A Place at Two Springfield Campuses
Calvary Church is a Springfield, Illinois congregation rooted in a straightforward conviction: people should have the chance to take their next step with God. The church meets at two campuses on the west side of the city. Sunday services, children's programming, and most adult ministries gather at the Hazel Dell Campus at 501 West Hazel Dell Road. The Jefferson Street Campus at 1730 West Jefferson Street hosts Calvary Students (grades 6 to 12) on Wednesday nights and serves as the administrative and mailing address for the church office. Both buildings share the same pastors, the same staff, and the same stated mission: to compel every person in central Illinois to seriously consider the claims of Christ and to support ministries around the world that do the same.
Eight core values frame everything the church does. The Bible is the standard for faith and conduct. Missions drives the church's outreach to the world. Kids and Students are central because passing faith to the next generation matters. Discipleship is the work of embracing spiritual transformation. Evangelism is both a corporate and an individual calling to share the hope found only in Jesus. Generosity flows from how God has given. Unity grows as the congregation loves God and one another. Prayer and worship mark a community that wants to walk in God's presence.
Sunday Mornings at Hazel Dell
Worship services take place at 9:00 AM and 10:45 AM each Sunday in the Sanctuary at the Hazel Dell Campus. The same services are livestreamed online for those who join from home or are traveling. Each service includes contemporary Christian music and worship songs led by the Worship Arts team, followed by a Bible-based sermon or message delivered primarily by Senior Pastor Mark Johnson.
Greeters meet people at the doors and can answer questions or point the way to restrooms, classrooms, and the Cafe. Guest parking is marked on the right side of the lot as visitors pull in. The Cry Room and Nursing Mother's Room sit in the back of the Sanctuary for parents who want to keep their infants with them; an usher is happy to show the way. Services generally run just over an hour, and visitors are encouraged to come dressed in whatever feels comfortable. The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, with practical teaching that aims to challenge every listener and an honest acknowledgment that no one in the room has it all together.
After the service, the Welcome Booth on campus is staffed by volunteers ready to answer questions about Calvary and what is available for the whole family. Visitors can also sign up to receive weekly emails and follow the church's Facebook and Instagram accounts to stay informed about upcoming events.
Calvary Kids: From Nursery Through Fifth Grade
Calvary Kids exists to help parents and families raise children who will know and follow Jesus wherever they go. Programming runs at both the 9:00 AM and 10:45 AM Sunday services on the Hazel Dell Campus, and Calvary Kids Zoom Small Groups also meet on Wednesday nights for elementary students.
Children are checked in through the KidCheck system, which records family information, allergies, and emergency contacts. Parents can pre-register online to make the first Sunday quicker. Each child receives a sticker with a matching code that is checked at pickup, and a parent must remain on campus with their child at all times.
Nursery care is provided for infants through age two by loving, trained caregivers who focus on helping little ones learn that God loves them. Calvary Kids Junior serves children from age two through kindergarten with crafts, play time, age-appropriate worship, and Bible lessons. Calvary Kids serves first through fifth graders in a safe environment where teachers lead age-appropriate Bible lessons and activities that meet children where they are and prepare them to honor their parents and God.
The Guardian Angels program welcomes children ages 7 through 11 with special needs during the 9:00 AM service. Each child is paired with a dedicated buddy after an application process so that the staff can be trained and equipped to serve the child individually. The program exists to enable the spiritual growth of the entire family while siblings and parents participate in a service.
Parents who want their kids to get the most out of Calvary Kids are encouraged to pick a consistent service time so their children can build friendships and stronger relationships with small group leaders, to memorize the weekly Bible verse together, and to develop a Bible reading plan with their child. The Kids Ministry team shares opt-in text updates with families, and the Calvary Kids Parents Facebook group keeps the community connected throughout the week.
The Play Zone
The Hazel Dell Campus also houses the Play Zone, a 464-square-foot indoor playground that is free and open to the community. The space includes two slides, a tangle tube maze, a power ball room, roller squeezes, and a separate area for toddlers. Play Zone hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with Saturday birthday party rentals available by reservation. All children must be checked in through KidCheck, a parent or guardian 18 or older must stay on campus, and socks are required. The Play Zone is designed for walkers through age eleven and is meant to be a place where kids can build long-lasting friendships in a safe environment.
Calvary Students on Wednesdays
Students in grades 6 through 12 are the focus of a separate ministry that meets every Wednesday at the Jefferson Street Campus. The night is split between two groups: Revolution for junior high (grades 6 to 8) and Oasis for high school (grades 9 to 12).
The evening begins at 6:00 PM with a gym hangout and optional pre-service prayer. At 7:00 PM the two groups come together for a combined worship set, and at 7:30 PM they break into age-appropriate rooms to hear the message. An after-service hangout runs from 8:30 to 9:30 PM. The goal of the ministry is for every student to have a personal relationship with Christ by the time they graduate, and to be equipped to share the gospel with classmates, friends, and strangers through the power and leading of the Holy Spirit.
On Sunday mornings, junior high students can attend Jolt, a small-group-based Sunday school class that meets during the 9:00 AM service at the Hazel Dell Campus. Lessons cover topics like friendships, parents, and relationships, with games, videos, and discussion led by adult leaders who have a passion for the souls of junior high students. A parents' Facebook group keeps families informed throughout the year.
A Wednesday Night Rhythm
Wednesday evenings are a major pillar of Calvary's weekly life. The half-hour open Prayer Service meets at 5:30 PM at the Hazel Dell Campus, praying for the needs of the church and the country. The service is open to anyone who wants to come.
At 6:00 PM, the Wednesday Equip Classes begin for adults. These classes rotate through topics throughout the year and range from expositional Bible studies to practical issues like parenting or financial management, usually running six to twelve weeks each. They are taught by Calvary pastors and guest teachers and are designed to help adults grow in the rhythms of discipleship: daily devotions, prayer, worship, repentance, generosity, serving, and sharing your story.
At the same hour, students head to the Jefferson Street Campus for Revolution and Oasis (described above), and the Calvary Kids Zoom Small Group meets online for elementary students. GriefShare, a grief support program, also gathers during the week for those who have lost a loved one.
Growing Through Equip, Rooted, and Starting Point
Equip is Calvary's name for its discipleship ecosystem, and it spans the church's classes, small groups, and worship services. Three entry points help newcomers move forward.
Starting Point is a four-part class offered on the first Sunday of each month for people who want to learn more about the church, the spiritual journey, and how to get involved. The class covers the history of the church, the next steps of faith, personal gifts, and serving opportunities. An online option is available for those who cannot attend in person.
Rooted is a ten-week, community-based discipleship experience built around daily readings and weekly small group discussions. Participants learn and practice seven rhythms of discipleship: daily devotions, prayer, worship, repentance, generosity, serving, and sharing your story. Rooted is offered several times each year, and a Rooted Next Step class is available for graduates who want to keep going.
Taken together, these form a pathway from first-time visitor to deeply engaged disciple. Baptism by full immersion is offered as an important next step in the spiritual journey, and child dedications are scheduled through the pastors for parents who want to publicly commit to raising their child in the faith.
Small Groups, Ladies, Men, and Senior Adults
Calvary's small groups are called C2 Groups, and they meet once or twice a month at various times and locations around the city. Each group is defined by four characteristics: they pray together, study the Bible together, socialize with one another, and care for each other's needs. The church maintains a catalog of named groups that includes co-ed adult groups, men's and women's groups, a moms group, a single parents group, and senior adult groups that meet on weekday evenings, weekends, and Sunday afternoons. A six-session small group study called Glory Revealed is available for groups that want a ready-made curriculum walking through the ways God reveals His glory in creation, Scripture, His authority, the cross, and His ongoing work.
The Ladies' Ministry exists to equip, encourage, educate, and embrace women on their journey toward becoming women of God. ReFresh Ladies Gatherings happen on the third Thursday of most months at the Fellowship Hall on the Jefferson Street Campus, with a meal, a speaker, and a monthly auction. Smaller recurring groups for women include the Wednesday AM Edition Bible study at the Fellowship Hall, the Saturday Moms Group for mothers of children from birth through college, and Snappy Scrappers, a scrapbooking fellowship that meets the first Monday of each month.
The Men's Ministry gathers men around shared meals and teaching through Calvary Men's Breakfasts and Dinners several times a year, with speakers who challenge men to grow as godly husbands, fathers, and servants in their homes, churches, workplaces, and communities. Bible study and fellowship round out the ministry.
Young at Heart is the Senior Adult Ministry for those 55 and older, organizing trips, events, and ongoing fellowship. There is also a Grief Share facilitator opportunity for those who want to serve people working through grief.
Serving Through Missions and Hope Thrift Center
Missions is one of the eight core values of Calvary Church, and the church supports missionaries around the world through prayer, financial giving, and short-term trips. Each year the church hosts a Missions Week during which missionaries visit for special services, dinners, and small group meetings, with a schedule that includes a Taste of Missions event showcasing samples of ethnic foods from around the world. The week closes with Faith Promise Sunday, when the congregation makes commitments to support missionaries for the coming year.
Each year, the church offers short-term trips. The recent trip schedule has included Honduras in the fall and South Africa in the summer, with trips intended to help orphans, deliver running water to villages, distribute necessities to the poor, provide food to the hungry, offer medical aid to the sick, and share the gospel with the lost.
Calvary partners with Convoy of Hope's One Day to Feed the World initiative, where congregants can give a day's wages to provide food, clean water, and opportunity to children and families in need around the world.
Hope Thrift Center is a partner organization that operates a thrift store selling donated items at low cost. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to charities that help children across the world. Volunteers help with sorting, pickups and deliveries, truck driving, merchandising, pricing, and operating the cash register.
Other partner organizations extend Calvary's reach into the wider community. Calvary Academy provides Christian education. Calvary Day Care offers child care. Capitol Retirement Village is a faith-based retirement community that works with the church. The Hitting Center provides sports training. Together, these partnerships make Calvary a hub for family services from infancy through the senior years.
Beliefs: An Assemblies of God Church
Calvary Church holds to a classical Pentecostal statement of faith that aligns with the Assemblies of God. The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of God and the authoritative rule for faith and conduct. The church teaches one true God who has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross to pay the penalty for human sin, arose from the grave, and ascended into heaven where He is exalted at God's side; the fall of man and humanity's separation from God; the salvation of man through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ; water baptism and Holy Communion as the two ordinances of the church; the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as a subsequent experience for believers, with the initial physical evidence of speaking with other tongues; sanctification as a daily pursuit of holiness; the Church as the Body of Christ where God lives through the Spirit; divine healing provided through Christ's atonement; the rapture of the church; the Millennial Reign of Christ; the final judgment; and the believer's hope in a New Heaven and a New Earth.
Life to the full, the church teaches, is realized when people possess peace that comes only from the saving knowledge of God's love, security that comes from walking in obedience to God's Word, fulfillment that comes from expressing divinely given gifts, wholeness that comes from being a submitted part of the Body of Christ, and power over self and sin that comes from being baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Pastors and Staff
Mark Johnson serves as Senior Pastor and is the primary preacher on Sundays. His wife, Rena' Johnson, is the Executive Pastor of Missions, Student Ministries, and Ladies. Dan Shryock leads Worship Arts and Education as Executive Pastor, and Paul Rose serves as Care Pastor and Executive Pastor of Adult Ministries. Ryan Mobley is the Discipleship Pastor and Business Administrator, Dawn Stuemke is the Ministry Involvement Pastor and Director of Senior Adults, Mark Collins is the Young Adults Pastor, Michael Johnson is the Youth Pastor and Worship Arts Associate, and Micah Hinckley is the Junior High Pastor and Interim Children's Pastor.
Casey Newman serves as Worship Arts Associate and Choir Director, leading the choir and singing teams. Brendan Jenks serves as Technical Arts Director, overseeing the audio, video, lighting, and staging environments for services and events. Kaloup Ramsey is the Children's Ministry Associate, and Jodi Anderson directs the Pre-School and Play Zone.
Additional staff and ministry leaders support communications, computer services, finance, the cafe, building operations, and safety across both campuses, along with the dedicated corps of volunteers who serve as greeters, ushers, small group leaders, classroom teachers, and care ministers.
Connecting at Calvary
For those ready to visit, Sunday morning is the easiest entry point. The church office can be reached at 217-546-9700 during business hours, and an online contact form is available for prayer requests, questions, or special needs. Online giving, the livestream, and an extensive archive of past messages are available through the church's online platforms. Those ready to take a next step can sign up for Starting Point, join a small group, attend Rooted, get baptized, dedicate a child, or serve through one of the many volunteer opportunities.
Calvary Church gathers around John 10:10: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Whether through Sunday worship, Wednesday prayer and classes, small groups around the city, the annual missions week, or simply the weekly rhythm of walking through the doors of the Hazel Dell Campus, the church's invitation is the same: come as you are, and take your next step with God.