Mt. Calvary is hosting Judy’s Kitchen on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at the Community Congregational United Church in Los Alamitos from 9:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. At this event, meals are prepared and served to approximately 100 people who are food-secure. The menu is lasagna, salad, rolls, desserts, and beverages. If you would like to make a donation to help pay for the food or participate in serving at CCUCC, please speak with Kay Fielder or Nancy Conze.
The Pacifica Synod is participating Sunday, April 14, 202 in a southern California border ecumenical worship service . Kay and Tom Fielder will be attending. Blankets and water are sorely needed for the families there. Donations of blankets/throws (new or used) and/or water bottles, may be placed in the designated bin in the narthex until April 13th.
Mt. Calvary has an ongoing ministry seeking donations of gift cards for our Good Samaritan Fund. Gift cards to grocery store, places to eat and bus passes are the greatest need.
The Women’s Ministry is a group of women from our congregation who meet on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 A.M. in the fellowship hall, to listen to inspirational messages, to pray together, and to plan activities and perform services which support the life of the church and our community. All women at Mt. Calvary are welcome to join us.
The Women’s Ministry is providing Care Kits for our neighbors in the community who are unhoused, unsheltered and food insecure. Each Care Kit contains facial tissue, wipes, hand sanitizer, granola bars, fruit snacks, trail mix, disposable trash bag, a pair of socks, a water bottle, and a Christian message of love, hope, and encouragement. These Care Kits are available to the congregation at no cost for pick up in the Narthex on Sunday mornings to distribute to individuals they meet in the community. These Care Kits, as well as meals for Judy’s Kitchen, are funded by a grant from the Pacifica Synod.
A Weekly Bible study meets every Tuesday in the Pastor's office from 11am to Noon, We started the beginning the year by reading the Gospel Stories and getting insights from Debi Thomas' book INTO THE MESS & Other Jesus Stories, and are continuing to use this book to guide us in our study of the Gospels.
If you would like to deepen your faith life and connect with our beloved community, this is a great place to do it. Come and spend time together sharing and studying the Word of God. All are welcomed; no previous Bible Study experience necessary!
The Men’s Bible Study also has resumed. They meet the 1st Saturday of each month at Howard’s Restaurant on Lincoln at 8:30 AM.
Month Dates Organization
Activity Description
On-going - Mt. Calvary Good Samaritan Fund
Mt. Calvary has an ongoing ministry seeking donations of gift cards for our Good Samaritan Fund. Gift cards to grocery store, places to eat and bus passes are the greatest need. The love share and compassion shown for the people who come to Mt. Calvary for help is deeply appreciated.
April - 4/16/24 - Judy’s Kitchen at Community Congregational UCC in Los Alamitos
Provide and serve meals for individuals who are experiencing food insecurity.
May 11th, the Women’s Ministry will have their annual Tea. Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the Orange County United Way.
June - All Month - Summer Harvest
Donations of school supplies to Summer Harvest
Support groups at Mount Calvary Facilitated by Pastor Carole Parmeter Dyer
Wednesdays - 11 am -12:30 pm
Whether it was the death of a loved one, the loss of physical mobility, losses incurred during the pandemic, or another great loss in your life, grief is meant to be shared.
Since everyone’s experience with grief is unique, this group will help you find your own way of grieving and how to move forward with your grief.
You will find friends who care and understand what you are going through.
Finding Pathways Through Grief and Loss is a mutual help support group.
The group is not psychotherapy but it will help you navigate the difficulties of this new (or old) experience. No one has to talk, but everyone is encouraged to. Each week, we will discuss the issues and concerns common to bereaved people, including:
· What to make of the anger, discouragement, depression and guilt experienced in grief.
· How to deal with unfair expectations of others.
· Where to look for people you can trust to help you.
· How to manage the holidays and other special occasions.
· Who to consider for additional support if you need it.
· How to take care of yourself physically.
For more information please call Pastor Carole at 562-209-2768
In March, Mt. Calvary has donated Easter candy and snacks to Lutheran social services so parents will be able to make Easter basket for their children. Easter candy and snacks were also sent to Central City Lutheran Mission through Amazon and will be distributed to children there along with donations of Easter shoes. As they celebrate Easter and the risen Christ with their children. Your kindness and your generosity is a blessing to so many!
In February, our Social Ministry Challenge was to accept donations of basic wound care supplies that were distributed by Wound Walk OC, a non-profit that tends to the wounds of the unsheltered in Orange County with compassion and kindness. These items will bring much needed relief to individuals who are unhoused in our community. Your compassion and generosity is much appreciated by those who are in need of healing. Thanks to everyone who donated these basic wound care supplies
In January, our Social Ministry Challenge was to accept donations in order to reimburse Classics for the baking ingredients they provided for a scone-baking class taught by the manager and baker from Classics to the women at Precious Life Shelter. Mt. Calvary contributed the babysitters. The women from Precious Life learned a new skill and were able to share quality time together. The scones were then served to the guests who attended a Precious Life Shelter Open House.
In November and December, Mt. Calvary donated holiday gifts to children who participate in the After-School Program at Central City Lutheran Mission. Church members had the opportunity to “adopt” a child and donate gifts for this child starting Nov 13 through Dec 10.
The Christmas gifts donated by Mount Calvary for the children at Central City Lutheran Mission were delivered on December 11th. The generosity and compassion of our congregation was overwhelming. It is a blessing to care for children!
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS EVENT
Our Social Ministry Project during October, was to have a food item each day to a donation box a suggestions list was provide). Donations were to be brought to the church by Sunday, October 29 or by the end of the month, The donations gathered by our church was then taken to the Orange County Food Bank.
THANKS FOR YOUR DONATIONS TO THE ORANGE COUNTY FOOD BANK MT. CALVARY WISHES ALL OUR NEIGHBORS A HAPPY AND ABUNDANT THANKSGIVING
In September we asked for donations of specific personal care items for God’s Work, Our Hands Sunday. On Sunday, Sept. 10, congregations of the ELCA joined together for our 10th annual day of service. Thanks to the generous donations of the congregation, we assembled 21 hygiene kits after the Sunday worship service to hand out to the homeless community by the People’s Homeless Task Force – Orange County. Many, many thanks to everyone at Mt. Calvary who participated in this event.
The Fellowship Ministry sponsored a free spaghetti dinner on August 26th in the Fellowship Hall with a free will offering benefiting the Disaster Response for Maui through the ELCA. We had a good turnout for the dinner followed by Bingo. Fun was had by all and we raised nearly $300 for the charity.
In July, we asked for donations of gift cards in small denominations as well as bus passes for Mt. Calvary’s
Good Samaritan Fund so our church can provide immediate assistance to those who come to our door in crisis.
Some of the items donated were bus passes, and gift cards to nearby fast food restaurants, local grocery stores, and discount stores
Gift cards, bus passes, and checks/cash may still be placed in the offering plate on Sunday s or dropped off at the church office
GOOD SAMARITAN FUND THANKS FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
In June, Mt. Calvary’s Social Ministry program sponsored Summer Harvest. We donated school supplies that fill the backpacks of children in Cypress, Fountain Valley, and Los Alamitos to use in the upcoming school year.
Items included much needed supplies for the new school year such as Dry erasers, Pencils, Pencil Sharpeners, Pencil Boxes, Crayons, Glue / Glue Sticks, 3x3 inch Post-It notes, Folders with 2 pockets, and scissors. Thanks to everyone who donated for giving these kids a great start!
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED TO FOSTER LOVE TO PROVIDE “SWEET CASES” TO CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.
MT. CALVARY RAISED OVER $500.00 WHICH WILL PROVIDE AT LEAST 17 DUFFEL BAGS PACKED WITH ESSENTIALS AND A FEW TREATS TO CHILDREN TRANSITIONING TO A NEW PLACEMENT
MT. CALVARY DONATED FOOD AND SERVED MEALS AT JUDY’S KITCHEN ON SATURDAY, APRIL 15TH. WE PREPARED AND SERVED OVER 100 MEALS OF HAM, AU GRATN POTATOES, SALADS AND ROLLS THAT DAY TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, BUSY DAY. ALL WERE FED WITH FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP. THIS IS AN AMAZING MINISTRY! WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT TIME MT. CALVARY HOSTS JUDY’S KITCHEN IN OCTOBER.
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