Calvary’s mission is making God’s love visible in downtown Memphis. As you learn about Calvary’s parish life and ministries you will recognize a lively parish where wonderfully diverse people have found a spiritual home and created a loving community. The opportunities for ministry at Calvary not only allow people to build authentic relationships with one another but also provide a supportive atmosphere for strengthening our relationships with God as we strive to be God’s hands and feet to each other and to the world around us.
Leadership
The Rev. Scott Walters
Rector
Scott joined Calvary’s staff as the 22nd rector in 2017. Previously, he was the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he served since 2005. Before seminary, Scott worked as a carpenter and contractor, which began a curiosity about the way the “built environment” impacts Christian discipleship, especially with regard to stewardship of creation and Jesus’s charge to welcome the stranger. A native of Arkansas, Scott received his Bachelor of Arts in English from John Brown University and a Master of Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary. Scott enjoys playing guitar (and a little mandolin), riding bikes, carpentry, poems, and walking, whether on a path in the woods or a sidewalk in the city. He is married to Ardelle, who is a counselor and faculty member for CREDO, a clergy wellness program of the Church Pension Group. Ardelle and Scott have two children, Alden and Kate.
The Rev. Katherine Bush
Associate Rector
Katherine joined the Calvary Church community in the Fall of 2021. A life-long Memphian, Katherine has served at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Church of the Holy Communion, and most recently as Chaplain at St. Mary’s Episcopal School. She brings her love of learning to our formation and education programs. She is a graduate of Rhodes College with a Bachelor of Arts in English and of Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, with her Masters of Divinity. Katherine and her husband Stephen married at Calvary (a long time ago) and are the parents of twins Henry and John. Katherine is a poetry-evangelist and enjoys walking through the Old Forest in Overton Park. She doesn’t believe that everything happens for a reason, but she does believe that God and beauty are always present.
Worship
Most parishioners connect to Calvary through liturgy and worship. Sunday and Holy Day liturgies at Calvary are joyful celebrations of our Episcopal tradition, enriched by notable musical offerings featuring our magnificent Aeolian-Skinner organ.
Sundays at Calvary
| 7:30AM | Community Breakfast Blessing/ Basement Church Year-round, Calvary volunteers prepare and serve a hot breakfast to approximately 200 neighbors experiencing homelessness in our community. A member of our clergy team leads everyone in prayer before breakfast. Volunteers are always welcome. |
| 8:00AM | Holy Eucharist, Rite I This service uses more traditional “Elizabethan” language in a contemplative and intimate setting with a cantor and traditional hymns. It ends before 8:45 a.m., and many early morning worshipers gather for the parish breakfast, which follows in the Mural Room. |
| 9:15AM | Formation for all ages Faith formation classes are offered for adults, children, and youth on Sunday mornings, at 9:15 a.m. The Adult Christian Formation Committee (ACF), a lay-led group that seeks to nurture the faith and spiritual growth of the Calvary community through inspirational and challenging formation offerings for adults, plans classes for adults for both Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings at Calvary. Classes are led by clergy, lay volunteers, and guest speakers from local colleges, seminaries, churches, synagogues, and non-profit organizations. Sunday morning classes for children use Godly Play as its foundation, while youth focus on learning to interact as a community of faith and learning how faith shapes their daily lives. |
| 10:30AM | Holy Eucharist, Rite II with Children’s Chapel The 10:30 a.m. Eucharist with Children’s Chapel attracts a widely varied congregation of all ages, including a strong contingent of young families. Music is led by the semi-professional Calvary Choir with participation from our Boys and Girls Choir, St. Cecilia Choir (second grade and younger), and the Calvary Ringers handbell choir. We also live-stream Holy Eucharist at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday. Watch the live stream on Calvary’s Facebook page or on our website. |
| 5:00PM | Evensong | Every first Sunday of the month, September through May Join us for a traditional Anglican choral liturgy in Calvary’s beautiful nave at twilight. Following the Book of Common Prayer service outline, Evensong gives weekend travelers an opportunity to worship or having been to a morning service, it offers a time of prayer and quiet reflection as evening falls. “Choral Evensong is a 45-min long peace-inducing church service in which the ‘song’ of voices sounding together in harmony is heard at the ‘even’ point between the active day and restful night, allowing listeners time for restful contemplation–church members, agnostics and atheists alike.” (from choralevensong.org). This service also is live-streamed on Calvary’s Facebook and YouTube pages. |
Wednesdays at Calvary
| 12:00PM | Noonday Prayers | Join us in the church on Wednesdays at 12 p.m. for a short service of Noonday Prayers. Doors open at 11:45 a.m. |
| 7:00PM | Compline | Join us for Compline every Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. in Calvary’s Chancel. Compline is led by Calvary youth and all are welcome to attend. |
