A Church on Calvary Blvd, Reaching Across North Alabama
Calvary Assembly of God sits on Calvary Boulevard in Tanner, a small community just outside Decatur, two miles west of where Interstate 65 and Interstate 565 meet at Highway 20. From that single campus the church intentionally serves Decatur, Athens, Madison, Priceville, and Huntsville, framing its ministry around a single sentence: Where the presence of God makes the difference.
Lead Pastors George and Phyllis Sawyer extend a personal welcome to anyone looking for a church home in the region. Their stated mission is to help everyday people live life at the highest level through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, expressed through four commitments: leading others to Christ, involving them in the life of the body, forming foundational principles for life in Christ, and drawing everyone into ministry.
Sundays at Calvary: English, Spanish, and Youth
Three gatherings fill the Sunday schedule. The English service begins at 10:00 AM and runs about an hour and forty-five minutes, with a live band leading worship and a Jesus-centered message from one of the pastors. Kids' ministry is offered during the English service for children six weeks old through fifth grade.
At 1:00 PM the Calvary Español service begins, led by Pastors Emilio and Vickie Sanchez. The Spanish-language gathering typically lasts seventy to eighty minutes, welcomes attendees in casual dress, and includes Calvary Kids for the same age range. Parking is available on campus and a parking team helps guests find a spot.
Sunday evenings belong to Calvary Youth, which meets at 6:00 PM for students in grades six through twelve. The student ministry describes itself as more than a service, calling itself a family focused on helping young people discover their identity in Jesus, live life to the fullest, and lead others to Him.
Wednesday Nights: Equipping and Praying
Midweek teaching and prayer happen on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. The gathering, called Equip Christian Foundations Studies and Engage Prayer, includes kids' ministry for the same six-weeks-through-fifth-grade range, allowing the whole family to participate together.
Calvary Kids: A Safe Place for the Youngest
The children's ministry is organized by age. Nursery rooms (six weeks to one year) and toddler rooms (one to two years) are prepared with age-appropriate toys cleaned every week, where children hear worship songs and Bible stories. Pre-K children (three to five) learn the Bible through games, worship songs, videos, and crafts. Elementary-age children (six years through fifth grade) experience their own age-appropriate service with games, dynamic worship, a memory verse, prayer, and small-group time, along with a take-home devotional for the family.
Every Calvary Kids volunteer is background-checked and has gone through the church's Life Track class. Security personnel and security cameras monitor the kids' hallway, and a matching tag system ensures that only a parent or approved guardian can check a child out of their room. First-time families are greeted by a VIP host at Kids Check-In, where they are signed in and walked through the process.
Calvary Youth: A Family for Students
Calvary Youth exists to help students in grades six through twelve discover who they are in Jesus, live life to the fullest, and make a difference in their world. The ministry is built around belonging, growth, and leadership, with weekly gatherings that combine games, worship, teaching, and small groups. A weekly email newsletter keeps parents in the loop on what students are learning, and a separate social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube keeps students connected throughout the week.
Encore: Senior Adults on Stage Again
Encore is Calvary's ministry for adults ages fifty-five and older. The name borrows from the theater, where a performer returns for an encore to give the audience the best. The ministry invites older adults to step back into meaningful service, sharing their time and talents to advance the work of God's kingdom. Encore events are scheduled periodically, with RSVPs collected for upcoming gatherings.
Calvary Español: A Bilingual Family of Faith
Calvary Español is a full Spanish-language ministry within the church, led by Pastors Emilio and Vickie Sanchez. Pastor Emilio also serves as Director of the Decatur Dream Center, and his work with Spanish-speaking families includes discipleship, evangelism, and community connection. The 1:00 PM Sunday service is family-integrated, with Calvary Kids available for children. Volunteering is encouraged as a path to grow in faith and build community, and giving to the Spanish ministry is set up as a designated text-to-give fund.
The Dream Centers: Outreach and Recovery
Calvary operates two Dream Centers, one in Decatur and one in Town Creek in Lawrence County. Both function as free resource centers that connect people in need with the hope of the gospel.
The Decatur Dream Center exists to connect broken people to true hope and joy found in Jesus Christ and guide them on a journey to dream again. Its Dream Center Outreach meets every third Saturday, when volunteers adopt under-resourced neighborhoods, picking up trash, praying for residents, and providing a fresh meal, a spirit-filled message, and a bag of food. The center also runs Christian Recovery for Women, a twelve to eighteen month residential program for women dealing with addiction, offering food, clothing, and shelter alongside biblical discipleship.
The Lawrence County Dream Center in Town Creek was planted by Calvary in 2014 and is now a multi-racial congregation with contemporary worship. Campus Pastors Mitch and Sonia Hallmark oversee both the church and a men's recovery ministry. The Adopt-A-Block outreach runs the second Saturday of each month, with volunteers bagging groceries at 9:30 AM and going door to door, followed by an inspiring message and food distribution at 11:30 AM. Children's ministry for ages four through twelve, led by Pastors Joey and Kristin Prater, meets during services.
Life Track and Life Groups: Getting Connected
Life Track is Calvary's membership course and the starting point for anyone wanting to get involved in ministry. The four-step process begins with the Vision and Values of Calvary Assembly, walking newcomers through what the church believes and how it operates. Life Track can be taken online or in person.
Life Groups are described as the primary way to experience Calvary's family life. Small groups meet in homes throughout the area, sharing meals and conversation, and are designed to help people do life together. Group registration is handled through the Church Center platform.
What Calvary Believes
Calvary's statement of faith centers on six core convictions. The Bible is the perfect and infallible Word of God, the foundation for every part of life, family, business, and ministry. Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, fully God and fully man. The church is the body of Christ worldwide, with each local church a unique expression of His grace. God the Father is a good God who loves people, saves them, and blesses them as they walk in obedience. The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son, present in every Christian from salvation, giving power, understanding, and guidance. Worship is to be in Spirit and in truth, with all the heart and all the means revealed in Scripture. Water baptism is a public step of obedience that follows salvation.
The Pastoral Team
George and Phyllis Sawyer serve as Lead Pastors. Tony Willis is Executive Pastor. Emilio Sanchez is Lead Pastor of Calvary Español and Director of the Decatur Dream Center. Mitch Hallmark is Campus Pastor for the Lawrence County Dream Center and Director of Men's Recovery. Brock Cubillo leads the youth ministry. Robert and Heather Frazier lead the kids ministry. Nicole Richey leads the worship team. At the Lawrence County campus, Joey and Kristin Prater oversee children's ministry.
Joining In Person or Online
Anyone can attend in person at 4839 Calvary Boulevard in Tanner. Services are also livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube at 10:00 AM each Sunday, so people can join from home, the car, or anywhere with a connection. The Church Center app, available for iOS and Android, is the hub for events, registrations, group signups, and online giving.
Giving
Calvary supports its ministry through tithes and offerings. Giving options include credit or debit card through Church Center, Venmo, CashApp, ACH or checking, BillPay, and mail to P.O. Box 5370, Decatur, AL 35601. Text-to-Give is also available by texting a keyword such as tithe, building, or spanish to (833) 442-0120. Stock and donor-advised fund gifts can be arranged through the Overflow platform. Kingdom Builders is the church's missions fund, partnering with organizations such as Convoy of Hope, Project Rescue, and Child Hope.