A Baptist Church on Green Lane in Bristol
Calvary Baptist Church gathers on a single campus at 250 Green Lane in Bristol, Pennsylvania, in the lower part of Bucks County along the Delaware River. The church describes itself as a warm place with friendly people looking to grow in their walk with God, and the people of Calvary Bristol are intentional about rooting their life together in the Bible and serving their borough neighbors. The congregation has been shepherded since August 2010 by Senior Pastor Dan Young, whose goal for newcomers is that they feel the warmth and meet people who are down to earth and love to worship God as well as engage with the people around them.
Calvary's identity is shaped by a clear conviction that families and the next generation need a faith family to lean on. From its youngest preschoolers to its young adults, from its Tuesday food pantry to its Friday night boys' discipleship group, the church organizes almost everything around the idea that the local assembly exists to make disciples who make more disciples.
Sunday Morning: School, Worship, and Children
The weekly Sunday rhythm begins at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday School for all ages, paired with a Women's Bible Study that meets in Room 104 with refreshments at 9:00 a.m. At 10:45 a.m. the whole church gathers for the main worship service, which blends contemporary songs by artists such as Matt Redman, Sovereign Grace, the Gettys, and Shane and Shane with classic hymns like Amazing Grace, Crown Him With Many Crowns, and Before the Throne of God Above. Each week's music is previewed in a Weekly Worship Blog written by Pastor of Worship Dan Loch, so the congregation can prepare their hearts before they walk through the door.
Children are welcomed right into the life of the church. Calvary Kids offers nursery care for birth through five-year-olds and a Children's Church program for K through 6th grade during the worship service, with check-in stations at the door. Kids Preschool Express, the church's preschool for ages three to five, enrolls throughout the year and shares the same Green Lane campus.
Youth in grades 7 through 12 meet most Sunday evenings from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. in the Red Gym on Green Lane next to the Wawa. Pastor of Youth and Family Matt McAlack leads this group with his wife Michele, with a stated mission to help teenagers discover their true identity and to empower them to live a life that matters now and for all of eternity. Throughout the year the group takes weekend trips (including a regular trip to Ocean City, New Jersey), serves the Bristol Borough community, and gathers for special events.
A Staff Built Around Families and the Next Generation
Calvary Bristol's pastoral team is small, focused, and family-rich. Senior Pastor Dan Young anchors the team. Pastor of Worship Dan Loch, who joined the staff in February 2021, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Master of Divinity from Cairn University, and writes for Theworshipingsongwriter.com, an online resource for songwriters. His goal is to equip God's church with songs that will sustain her through all of life.
Pastor of Young Adults Jeremy McAlack brings two master's degrees, a Master of Arts in Religion and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, and a background as a collegiate soccer and baseball player. He and his wife Emelie have three young children and devote themselves to helping 18-to-30-year-olds cultivate a genuine love for Jesus Christ, a deep commitment to God's Word, and a heartfelt desire to serve others.
Matt McAlack, Pastor of Youth and Family, is a graduate of Cairn University (B.S. in Bible), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Temple University (Ph.D.). He also serves full-time as Professor and Director of the Youth and Family Ministry Programs at Cairn University, and together with Michele he carries a special burden for Northern Ireland and for special-needs kids. The McAlacks have three sons, three daughters-in-law, and nine grandchildren.
Christian Service Brigade and the Outpost
Friday nights at Calvary belong to Christian Service Brigade. From September through May, boys and young men gather at the Outpost, the large red building near the Wawa on Green Lane, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The Brigade's Battalion track (grades 7 through 12) is built around older Christian men mentoring teen guys to be effective Christian leaders. The program carries the stated aim of building a godly generation of men for tomorrow, and Calvary Bristol treats Friday Brigade nights as one of the cornerstone discipleship environments of the church.
Young Adults and the Book of James
Calvary Young Adults is for 18-to-30-year-olds who want genuine friendship and a place where others care for their physical and spiritual needs. The ministry is organized around three words: Belong, Serve, and Lead. It runs a regular Bible study in Room 101, currently working through a 12-week study of the Epistle of James. Questions can be directed to Pastor Jeremy.
Women's Ministry
The Women's Ministry Team, led by Emily Young alongside Heather Chabin, Joann Fetters, Angela Friedman, Kathy Benjamin, and Melissa Roberts, gathers every Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. in Room 104 for Women's Bible Study, with refreshments served at 9:00 a.m. The team's stated desire is that all women be filled with hope, friendships, and an increased knowledge of and love for God, and they look for additional opportunities throughout the year to invest in the lives of women in the church.
The Calvary Bristol Food Pantry
One of the most visible expressions of Calvary's commitment to Bristol is the Calvary Bristol Food Pantry, located on the church campus at 250 Green Lane. The pantry operates on Tuesdays with two windows, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Because of limited capacity, the pantry runs by appointment only; first-time visitors register through an online form, and returning guests schedule through the online appointment system. Households are permitted to visit once every two weeks.
Soccer Camp and Family Nights
Adventure Soccer Camp is a free four-day evening camp held on the Green Lane campus each summer, open to children entering kindergarten through sixth grade. The camp runs Sunday through Wednesday evenings and uses both the outdoor fields and the church gym, so no cleats are allowed. Volunteers must complete the church's child-safety screening process before serving, which includes Pennsylvania state background clearances and a code of ethics agreement.
Family Nights are a recurring series designed to give parents and kids shared time together. Past events have included Family LEGO Build Nights, a Trunk O' Treat on the church grounds, and a Family Night Mini Carnival. Each evening combines a shared meal with games, activities for children of all ages, and a brief parenting encouragement.
Songs, Sermons, and Streams
Calvary Bristol maintains a steady digital footprint so members and friends can stay connected through the week. The Sunday worship service is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, and recordings of the Sunday messages are available as the Calvary Bristol Sermon Audio podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. PDF sermon outlines are also posted so small groups can follow along. A private Zoom room is available for church meetings and the Tuesday night prayer time. The Weekly Worship Blog publishes the song list, scripture, and sermon title each week so the congregation can prepare in advance.
Online giving is available through the church's secure giving page, and anyone interested in being added to the church's email list or prayer list can fill out the online Connect Form.
What Calvary Believes
Calvary Baptist Church holds to a classic Baptist doctrinal standard. The church believes the sixty-six books of Scripture are the inspired, inerrant Word of God and the supreme and final authority for faith and life. The church affirms one God, eternally existing in three equal persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who created all things and works in the world to redeem a people for himself.
Calvary teaches that Jesus Christ is both true God and true man, born of the virgin Mary, who lived a sinless life, died as a substitute for sinners on the cross, was bodily raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and will return again. Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, received apart from any human merit or works, and results in righteous living and service to others. The church observes two ordinances as Jesus commanded them, believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper.
On marriage and human identity, Calvary teaches that marriage is God's design for one man and one woman for a lifetime, and that God established two immutable and distinct biological sexes at creation. The church also affirms the bodily resurrection of the saved and the lost, the eternal reign of Christ, and the eternal existence of all humanity in either heaven or hell.
Planning a First Visit
Calvary Bristol's main gathering is at 10:45 a.m. on Sundays, with Sunday School and Women's Bible Study preceding it at 9:30 a.m. Dress runs the full range, with people in formal wear sitting alongside others in jeans and a sweater, and all styles are welcome at Calvary. Two parking lots sit on either side of the building, and the west lot has handicap parking and a handicap-accessible entrance into the building.
The church office can be reached at (215) 788-8418 or office@calvarybristol.org. Anyone new to Calvary is encouraged to fill out the online Connect Form so the staff can follow up, share information about upcoming events, and add them to the church's prayer list if requested.