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What
people wear
Clergy
The ordained pastors of Calvary traditionally wear pulpit robes
while leading in worship. The wearing of robes is a means of minimizing
distractions for the worshipper. In addition to the robe, the pastors
wear stoles that match the liturgical color of the season of the
church year: Purple is worn during Advent and Lent, white during
Christmas and Easter, green during Epiphany and the season of Pentecost,
and red on Pentecost Sunday. White stoles are worn to conduct weddings
in celebration of the new beginnings of that occasion. White stoles
are also worn on the occasion of funerals in celebration of the
resurrection.
Choir
The choir is present in worship to help lead the worship drama.
The choir may sing a song of praise to God on behalf of God's
people, or the song may be directed toward the congregation and
sung on God's behalf. Robes are worn to symbolize the harmony
and blend of the choir as they speak “with one voice.”
Worshippers
Worshippers at Calvary are welcome to dress however they choose.
At every service, attire ranges from very casual to dressy. Our
congregation tends to be more informal in the summer.
What's in the sanctuary
In worship, God is our audience, the object of our devotion and
praise. Worshippers are the actors, giving themselves to God through
acts of worship. This “worship drama” is led and prompted
by the worship leaders and the choir.
The
Calvary sanctuary, with its high arches and expansive interior,
is carefully designed to lift the eyes of the worshipper heavenward
and remind each person of the grandeur of God.
 The
two dominant ideas expressed in the sanctuary are “Christian
worship” and “Colorado.” The lavish use of wood and
stone is suggestive of the Colorado mountains. The stone for the
exterior, with lichens still attached, came from Lyons, Colorado.
A redwood screen with a cross design covers the exterior of the
windows. Hand-split cedar shakes provide the roof. Laminated arches
with a long, tapering reach cover the sanctuary and give a sense
of height, with the apex 50 feet above the grade. The back of the
chancel and baptistry is stone, and the latter is off center, to
the congregation's left and above the choir loft. All the lights
are directed forward and downward from behind the arches so the
congregation will not face any light. The sanctuary is replete with
symbolism. At the end of every fourth pew in the center aisle, a
symbol from the plant life of nature is carved in the solid oak—27
in all, to suggest the number of books in the New Testament. All
the wood, except that used in the arches and roof decking, is oak,
and all of the carpeting, rock, and windows were selected carefully
to blend everything visible into a harmonious whole to reflect the
beauty and orderliness of God's creation.
What's
up front
Central in the chancel area is a communion table with an open Bible,
an altar with a cross, and two candles. Through these symbols, we
are reminded that what Christ has done for us is central to our
faith.
Approaching
the table and altar is a wide center aisle, symbolic of the open
access the worshipper has to God. The believer has direct, unimpeded
access to all that the table and altar represent.
The chancel steps and aisle are carpeted in red, reminding us of
God's love flowing from the cross and reaching out to the world.
The
pulpit is off to one side, suggesting that the pastor does not stand
between the worshipper and the altar and that he or she cannot add
to what God already has done in Jesus Christ. The preacher points
to God's great acts and invites people to accept them.
Similarly,
the lectern—from which the worship is conducted—is off
to the side. Its position reminds us that worship is not an end
in itself but rather a testament to the central truth that Jesus
is Lord and Savior.
The baptistry offers silent witness that all of us must make our
own commitment and have our own faith.
The cross is the central symbol of the Christian faith. On it, Christ
died in a supreme act of love for all humanity. The empty cross
reminds us that Christ is risen and is victorious over sin and death.
Candles symbolize the light of Christ. The two candles (dikiri)
suggest the divine and human nature of Christ.
The
witness of the windows
The stained-glass windows in the sanctuary stand as a witness to
the faith and message of this Christian community. They were created
in pairs. Each pair offers a unique aspect of the Christian story.
Far
and near—
The Christ window
The Christ window, located in the front of the sanctuary, has
as its central symbol the Chi Rho, a combination of the first
two letters of “Christ” in Greek. Luke says that Jesus
grew physically, mentally, and spiritually (Luke 2:52). The
fish backed by the cross stands for his physical life. The lamp
symbolizes wisdom and his mental life. The dove represents the
descent of the Spirit and speaks of Christ's spiritual
life. The blue background of the Chi Rho may remind us that
it was at his baptism that Jesus saw the Spirit descending as
a dove. |
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The
trinity window
The trinity window, located in the back of the sanctuary,
includes time-honored symbols of God's triune nature.
The great hand with its emanating rays is the creative hand
of God, the creator. The sacrificial lamb of biblical tradition
represents the redeemer, Jesus Christ. The flame, glowing
red as the tongues of fire in Acts, chapter two, symbolizes
the Holy Spirit.
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Common
and uncommon—
The wheat window
The wheat window, located in the east dormer window nearest
the chancel, reminds us of Jesus' statement,
I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger…
—John 6:35
The wheat signifies the communion bread, a symbol of His body
broken for us.
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The
grapes window
The grapes window, located directly across from the wheat, symbolizes
the wine of the Jewish Passover and our Christian Lord's
Supper. Wine was considered to be “the blood of the grape,”
or the life of the
grape. For Christians, it symbolizes the gift of Christ's
life, that we might know God's redeeming love. |
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Win
and lose—
The Greek cross window
The Greek cross window, located in the second east dormer
window from the chancel, has four equal arms and two sets
of letters. Across the top are the letters “IC XC,”
Greek letters that correspond to our English “JS”
and “ChS” and therefore abbreviations for Jesus
Christ. The letters below the cross arms form the word nika,
meaning “to conquer.”
It's
interesting to note that the Greek goddess of victory was
Nike. The overall significance of
the symbol is that Jesus Christ conquers through the cross.
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The
crown of thorns window
The crown of thorns window, located directly across from the
Greek cross window, represents the humiliation and suffering
to which Jesus was subjected at the crucifixion. The soldiers
ridiculed him by placing a crown of thorns on his head and declaring
“Hail, King of the Jews.” Interwoven among the thorns
are three nails representing those used to nail to the cross
the hands and feet of Jesus (see Matthew 27:27–31). |
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Mission
and message—
The torch window
The torch window, located in the middle east dormer, is a symbol
of Christian mission: light for dark places, enlightenment for
darkened minds. The Christian is called to share the light of
Christ with other people. In ancient Greece, the torch was carried
in long relay races, one runner handing it to another, just
as each generation of Christians passes on the Christian faith
to succeeding generations. As a church, Calvary has consistently
made mission a focal point of its concern and program (see Matthew
2:19–20). |
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The
candle window
The candle window is located directly across from the torch
window. Early Christians used candles for worship and for
very practical purposes. Driven by persecution to meet behind
closed doors and in catacombs, they lit candles in their hiding
places. Those Christians remembered Jesus' words,
I am the light of the world.
—John 8:12
And they also heard him say,
You are the light of the world.
—Matthew 5:14–16
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The
word and way—
The open Bible window
The open Bible window, located in the second east dormer from
the rear of the nave, represents a keynote of Baptist tradition.
We believe that the Bible is open and available to every believer
and that each has the right, under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, to read and interpret for himself or herself. We accept
the Bible as the sufficient guide for faith and life. |
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The
basin and pitcher window
The basin and pitcher window, located directly across from
the open Bible window, reminds us of the need for selfless
service. At the last supper, as described by John, Jesus girded
himself with a towel and set about the menial task of washing
his disciples' feet. Having rendered that loving service,
he said,
You
also ought to wash one another's feet.
—John 13:14
The basin and pitcher thus are a call to humble, loving service
for Christ in the world.
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Birth
and rebirth—
The star window
The star window, located in the east dormer window farthest
from the chancel, is the six-pointed Star of David, representing
our heritage in Judaism. Some have said that David's shield
was shaped like this star. Close examination shows that the
star in Calvary's window has been turned half a point on
itself, leaving six more brown points behind the gold. This
represents the star of the nativity, which announced the birth
of the Christ child. |
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The
butterfly window
The butterfly window, located directly across from the star
in the west dormer window, symbolizes the resurrection. This
meaning is derived from the fact that the butterfly emerges
from its dead chrysalis husk into the beauty of a new and different
life. The butterfly in the window springs from a green base,
the color of life. |
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Seasons
of the church year
God's people have a unique way of telling time—the Christian
year. There are six seasons in the Christian year, and each season
tells a different chapter in the story of Jesus' life. We begin
the year with Advent.
Advent
Advent, the first season of the church year, begins on the Sunday
nearest November 30 and includes the four Sundays before Christmas.
The word “advent” means “coming.” During the
season of Advent, Christians prepare themselves for the coming of
Christ. The Advent color is purple, expressing the royal nature
of Christ and our need for penance.
Christmas
Christmas, the second season of the church year, begins on December
25, Christmas Day, and lasts 12 days. Christmas is a time when Christians
celebrate the birth of Jesus and remember how God became a human
being. This is called the incarnation. White and gold express the
celebrative nature of this season.
Epiphany
Epiphany
begins on January 6 and continues until Ash Wednesday. During Epiphany,
Christians remember the story of the three wise men who gave gifts
to the infant Jesus and then took the good news of his birth across
the world. Epiphaneia means “appearing into.” This reminds
us that Jesus loves people from all over the world. Christians also
celebrate Jesus' baptism during Epiphany. Green, expressing
the eternal nature of growth, is the color of this season.
Lent
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and continues for 40 days until Easter
(not including Sundays). During Lent, Christians remember how Jesus
fasted for 40 days in the wilderness and how the ancient Hebrews
wandered for 40 years in the desert. Lent, therefore, is a time
when Christians fast, pray, and ask God and others to forgive them.
The traditional color of this season is purple.
Easter
Easter is the season in which Christians celebrate Jesus' resurrection
from the dead. This season begins on Easter Sunday, which is the
first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox
(March 21). White is the traditional color for Eastertide, which
lasts for 50 days.
Pentecost
Pentecost is the birthday of the church—the day on which the
Holy Spirit came upon the disciples. With the gift of the Holy Spirit,
the disciples were empowered to proclaim the good news of Jesus.
Coming from the Greek word that means “fiftieth day,”
the Day of Pentecost falls on the fiftieth day after Easter. Red,
symbolizing tongues of fire, is the color for Pentecost Sunday.
Ordinary
time
Also known as Kingdomtide or the season of Pentecost, ordinary time
is celebrated from Pentecost Sunday to the first Sunday of Advent.
Green is the color for this season.
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