Two Campuses, One Mission in the Pennsylvania Countryside
Calvary Church has been holding Sunday services in the rolling hills north of Philadelphia since 1950, and today it meets in two places: a long-standing campus at 820 Route 113 in Souderton and a second campus hosted inside Quakertown Christian School at 50 East Paletown Road in Quakertown. The church describes itself as a non-denominational, multi-generational community that exists to "continue what Jesus started" by connecting with God, connecting with others, and impacting the surrounding region with the gospel. The motto on the front of the building reads "Continuing what Jesus Started," and the phrase shapes everything from the way Sunday services are organized to the way the staff talks about discipleship, outreach, and missions.
What distinguishes Calvary from many other churches of its size is the combination of three emphases. The first is gospel-centered preaching that works through books of the Bible one at a time, most recently through series in the Psalms, Hebrews, Ecclesiastes, and the Gospel of Luke. The second is a contemporary, band-led worship style that the leadership describes as a way to "see God accurately and respond appropriately." The third is an unusually deep commitment to people impacted by disability through a ministry called Bridge, which has become a defining mark of the church and a reason many families travel to attend.
Sunday Mornings at the Souderton Campus
The Souderton Campus is the main gathering place and meets twice on a typical Sunday. Services are held at 9:00 and 10:30am at 820 Route 113, Souderton, PA 18964, and both services follow the same basic shape: a live band leads a few songs of contemporary worship, followed by a Bible-centered message, followed by communion once a month. The auditorium is set up so newcomers are easy to spot. Guest Parking is reserved near Door 2, and an Info Hub in the middle of the lobby is staffed by volunteers who can answer questions, give a tour, or help families find their children's rooms.
The 9:00 and 10:30 services are identical in content but differ slightly in size and feel. The 9:00 hour tends to draw the larger families with school-age kids, while the 10:30 hour often feels a touch quieter. Both services stream live at live.calvary-church.com and on the church's YouTube channel, and recordings stay available through the message library. Dress is described by the staff as "come as you are" - jeans, shorts, dresses, t-shirts, whatever makes a visitor comfortable.
For adults who want to study the Bible together in a smaller setting, the Souderton Campus also runs Adult Bible Fellowships (ABFs) during the services. Journey, for adults 30 and up, meets at 9:00am in Room 303. The Gathering, for those 55 and up, meets at 10:30am in Room 303. Berachah, designed for those 70 and up, meets at 10:30am in Rooms 301/302. Harmony, for the 75-and-up group, meets at 10:30am in Room 300. The ABFs are not meant to replace serving or small groups but to give adults a steady Sunday touchpoint for Bible teaching and conversation.
Sunday Mornings at the Quakertown Campus
The Quakertown Campus meets once each Sunday at 9:30am inside Quakertown Christian School at 50 East Paletown Road, Quakertown, PA 18951. Visitors enter through the right-hand door; the HUB is on the left as soon as they walk in, and greeters are there to meet first-time families, hand out information, and show people around. The Quakertown gathering is intentionally smaller and described by the staff as "a community where people of all ages and backgrounds come together to grow in faith, build meaningful connections, and serve others."
Like Souderton, Quakertown includes programming for the whole family during the service. Calvary Kids runs for infants through fifth graders, and Bridge classes are available for children, students, and adults with disabilities who benefit from a smaller setting. Middle school and high school students have age-specific options as well. After the service, the Quakertown Welcome Gathering is held with no registration required, so newcomers can meet staff and ask questions without filling out a form.
What Visitors Can Expect
The church describes its Sunday services in six simple phrases, and first-time visitors generally find the experience matches the description. Friendly people greet at the doors. A live band leads singing - visitors are welcome to sing out loud or stand quietly, whichever feels right. Messages are described as "life-changing and gospel-centered," walking through the Bible book by book and connecting the text to everyday life. Dress is casual. Age and ability-specific programs run for kids, students, and adults with disabilities during both service hours.
Families with young children can pre-register online to speed up the check-in process on Sunday morning. There is no dress code, and there is no expectation that visitors give money. The only thing the staff encourages is for newcomers to fill out a connection card so a pastor or volunteer can follow up during the week. A Welcome Gathering is held periodically for anyone who wants to learn more about the church; brunch and childcare are provided, and there is no obligation attached to attending.
What Calvary Believes
Calvary's Statement of Faith is built around a small number of core commitments that the leadership considers non-negotiable. The Bible, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is held to be the inspired, true, and authoritative Word of God, sufficient for faith and life. There is one God, eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who created all things and sustains them by his sovereign power. Human beings are made in the image of God as male and female, designed for relationship with him and one another, and marred by a real rebellion that leaves every person guilty, corrupted, and in need of grace.
Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human, born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died on the cross as a substitute for sinners, rose bodily from the grave, and now reigns at the right hand of the Father as the only mediator between God and humanity. The Holy Spirit convicts, regenerates, indwells, and empowers believers for godly living and service. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and produces a lifetime of growing holiness, obedience, and love. The Church is the body of Christ, called to love and glorify God, observe baptism and the Lord's Supper, make disciples, and extend the gospel to all people. Christ will return to raise the dead, judge all people, and consummate his kingdom; those who trust him will live forever with God, and those who do not will experience everlasting separation from him.
Alongside these doctrinal convictions, Calvary names five values that shape how the church operates day to day. It aims to be founded and centered on the gospel, dependent on and empowered by the Holy Spirit, devoted to community, pursuing gospel transformation, and intentionally generous with time, energy, skills, money, and lives. The phrase the staff returns to again and again is "connect and impact" - as believers connect with God, he impacts their lives, and they are sent to connect with others and impact their lives with the gospel.
Calvary Kids
Calvary Kids runs every Sunday morning at both campuses for children from newborn through fifth grade, and the staff treats it as a full ministry rather than childcare. The rooms are organized into three phases that meet children where they are. The Nursery and Preschool phase is a nurturing space where the youngest children are introduced to God's love through songs, stories, and play. The Elementary phase, for kindergarten through third grade, is built around games, age-appropriate worship, and group time designed to help biblical truths stick. The Preteen phase, for fourth and fifth graders, is a space for bigger questions, deeper conversation, and the kind of friendships that can carry a child through the transition into middle school.
Every Calvary Kids volunteer is background-checked, and the rooms follow a secure check-in process. Parents can pre-register their children online before their first visit to make the first Sunday easier. In addition to Sunday programming, the ministry runs Family Dedication celebrations twice a year, where parents commit to lead their child spiritually and the church commits to walk alongside the family. KidFest, a three-day summer extravaganza for kids entering first through sixth grade, draws hundreds of children from the community each July for biblical teaching, live entertainment, water games, inflatables, and snacks.
Andrea Dascalescu leads the ministry as Calvary Kids Director and Elementary Coordinator, with Jenn Crocus overseeing early childhood and KidFest and Carly Pavia coordinating the Quakertown Kids program. The ministry also points parents toward Parent Cue, a free app designed to help families build spiritual rhythms at home during the week.
Bridge Disability Ministries
Bridge is "central to who we are." The ministry exists to guide children, students, and adults impacted by disability into a growing relationship with Jesus, and it does that through inclusion and environments designed for individual needs. Because each participant has unique circumstances, families complete a Bridge Information Form and meet with a Bridge staff member before attending any program; walk-ins cannot be accepted.
Bridge programs run during both Sunday services. At the Souderton Campus, Bridge classes meet during the 9:00am service in rooms designed for kids, students, and adults with disabilities who benefit from more individual attention and a smaller classroom size. At the Quakertown Campus, Bridge classes meet during the 9:30am service. Inclusion buddies are also available in early childhood and elementary rooms for children with disabilities who are registered with Bridge and want to participate in regular Calvary Kids programming.
Mid-week programming runs on Wednesday nights for Bridge Kids, Students, and Adults, with a Bible lesson, snacks, and gym hangout time. A monthly Respite program gives caregivers a chance to rest while their children enjoy a program with friends; a nurse is on site for medical needs, and space is limited, so registration is required. Adult Enrichment, held on the second Tuesday of each month, offers unique experiences such as baking, pizza-making, planting, music, and painting for adults with disabilities. The Bridge team is made up of trained professionals with more than forty years of combined experience in special education, therapy, and disability ministry, and every volunteer has cleared Pennsylvania state requirements and undergone training in safety, mandated reporting, and working with students with disabilities.
Calvary Students
Calvary Students is the middle school and high school ministry, and it meets separately at each campus. The Quakertown Students gathering is the most prominent of the two and runs Sunday nights from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the Quakertown Campus. The ministry describes itself not as a typical youth group but as "a movement" of students, leaders, and parents committed to helping every young person belong, matter, and discover a real and life-changing relationship with Jesus.
Sunday nights include high-energy games, hangout time, worship, a teaching message contextualized for the culture students live in, and small groups divided by grade and gender. Every student is placed in a small group with an adult leader who invests in them week after week. The ministry also runs a series of summer and winter camps and two annual serve trips: Serve Philly, where high school students partner with Productive Lives in Philadelphia for food distribution and community engagement, and Serve Langhorne, a middle school trip that includes evangelism training and sharing the gospel with younger children through Cairn University's Kids Day.
At the Souderton Campus, middle schoolers meet during the 9:00am service for games, music, teaching, and small group time. High schoolers meet on Sunday evenings for live music, practical teaching, and small group conversation led by adult leaders who care about their faith and their friendships. Frank DiRenzo serves as the Pastor of Calvary Students across both campuses, with Marc Grove directing the Quakertown Students ministry and Frank Roman directing Souderton Middle School.
Small Groups and Discipleship
Calvary's small group ministry is the backbone of the church's strategy for relational discipleship. Groups typically include 8 to 12 people and meet in homes, at the church, or at any other location the group chooses. Most meet weekly or biweekly, with some gathering monthly, and every group is encouraged to meet at least twice a month to balance connection and growth. Each gathering includes time for personal connection, Bible study and discussion, prayer, and serving together. Studies vary - some groups work through the previous Sunday's sermon discussion questions, others use the church's Three Relationships discipleship materials, and others pick a topical study.
Small groups are open to anyone who wants to join, and the church encourages every member to be part of one. Facilitators and hosts are always needed, and the church provides training and resources for anyone willing to lead. For people who want additional study between Sundays, Right Now Media is offered free to anyone in the Calvary community, giving access to more than 25,000 biblically based videos for small groups, families, students, and leadership development.
Men's Ministry
Men's Ministry at Calvary is built around the conviction that men need other men in their lives. The ministry runs several weekly Bible studies and a few seasonal events designed to help men grow in faith, build brotherhood, and serve their families and communities. The Friday Morning Bible Study meets at 6:30am in Room 218 at the Souderton Campus and is currently working through a series on Genesis and Job from the Eyewitness Bible Series on Right Now Media. The Monday Evening Bible Study meets from 7:00 to 8:30pm in Room 300 at the Souderton Campus or on Zoom and is working through the book of Romans.
Dad Collective, a group for dads from expectant fathers through those with fifth graders, meets on the first Monday of each month from October through May at 7:00pm in the Student Space at the Souderton Campus. It is designed as a safe space to swap stories, share advice, hear from experts, and build friendships with other dads. A signature event each year is the Lake Champion Men's Weekend, held in mid-September, where men step away from daily pressures to slow down, reconnect with God, and build relationships with other men. The weekend is intentionally called a "weekend" rather than a "retreat" so that men at any stage of belief feel welcome to engage at their own pace.
Men also have the chance to play together. The Men's Softball league returns in the spring, the Men's Golf league plays nine holes on Thursday evenings at Macoby Golf Course from April through September, Power Volleyball runs September through December on Monday evenings for experienced players, and a Co-Ed Volleyball League runs January through April on Monday nights.
Women's Ministry
Women's Ministry exists to meet the needs of women in the community by providing opportunities to connect, grow in their relationship with Jesus, and lead lives of service. The hub of weekly study is the Women's Bible Study, offered on Tuesdays at both 9:15am and 7:00pm at the Souderton Campus. The studies are biblically sound and focused on helping women understand and apply the Bible in ways that deepen their walk with God.
Just Among Moms (JAM) is a community of women with kids from birth through high school that meets on the third Thursday evening of each month from 6:30 to 8:30pm, September through May. The Mom's Bible Study runs on Thursday mornings for mothers of babies through elementary-age children and includes childcare so moms can focus on the study. A seasonal favorite is Experience Christmas, held each November, where women gather for holiday crafts, simple treats, and inspiration to begin the Christmas season with intention and warmth.
Support Groups
Calvary runs one of the more extensive support group ministries in the region, with options that meet a wide range of needs. Each group is led by people who have personal experience with the issue being addressed, and all groups are biblically based, free, and open to anyone, Calvary attender or not. Most groups allow people to join at any point during their cycle.
Breaking Barriers meets every Tuesday at 7:00pm in Room 303 at the Souderton Campus and is designed as a Christ-centered place for people exploring freedom from addiction. Men's Purity also meets on Tuesday nights at 7:00pm and supports men dealing with pornography, physical or emotional adultery, sexual abuse, or same-sex attraction. Betrayed Hearts is a confidential cohort for wives of men dealing with sexual purity issues and meets behind closed doors.
GriefShare meets on Wednesdays at 7:00pm in Room 218 at the Souderton Campus, with thirteen sessions held in the fall and again in the spring. DivorceCare meets in person at 7:00pm in Room 303 at the Souderton Campus and is also offered on Zoom. Learning to Breathe Again, a group for women healing from sexual abuse, meets on Tuesday nights in cycles of twelve to fourteen weeks and walks through the workbook "Shelter from the Storm." Cancer Companions meets online on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7:00pm. Embraced by Grace, for women struggling with a past abortion decision, meets on Thursday nights in a twelve-week cycle that begins in mid-October.
BuxMont Counseling Center
BuxMont Counseling Center is the professional counseling arm of the church and grew out of a decision the congregation made about thirty years ago to purchase a house on the property and host a Christian counseling center as a way to make a practical gospel impact in the community. Today the center serves individuals, couples, families, children, and teens with affordable, professional, faith-based care, and it operates as a separate nonprofit with its own staff.
BuxMont offers individual counseling, marriage and family counseling, children and teen counseling, premarital counseling, and group therapy. Group options currently include Anxiety and Depression, Resiliency X (a science-based training for navigating life's setbacks), and Ruin and Resilience (a trauma-focused group that explores how faith and spirituality can foster post-traumatic growth). Confidentiality is taken seriously, and the center's services are open to anyone in the community regardless of whether they attend Calvary.
The Library, Mr. B's, and Other Practical Ministries
The Calvary Church Library has been in continuous operation since 1951 and houses more than 20,000 resources, including Bible studies, reference materials, adult fiction and nonfiction, teen and children's books, audiobooks, music, and DVDs. The library is open Sundays from 8:30 to 10:30am and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30am to 12:30pm, and it loans items for a three-week period. A Kids Story Time for ages two to five runs on the third Wednesday of each month from September through June, and the entire library is staffed by volunteers.
Mr. B's PlayZone, located in the Souderton building, is an indoor family play area with a two-story playground designed for children up to 54 inches tall. The space is open Tuesday through Friday from 9:00am to 6:00pm and Saturdays from 9:00am to 3:00pm and is set up as a "third place" where parents can grab coffee, meet a friend, work on a laptop, or let kids burn off some energy. Outside food is welcome, vending options are available, and Mr. B's is available for private parties and after-hours rentals.
The Premarital Ministry is required for any couple getting married at Calvary or by a Calvary pastor and is open to any couple regardless of church membership. Topics covered include expectations, conflict resolution, sexuality, danger signs, roles, personality inventory, finances, understanding one another, maintaining relationships, and spirituality, and the church recommends beginning the process at least six months before the wedding.
Outreach and Missions
Calvary's mission is described in three concentric circles: local, regional, and global. Locally, the church partners with organizations such as Pennridge FISH, Quakertown Community Outreach, the Quakertown Food Pantry, the Bucks County Opportunity Council, Keystone Opportunity Center, Manna on Main Street, and The Open Link - groups that provide food, clothing, financial assistance, and other practical help to neighbors in need. The church also operates or hosts several large community events each year. Makers Market, held each October at the Souderton Campus, brings more than 100 local makers, artists, and small businesses to the property for a day of shopping and community connection; admission is free, and the event draws more than 2,000 attendees. KidFest, the summer kids' outreach, draws hundreds of children from across the region.
Regionally, Calvary Students run two annual serve trips in the Philadelphia area, and the church supports a number of partner ministries through prayer, volunteers, and financial giving. Globally, the church supports missionaries and ministry partners through its missions budget.
Becoming a Member, Getting Baptized, and Praying Together
Membership at Calvary is a way to identify with the church, embrace its beliefs and values, and commit to extending those things to others. Members vote on budgets, approve construction projects, and appoint elders, so membership carries real responsibilities alongside the privilege of belonging. Membership classes are offered periodically at both campuses; the next Souderton class meets on two consecutive Sundays in October, and the Quakertown class meets on a single Wednesday evening in October.
Baptism Sundays are scheduled multiple times a year at both campuses. The church practices believer's baptism by immersion and welcomes anyone who has made a profession of faith in Jesus to be baptized as a public celebration of what God has done in their life. To prepare, baptism candidates meet with a pastor or ministry leader for a brief conversation about their story and next steps.
Prayer is treated as a serious, ongoing rhythm of the church rather than a once-a-week activity. A weekly Prayer Newsletter circulates prayer requests from the congregation, and a Prayer Request form lets anyone submit a request that the prayer team will lift up during the week. Pastors and ministry leaders are also available to pray with individuals at any time.
Leadership
Calvary is led by a team of pastors, ministry directors, and an elder board. Carlos Velez serves as the Senior Pastoral Leader and oversees the life and direction of the church. Charles Zimmerman serves as Teaching Pastor and preaches most weekends at the Souderton Campus. Steve Sauers is the Quakertown Campus Pastor and Dan Harney serves as Worship Leader and Quakertown Associate Pastor. Andy McPeak is the Worship Pastor, and Joe Youk coordinates technical arts. Dave Walters leads family ministries across the church, Frank DiRenzo is the Pastor of Calvary Students, and Warren Bailey is the Pastor of Congregational Care. Dawn Dant directs connect ministries, Jess Greaser leads BuxMont Counseling Center, and Erik Scardino directs business operations.
An elder board provides spiritual and organizational oversight. Current elders listed by the church are Scott Timmerman, Stephen Bergman, Jon Kutzner, Drew Krupp, Tom Miorelli, Paul Stein, and Dave Yoder. The staff team as a whole includes ministry directors, coordinators, and support staff who together keep the church's many programs running week to week.
A Church Continuing What Jesus Started
From a small beginning in 1950 to a two-campus church serving thousands of people each weekend, Calvary has grown into one of the larger non-denominational churches in the Bucks and Montgomery County corridor. The architecture of the ministry, including gospel-centered preaching, contemporary worship, robust kids' and students' ministry, the unusual depth of Bridge Disability Ministries, and a network of support groups serving the wider community, reflects a church that has thought carefully about how to be the local church in a specific place. Visitors who show up on a Sunday morning will find friendly greeters, clear signage, a live band, a Bible-saturated message, programs for every member of the family, and people ready to walk alongside them through whatever season of life they are in.