Calvary Lutheran Church :: Verona, NJ

2010 Outreach events

Can It with Calvary - Round 2
Verona did it again!
Calvary Lutheran Church of Verona celebrated another successful Food Drive which took place on November 13th. Verona residents joined together with our congregation to donate non perishable food items to help the needy.

Once the residents read the Food Drive message on the door knob hangers that were distributed to them and they recognized our theme "Can It With Calvary," they streamed in one after another to drop off bags of food at the Church. Almost 700 pounds of food were collected.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the residents of Verona for stepping up to the plate with their generous food donations and to the local new papers Verona-Cedar Grove Times and The Verona Observer and websites My VeronaNJ.com and VeronaLiving.com for broadcasting the news about the Food Drive to rally the residents' support.

The foods that were collected were distributed to the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair, the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Essex Country and to fifteen (15) underprivileged families in the area who were given turkeys and all the ingredients for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

We are thankful and proud of all the volunteer members of our congregation, the residents of Verona and all of our Advertising partners who have united in this worthy cause. We hope to continue our annual Food Drives and make this effort a tradition.

Once again, A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to everyone who participated!

Pastor Gregg Ramirez

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Vacation Bible School
Every August children ages 4-12 have the opportunity to attend Vacation Bible School at Calvary Lutheran Church. This past summer brought us Planet Zoom where children learned that little is big, and that even the littlest bee-lievers can make a difference in God's big world. The kids met Scout, a bee in the Planet Zoom hive, and his other bee friends who guided the children through the week with lessons on how Jesus came to seek and save the lost, how he does big things, that he says to "Believe!" and to go and tell, and how he works through his people. Each day brought new, fun activities and a new lesson about the bees that the kids were able to relate to themselves in their world.

Everyone has fun at VBS! Each day brings music, crafts, snack, playground time, games, opening and closing time with the whole group, and a lesson. Wednesday at Calvary VBS is always "Wacky Water Day!" The kids come in swimsuits under their clothes and have a blast cooling off outside enjoying sprinklers, Slip 'n Slides, water tables, and baby pools for the little ones. There are water games and relay races, and we always top off the fun with a cool sweet treat.

Friday is our closing celebration. Family and friends come to celebrate the end of VBS by enjoying a show put on by the children which includes a play about the lessons they've learned throughout the week, as well as a performance of all the songs they have sung throughout their time at VBS. All the kids receive a certificate of completion and have a chance to spend some time with their new friends. Children go home singing songs, carrying art projects, and talking about the fun they've had and all they have learned!

Children look forward to coming year after year and make lasting friendships with kids in their community. Please come join in the fun!

Calvary Lutheran Church Vacation Bible School 2011
August 8-12
Registration begins July 1, 2011

Check out the VBS video on Youtube.

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Can It with Calvary - Round 1
(As featured on veronaliving.com)

Verona You Did It – Help Reduce Hunger – CAN IT with Calvary
Calvary Lutheran Church of Verona celebrates the residents of the community coming together to help stop hunger in New Jersey. The recent "Can It With Calvary" food drive amassed nearly 2000 pounds of food! The food collected was distributed to Montclair Human Needs Food Pantry, Community FoodBank of New Jersey, the Goodwill Mission in Newark and several local families.

July 31st, members of the congregation sporting bright red buttons marked "Can It With Calvary," carpeted the north side of Verona with over 2,000 door hangers asking residents to donate food for the local food banks. The Verona-Cedar Grove Times, VTV, and websites VeronaLiving.com and MyVeronaNJ.com publicized the news about the Food Drive to rally the residents in support.

Adam Anik of the Verona-Cedar Grove Times arrived in the midst of the Food Drive on Saturday, August 7th to interview many of the Food Drive participants who were overjoyed at seeing the community step up to the plate with their generous food donations. There was a steady flow of residents dropping off bags of food at the church, while volunteers from the church combed north side neighborhoods picking up bags of food that residents had left at their front doors.

So THANK YOU volunteer members of Calvary, everyone who publicized the event and, most especially, residents who helped feed the hungry with their donations. You should be proud of yourselves! In the fall, Calvary will again reach out to the community in a similar effort, this time concentrating doorstep pickups on the south side.

Again, on behalf of the Food Drive committee, THANKS "A TON" to everyone who participated!

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