FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Q: I want to place flowers on the altar at Calvary Church. How do I do this? A: To order flowers placed on the altar at Calvary Church, simply complete an Altar Flower Order Form. To ensure that your flowers will be placed in a timely manner, please have the order form and your payment to the church office at least one (1) week prior to the date requested.  You can obtain an order form at the church office. Q: I want to get married at Calvary Church. What are rules and guidelines for weddings at Calvary? A: United Methodist wedding ceremonies are first and foremost a service of worship. Therefore, all aspects of the wedding must be considered in light of this fact. Please contact the church office for a copy of the wedding guidelines and information. Q: We are planning our wedding at Calvary Church and have a wedding consultant. Are there guidelines for wedding consultants? (back to top of page) A: Yes. Calvary Church has established a set of guidelines for wedding consultants.  Please contact the church office to receive a copy. Q: What are the policies and procedures for use of the Calvary Church Building? A: The Calvary Church building and facilities may be used by groups whose purpose is not counter to the standards of belief and practice of the United Methodist Church. Recognized Calvary activities will be given first priority. Outside groups having sponsorship by a Calvary Church member will have second priority. Groups not having sponsorship by a Calvary Church member will be given third priority. Copies of the Building Use Policy are available through the church office.  Please note that ALL usage of Calvary's facilities must be scheduled through the church office. Q: How are pastors placed in United Methodist congregations? A: Since its inception, the United Methodist Church has operated on a system of itinerancy as determined by an Episcopal leader. Pastors are appointed by a bishop to serve in U.M. congregations, and each appointment is reviewed annually. In other words, pastors are assigned to serve a particular church for one year. While the congregation and the pastor are invited to share their opinions and insights into the nature and effectiveness of the pastor-congregation relationship, it is the Episcopal leader alone who has the power to remove a minister from a congregation and relocate him and her to another church. In other words, if a pastor serves a congregation for a period of five years, one may say that he or she was appointed to serve five consecutive one-year appointments in the same church. Q: What is communion? (back to top of page) A: Communion, or the Lord's Supper, is the other sacrament celebrated by United Methodists. Like baptism, it is a ritual that has several dimensions. Historically speaking, it recalls the last meal Jesus shared with his followers before he was crucified and died. On that fateful Thursday evening, the common meal of the group was transformed by these words of Jesus. "When it was evening, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to his disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matt. 26:26-28 For believers, the reenactment of this meal is an opportunity to "start over" in our relationship with God. Since communion draws on the images of Christ's sacrifice-his body and blood-it invited us to experience the forgiveness of our sins and the opportunity to approach our lives with a new attitude and heart, freed from the burdens of our past and open to the possibilities of today. Q: Who should take communion? (back to top of page) A: Paul the Apostle reminds us that ". . . all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, . . ." (Romans 3:23) United Methodists take this to mean that every person, regardless of their age or station in life, is in need of forgiveness. Everyone is welcome to share in the sacrament, including those who are members of other Christian churches and those who have not yet been confirmed into membership. Children are welcome at God's table, although it is suggested that parents take time to explain the significance of the sacrament to their children before allowing them to receive the elements. Q: Why do we use several different methods to distribute the communion elements? (back to top of page) A: Communion is received in the pews, at the altar rail, and by intinction (dipping a portion of the common loaf into a common cup). While intinction is most faithful to the story of the Last Supper, other methods have practical and spiritual benefits. Variety exposes the church family to the different methods of receiving the elements and broadens our perspective on the nature of the sacraments. Q: What is church membership?(back to top of page) A: "Membership" in Calvary is a covenant relationship which binds individuals to a church family under the care and guidance of God. Q: How do I become a member of Calvary?(back to top of page) A: Membership is established in one of four ways: Confirmation: When a young person enters the seventh grade (approximately 12 years of age), they are invited to participate in Confirmation: a special series of classes intended to help youth explore their faith, the Bible, and the traditions of their church family. At the conclusion of these classes, each participant is given the opportunity to become a full member of the congregation, thereby confirming the baptismal vows and covenant established by their parents in their infancy. In effect, Confirmation recognizes that young people bear the responsibility for their faith journey. Confirmation classes begin shortly after Christmas and end on the day of confirmation, Pentecost Sunday.  Profession of Faith: POF is the term given to the process by which adults who have not been confirmed in a church fellowship come to unite with a congregation. Depending on one's background and experience in the Christian tradition, it may be advisable for individuals to receive instruction in areas of church life and tradition that may be unfamiliar to them. Transfer of Membership: Membership may be transferred from one church to another with relative ease. Many Protestant denominations recognize the church affiliation of potential members, thereby affirming the candidate's history with another body of believers and recognizing their years of faithful service. The church office, at the request of the new member, will initiate the process of transfer and will care for all paperwork involved in the matter. The transfer of a new member is then recognized and celebrated in a worship service. Restoration: When a person has been inactive in a United Methodist Church for a period of two years, they are removed from the active membership rolls of the congregation. If, at a later time, they decide to become active again, their name may be restored to the rolls at their request. Q: What is expected of church members?(back to top of page) A: Church members pledge to uphold the work of the congregation with their prayers, presence, gifts, and service. Technically, that means that they will be mindful of the needs of the church by sharing in worship, activities, projects, or programs, and by supporting the church through their prayer and study, as well as contributing financially to the ministry we share. On a more practical level, it is assumed that everyone who is interested in being a part of the fellowship will want to share their gifts and graces with the brothers and sisters in the faith. How that is accomplished is a personal decision-everyone is unique in their ability to contribute to, and share in, the work of Calvary. Q: Can I be removed from the membership rolls of the church? A: The United Methodist Church mandates that a person must be completely inactive for a period of two years before he or she is removed from the rolls. Simply stated, inactivity means complete disconnection with life and work of the church-no attendance, no participation, no offering, no contact. Q: What do I need to know about baptism? (back to top of page) A: Baptism is one of two sacraments celebrated by the United Methodist Church. Traditionally, it has two components. It is, on the one hand, a remembrance of the baptism of Christ: a symbol of repentance that marked the moment when God's Spirit descended from heaven and filled the heart and mind of Jesus (Mark 1:10). On the other hand, it is a ritual which marks a new relationship between the individual and God; a covenant relationship characterized by a commitment to be obedient to the Lord and His Church and a willingness to spend one's life in service to God's will. United Methodists recognize the practice of infant baptism as a legitimate expression of a family's commitment to raise their child in a Christian home and to guarantee the child's involvement in the congregation's ministries. Those interested in discussing baptism should contact the pastors at their convenience.