aren’t alone. This allows us to embrace the second part of Acts 1:8, that we will be… that we are witnesses of Jesus Christ. With the Holy Spirit indwelling us and oering us supernatural power, we can step forward into the world as witnesses of Jesus Christ. The people that God has brought into your life who are open to hearing about Jesus have you as a witness to the saving grace of Jesus. As that witness, it’s time to begin talking about what God has done for and in you. Testify, through word and deed, to the impact that Christ is making in your life. As you pray for wisdom, opportunity, and live as a witness, it’s about continuing to build deep relationships with people. Deep relationships allow you to speak into one another’s lives in special ways and build a trust that isn’t easily broken. Here are some questions that are designed to assist in going deeper spiritually as you share life together: CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH | 9
WORSHIPWorship is one of the most important actions of a believer. Biblical worship is defined as a full life response—head, heart, and hands—to who God is and what He has done. It is our love expressed to God as a response to His grace toward us. Sometimes this response comes in loud proclamation and praise similar to a Sunday morning gathering, while other times it happens in the quiet corners of our lives. While both personal and corporate worship are important, they each have their place. Corporate worship is anytime more than one person gathers to proclaim the name of Christ. Jesus tells us that “...where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20). This truth is seen weekly as believers gather all over the world to worship the Savior. The goal of this time is not only to grow in our love and knowledge of God but also to build up the church. We are often tempted to use Sundays as a time to “recharge,” and we hope it will get us through the week until we need another charge next Sunday. While this is not wrong in and of itself, corporate worship should always be paired with personal worship. Personal worship is anytime someone spends time with the Lord alone. This can be through a daily devotional, prayer, or even singing worship songs in the shower! It is during these times that our relationship with Jesus deepens as we engage in one-on-one communication with Him. As we grow in that relationship, we should be able to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We need to know that time spent with the Lord alone in personal worship is not only essential to our relationship with Christ, but it also informs and airms what we do in corporate worship. Corporate and personal worship should not look the same because they have dierent purposes! While both are intended to praise God, the way that is done varies. It is for this reason many of the songs that are great for personal worship do not fit in a corporate worship setting. An accurate understanding of these two necessary forms of worship helps to facilitate engagement first with Christ in your own life, then in your connection to the body of Christ as a whole, which leads into a life on mission because the world needs Jesus.AddisonCorporate and Personal Worship10 | INSIDE CALVARY SUMMER 2025
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH | 11
This proverb serves as a powerful reminder to parents about the vital role they play in shaping their children’s future. Parenting goes beyond simply providing love and meeting physical needs—it requires intentional eort in both spiritual and practical training. As parents, we are called to guide our children in wisdom, character, and faith, equipping them with a strong foundation that will influence their lives for years to come. There are many ways we can train our children in both spiritual and practical aspects of life. One area that requires intentional guidance is technology. Every parent today understands the challenge of finding the right balance with technology. Technology itself is neither good nor bad; its impact depends on how it is used, making it a tool that reflects the heart and intentions of the user. When it comes to technology, we need to stop and ask ourselves: How is this helping my child to love God and follow Jesus with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength? Navigating this ever-changing landscape can be challenging, but teaching our kids how to steward technology well starts with a plan rooted in God’s Word. It begins with prayer, a commitment to intentionality, and an understanding that each stage of development brings its own unique challenges and opportunities. As the summer approaches, there will be an appeal to use screens a little more; take some time to (prayerfully consider) think about how you're using technology in a way that helps, not hinders, your family’s Christian discipleship. FAMILY FAITH FOUNDATIONSTechnology“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 12 | INSIDE CALVARY SUMMER 2025
Pastor Kelly & CarlaW Walk the TalkModel healthy tech habitsI Intentional Use Prioritize purpose over passive consumptionS Set BoundariesLimit screen time, create tech-free zonesE Engage FullyPrioritize relationships over devicesHere are some tips to practically train and disciple technology in your home. Here are some resources if you would like to learn more about discipling your family through their use of technology. • Techwise Family • Raising Tech Healthy Humans • God, Technology, and the Christian Life • Habits of the HouseholdCALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH | 13
The earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, off the coast of Japan left behind a broken nation. 15,899 people died. 6,157 people were injured. 2,219 went missing. Over 120,000 buildings were flattened and another 280,000 partially collapsed. The event’s price tag came to over $235 billion, making it the single most costly natural disaster in history. Beyond the physical and financial devastation was the frightening reality of radioactive particles released into the air and water for miles around the Fukushima power plant. The nation was broken. And brokenhearted. The numbers, as with any natural disaster, could not begin to describe the stories of loss experienced by individuals and families. But it was into the midst of those stories that an artist named Kunio Nakamura traveled with his simple gift of healing. His gift was kintsugi, the ancient Japanese art of filling cracked ceramic vessels with a mixture of lacquer and precious metal such as gold, silver, or platinum. Victims of the tsunami who had been able to salvage some personal items brought their broken bowls, plates and teacups that held sentimental value to Kunio. Children brought not only their toys they found in the rubble of their homes but also cups and bowls belonging to loved ones who passed away. Kunio then set out to mend each item with skill, making each one more beautiful than before. People not only went away with a functional vessel, but they now possessed a special work of art created by a master craftsman. To create a kintsugi masterpiece, the broken vessel is prepared by carefully examining the broken lines, sanding the edges to be repaired, and then joining the pieces together with the metal that would best portray the vessel’s beauty. The art, according to legend, began in the late 15th century when shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa sent his favorite tea bowl to China to be repaired. When it came back with ugly metal staples, Japanese craftsmen set out to provide something more pleasing for the powerful lord. Kintsugi is a beautiful picture of what Christ does in the life of individuals when he redeems us from sin. We are, as Paul describes, jars of clay. And because of our sin, we are broken — useless and ugly. But Christ mends us, goes to the very source of our brokenness and heals that which had made us undesirable and destined for the refuse heap of eternity. As artist Makoto Fujimura points out: “The resulting tea bowl, mended by a master, is far more valuable than the A KINTSUGI LIFECalled to a Kintsugi Life by Steve Jensen14 | INSIDE CALVARY SUMMER 2025
original. The Christian journey is to mend, to make new, to pour God’s gold into the cracks.” Imperfect … Yet Beautiful Beyond that first moment of salvation, kintsugi is a picture of what God can do with a believer throughout their life. The Japanese aesthetic value of wabi sabi is a fitting picture for a “kintsugi life.” Wabi sabi is the idea that one can embrace the flawed or imperfect as beautiful. The imperfections, the brokenness in our lives, that have been mended by Christ now serve as something beautiful for others to see. The marks of suering in our lives — whether they be physical or emotional – can be turned into things that reflect the beauty of Christ’s love and healing. And beyond the beauty of Christ revealing himself in our suerings, kintsugi illustrates the way in which our mended beauty can impact our relationships with one another. Another Japanese aesthetic value is mono no aware. This represents a compassionate sensitivity for, or identification with, the object in question. Applied to our relationships, these mended cracks made visible to others can elicit compassion and identification in others — elements needed for unity in the body of Christ. It Kintsugi is a beautiful picture of what Christ does in the life of individuals when he redeems us from sin.CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH | 15
also invites others to join with us in the beauty that is Christ’s mending. When we see a brother or sister’s mended and beautiful cracks, we are reminded that God can do the same in our lives as well. We need such people in our midst who, rather than presenting a superficially perfect life to others, show us that our imperfect and redeemed life is normal. And beautiful to Christ. And, indeed, our imperfection is something in which to boast, in much the same way the owner of a kintsugi cup can boast of her good fortune. Paul knew his weakness. And the kintsugi that Christ had performed in his life and was continuing to make manifest. “My grace is suicient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness,” Christ told Paul (2 Corinthians 12:9). Jesus had mended — filled in the cracks of Paul’s weakness — with his kintsugi grace. And he calls us daily to a kintsugi life in which we not only reveal our mended lives to others, but whereby we grace one another by seeing that same beauty in them. Each Sunday morning, thirty to forty people gather around tables in the gym to share and learn what it means to live a Kintsugi life—creating beauty in a broken world. The hour begins with Show and Tell in which a person’s interest is shared whether it’s photography, painting, calligraphy, jewelry making, writing…anything that a person enjoys as a reflection of God’s creative gift in all of us. Show and Tell has revealed so much about people that we never knew before and is building fellowship among the members. The hour then focuses on what God says about being makers in His image. The ABF has explored topics such as beauty from a Biblical perspective, beauty and suering, beauty and shame. Nine marks of a Christan maker was a mini-series in March. Beginning in April, Steve Jensen brought back the series on Handel’s Messiah that was shared shortly after COVID. Steve and the leadership team of the Studio hope that Shepherd’s Studio can someday host a weekend arts festival at Calvary to reveal the beauty of Christ and His creation through art, music, literature and other gifts to a world that needs Jesus.SHEPHERD’S STUDIOA Kintsugi Kind of ABF 16 | INSIDE CALVARY SUMMER 2025
Adult Bible Fellowships (ABF) give you the opportunity to learn the Bible in a smaller setting than the worship service, while also allowing time for fellowship with other believers. You will find community and challenge as you continue to grow in your knowledge of Jesus, and you will be supported in your quest to make him known! There are four dierent groups that meet during the Equipping Hour from 9:30-10:30 AM each Sunday: ADULT BIBLE FELLOWSHIP • CORNERSTONE meets in Fellowship Hall • LIVING FAITHFULLY meets in the Bayside Room • PRACTICAL THEOLOGY meets in the Fireside Room • SHEPHERD’S STUDIO meets in the GymTo find out more about what they are currently studying, stop by the welcome center in the main lobby or visit each group to learn more.CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH | 17
Calvary’s Global Partnership Conference will take place this year from August 7th to 10th, so be sure to mark your calendars! The Global Partnership Board has started organizing this event and appreciates your prayers as we continue our discussions and preparations. This conference oers an excellent opportunity for our church to learn about our partners both locally and globally. It’s a wonderful event for the whole family! GLOBAL PARTNERS18 | INSIDE CALVARY SUMMER 2025
SHORT TERM TRIPSThis summer, Calvary is excited to announce a range of Short-Term Mission Trips: Zambia - In June, a team will travel to Zambia to serve and support the Mapalo Trust. Their focus will be on teaching children and collaborating with teachers to enhance their instructional skills. Later in June, Andy, Jess, Jack, and Edna Radlo will embark on a vision trip to Zambia, seeking clear guidance on what the Lord is calling them to do in the region. Czech Republic - In July, Calvary will send a Short-Term Team to the Czech Republic to assist at an English Camp, working alongside Czech leaders from the Hranice Church and our missionaries, Bill and Eileen Kolar. This marks the 27th year that we are sending a team to the Czech English Camp. North Carolina - Also in July, a group of teens led by Kelly Lofy will head to Spruce Pine, North Carolina, to serve the local church. This will be Calvary’s third trip to this area this year. Honduras - The Honduras Short Term team is already recruiting members for their trip to El Ayudante from November 3rd to 8th. They will be hosting a wedding along with various community outreach projects.Calvary offers numerous ways to support our Global Partners right here in Walworth County. Opportunities to serve are available at Agape House, Faith Christian School, Inspiration Ministries, Koinonia House, New Day Women’s Clinic, Timber-Lee, and Lake Geneva Ministries.For more information visit our missions page on our website where you will find updated information on these tripsCALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH | 19
Hwy 50 & Harris Rd | Williams Bay, WI262-245-6294calvarycommunity.netSMALL GROUPSSmall Group Guidelines for a Healthy Culture:Explore our groups:We believe that the journey of faith is not meant to be undertaken alone. That’s why at Calvary, we oer a variety of groups, including those for men, women, Bible studies, care groups, and more. Take a look at our list of groups to find the one that suits you best. If you are already in a small group, we would encourage you to take a look at these guidelines from the book Disciple Making Culture on how to create a healthy culture in your group. Sometimes creating structure and maintaining culture can be diicult but these practical suggestions provide a good foundation to build on.