Praise the Lord! We are on target to resume gathering for worship on Sunday, July 5. It will be awhile, it appears, before things are back to normal, but as long as we follow the guidelines for such meetings, we will be able to provide a safe environment for doing so.

1. To keep groups under 50 we will offer three one-hour services: 8:00-9:00 AM, 9:30-10:30 AM and 11:00 AM-12:00 PM.

2. The 11:00 AM service will be held outside on the church grounds. Worshipers will be encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs (a limited number of sanitized vinyl chairs will also be available) for this service.
3. Worshipers will be asked to wear masks and practice social distancing. Worship leaders will not need to wear masks while on the platform, but will need to put them on as soon as they return to the congregation.
4. Hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap will be available and signs will be posted to encourage their use.
5. Physical contact like hugging and shaking hands will be discouraged. Offering plates will not be passed by worshipers and communion will be celebrated with individual sanitized, self-contained juice and wafer packets.  
6. Worshipers will be asked to arrive no more than 15 minutes before the service they plan to attend and leave as soon as their service is concluded.
7. Children’s ministry will be offered at the 9:30 AM service only.
8. If you plan to play with the Praise Band you will need to contact Pastor David and let him know which service(s).
9. Van transportation will be offered for no more than 6 passengers to allow for social distancing. Those who plan to use this service will need to contact John Hazlewood the week before to let him know that you want to be picked up (9:30 AM service only – pick up 8:30-9:15). 
10. Please be in prayer for your pastors and Elders as we prepare to make our return to group meetings a success.
This Sunday we will live stream worship only as Pastor Ed concludes his three-part sermon series on generosity. Plan to join us at 10:30 AM at www.calvarymemorialchurch.com. 

Sincerely yours,
Pastor David (815-985-9728)
Pastor Ed (815-540-4824)
Pastor Dave (815-668-3815)                    

“When I . . . send a plague . . . if My people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:13, 14)

Dear Calvary Community members:

Believing that God will be faithful to His word we ask you to join with us in expecting a revival in response to our humility before and patience in waiting on Him. Let’s use this time to seek God’s face in preparation for a movement of the Holy Spirit that will see God’s glory revealed as we have not before witnessed. 
We anticipate that, under his plan for reopening Illinois, our governor will announce this Friday that we will move into stage four in July. This will allow us to resume worship gatherings, as well as many other related activities, on July 5. As we mentioned before, guidelines for such meetings will likely cause us to have to meet in smaller groups. 
If this is so, we will offer three one hour services at 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM. Children’s ministry and limited van transportation will be provided at the 9:30 service only. Social distancing and mask wearing will be required. On June 21 and  28 we will continue to offer livestream worship at www.calvarymemorialchurch.com). 
As we eagerly await the opportunity to again gather for worship, we ask you to join us in humbly waiting on God for His will to be done. Thank you for your faithfulness and cooperation.

Sincerely yours,
Pastor David Petty (815-985-9728)
Pastor Ed Tinsley (815-540-4824)
Pastor Dave Symonds (815-668-3815)                       

“Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Dear Calvary Community members:

These long days of separation have been difficult for all of us, and that includes those to whom you look for pastoral leadership at Calvary. We too are hurting and yet we have become convinced that God is actually using these days to prepare our hearts for something greater in the future. 
In the meantime, be assured that we are deeply grateful for your support throughout this trying time, even as we ask you now to join us in prayer for a mighty move of the Holy Spirit when at last, we are able to gather again. God is faithful and we belong to Him, so be expecting the miraculous, including many to come to Christ as a result. 
We do hope to move into stage four of Illinois’ plan for reopening in July and resume meeting in compliance with the published guidelines, but God’s timing, not ours, is perfect. In patient preparation for that glorious day then, please plan to continue to participate with us online each Sunday at 10:30 AM (www.calvarymemorialchurch.com) as the Calvary Praise Band leads us in worship and Pastor Ed preaches on the theme of GENEROSITY (Time-Talent-Treasure). As you do, we invite you to unite by faith with your pastors in . . .

Trusting God for genuine revival,
Pastor David Petty (815-985-9728)  
Pastor Ed Tinsley (815-540-4824)
Pastor Dave Symonds (815-668-3815)                                                  

I am sorry for the lateness of this week’s church update, but I (David) just returned late last night from the Fishing Retreat at Calvary Woods, a great reminder of how we all miss being able to spend time in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We earnestly hope to resume our Sunday morning gatherings perhaps as early as July and long to join all of you in worship at that time. Until then, of course, we will continue to live stream Sunday worship each week at 10:30 AM and you can send in your tithes and share your prayer requests at our website: www.calvarymemorialchurch.com or mail them to us at Calvary Memorial Church ~ 2715 North Alpine Road ~ Rockford, IL ~ 61114.
I will conclude my “BETTER TOGETHER” series this morning and then Pastor Ed will begin a series entitled “GENEROSITY: TIME-TALENT-TREASURE” next Sunday to take us through the month of July. 

Sincerely yours,
Pastor David (815-985-9728) Pastor Ed (815-540-4824) Pastor Dave (815-668-3815)                                

Yesterday afternoon the Winnebago County Health Department finally released their guidelines for Rockford worship gatherings in June. If you wish to do so, you can check them for yourself at www.mystateline.com/news/winnebago-county-health-department-details-guideline.
In summary, the restrictions are so severe that, should we decide to meet, we would not be able to do many of the things that we have come to associate with Calvary Worship services: no singing, no passing of the offering plate, no bulletins, no pens, no pew Bibles, no baptism, no communion and, in our space, only about 30 worshippers sitting six feet apart and making no physical contact.
It is my (David’s) opinion that we would be better off continuing to perfect our live stream worship under Pastor Ed’s gifted leadership as we wait patiently for at least stage four of the governor’s plan for reopening the state. The Elder Board will meet for their regular monthly assembly on June 14 at noon to further discuss our next steps.

Until then, your support will be extremely critical. Please plan to connect with us online for Sunday worship each week at 10:30 AM and to send in your tithes and share your prayer requests at our website:
www.calvarymemorialchurch.com
or to mail them to us at
Calvary Memorial Church
2715 North Alpine Road
Rockford, IL ~ 61114.

Our pastors remain available for counsel and encouragement at their individual telephone numbers: David – 815-985-9729/Ed – 815-540-4824/Dave - 815-668-3815. Be assured that we greatly appreciate your prayers for us as we lead our church family through this difficult time. Thank you.
Be blessed,

Pastor David Petty ~ Pastor Ed Tinsley ~ Pastor Dave Symonds ~ Calvary Board of Elders