Mount Calvary Church fills a corner of Elizabethtown in northern Lancaster County, where its sanctuary stands on North Holly Street, its school on Elm Avenue, and its offices and student ministry on Veterans Drive. From a 9:00 a.m. Sunday gathering to a Sunday night called The Well, the church runs on a single conviction: God is calling everyone to passionately pursue Christ. The whole program of the church flows through that lens, organized into three rhythms the staff calls Become, Grow, and Go.
Three Campuses on Holly Street, Veterans Drive, and Elm Avenue
Mount Calvary meets on three distinct sites within a few blocks of one another. The Main Campus at 625 N. Holly Street holds the sanctuary and the Family Life Center, a connected building with classrooms, a gym, and a cafeteria where elementary children gather on Sunday mornings. The Ministry Center at 45 Veterans Drive houses the church offices, the student ministry for grades six through twelve, and many weekday ministries such as Ladies Bible Study and New Horizons. The West Campus at 35 Elm Avenue is used primarily for the school ministry. Worship services, kids ministry, and most adult gatherings take place on the Main Campus, while the student ministry lives on Veterans Drive.
Sunday Mornings: Two Identical Services
Mount Calvary holds two Sunday services at 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. Both are the same and run about an hour and five minutes. The English Standard Version is typically used for preaching and teaching unless otherwise noted, and the worship team blends contemporary and older music, with guitar, piano, keyboards, drums, bass guitar, singers, and occasionally violin on stage. Services are livestreamed on YouTube for those who cannot attend in person.
Visitors can dress in anything from suits and ties to flip-flops and blue jeans. The church has three parking lots: Lot A in front of the church for elderly or handicapped guests, Lot B by the Family Life Center with the most spaces, and Lot C overflow accessed from Hillside Avenue behind the property, with additional curbside parking along Holly Street and Hillside Avenue. Bright orange A-frame signs point visitors to the main entrance, where the Welcome Team takes over.
Membership is not required to partake in communion, join a community group, or take part in church ministries, but those who want to take that step can attend Discover MCC, a class with lunch and childcare held several times a year. Online giving supports the church's ministry budget and the missionary program.
Kids at MCC: From Birth Through Fifth Grade
MCC Kids exists to help children know Jesus, follow Him, and share Him as they grow. The ministry is split into two wings.
The Woodlands, adjacent to the sanctuary, cares for children from birth through Kindergarten in five classrooms: Chipmunk Corner for nursery, Hedgehog Hollow for toddlers, Beaver Pond for younger preschool, Fox Forest for older preschool, and Moose Meadow for kindergarteners. The space includes a separate nursery with a livestream of the service for moms who want a quieter spot with their babies, and a Nursing Mother's Room for those who prefer privacy while feeding.
Fusion serves first through third graders, while Fusion+ reaches fourth and fifth graders with a deeper look at Scripture. Elementary children sit with their parents in the sanctuary for the music portion of worship, then are dismissed to the lobby where volunteers walk them to the gymnasium in the Family Life Center across the parking lot. Parents are welcome to walk them over and return to the service.
Check-in begins at the First Time Kids Check-In table in the lobby and can be done in person or online in advance. Each family receives a parent tag that must be presented to pick up children at the end of the service. Children who are not yet ready to leave their parents are never required to use it; babies are warmly welcomed in the sanctuary, and a comfortable seating area in the lobby shows the livestream for anyone who needs to step out.
The Buddy Ministry Coordinator works to help make church a welcoming and supportive environment for every child, including those with special needs. Parents can find a Family Resource Wall in the church lobby stocked with resources for every stage of parenting, and classes on baptism are offered throughout the year for children ready to take that step. Communion for Kids materials walk parents through helping their child understand the Lord's Supper.
Students in Middle School and High School
MCC Students is the church's ministry to sixth through twelfth graders, and the heart of its weekly rhythm is The Well. Middle schoolers meet on Sunday nights from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., and high schoolers from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., both at the Ministry Center on Veterans Drive. The Student Pastor oversees the ministry, with a Director of Middle School Ministry focused on the younger group.
Student Small Groups gather at the Ministry Center throughout the year for outings ranging from bowling at Clearview Lanes to coffee at Folklore, mani/pedi nights, and Hershey Outlets trips. Students are also invited to serve in Fusion on Sunday mornings, helping with small groups, leading singing, or assisting with teaching. Annual rhythms include a fall leaf-raking day, a high school retreat at Bald Eagle Retreat in Milroy, PA, and an overnight outreach event that combines a Hershey Bears hockey game with a gospel presentation and a night of activities.
Community Groups Across Lancaster and Lebanon Counties
Community Groups are the primary way adults at MCC live out life together. Groups meet twice a month, generally the first and third weeks of the school year, with summer months set aside for social gatherings. Each group decides which night of the week to meet, how long to gather (most meet for 90 minutes to two hours), and where to meet. Many meet in members' homes across Elizabethtown, Hershey, Palmyra, Marietta, Mount Joy, Columbia, Manheim, and Lancaster, while others gather at the church or in backyards, restaurants, or parks.
Most groups discuss how to apply the prior week's sermon to daily life, though some choose a book of the Bible, a book, a video series, or a podcast. Each group runs for three trimesters a year, with breaks between for multiplication. Families with children are placed in groups with other families, and many groups rotate childcare with help from the middle and high school students of MCC.
The Director of Groups Ministry walks newcomers through the process of finding a good fit. Visitors are encouraged to visit more than one group before committing.
Grow Groups: Three People, Same Gender
Grow Groups are the smallest layer of the church's discipleship structure: groups of three people of the same gender who meet weekly for Bible study, Scripture memory, confession, accountability, and prayer. The model mirrors the description of discipleship laid out in the church's Habits of a Disciple teaching, particularly the practices of confessing sin and connecting in community. Both men's and women's Grow Groups are part of the women's and men's ministry structures.
Women of MCC: Bible Study, Sarah's Laughter, and Coffee and Chaos
MCC Women's Ministry exists to equip, encourage, and engage women to the glory of Jesus Christ, summed up in a single line: Ordinary Women, Extraordinary God. The Director of Care Ministry leads the ministry, supported by a Women's Ministry Coordinator.
The ministry offers several regular rhythms. Women's Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. on the first and third weeks and Tuesday mornings at 9:00 a.m. weekly, walking through verse-by-verse study of Scripture and currently focusing on women in the Bible. A Ladies Bible Class meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. in the Ministry Center Gym, with childcare provided, running September 23 through May 12. The Women's Prayer Team gathers on the third Thursday of each month at 9:00 a.m. at the Ministry Center.
Other offerings include Sarah's Laughter, a Christian support group for women who have lost a baby or are experiencing infertility, meeting on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Upper Room at the Ministry Center; a Coffee and Chaos meet-up for women wanting casual connection; a homeschool mom connection group; and Nook, a Christ-centered book club meeting on the second Monday of each month. DivorceCare for Women is in development, with a support team being built around meals, childcare, and other practical needs. All Women's Ministry events are for adults 18 and older unless otherwise noted.
Audio from the women's Bible teaching is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and MCCW Insiders, a private Facebook group, connects current and active women of the church.
Men of MCC: Breakfasts, Sportsman's Banquet, and Retreats in Wellsboro
MCC Men's Ministry shares the same vision as the wider church: helping men passionately pursue Christ through discipleship. The men's ministry has four primary ministry areas, overseen by a leader who returned to MCC after 45 years in Christian education.
Men's Breakfast is the most regular rhythm, gathering at 7:30 a.m. at the Ministry Center Gym for breakfast, fellowship, and a short Bible-centered devotional, with a different speaker each month sharing how God has worked through family, work, missions, hobbies, or other life journeys.
Other rhythms include Servants Ministry workdays with Servant's Ministry of Lancaster County, an annual Sportsman's Banquet in early March, and a Men's Retreat at His Thousand Hills Christian Camp and Retreat Center in Wellsboro, PA, with Bible study, fellowship, hiking, fishing, campfires, and recreation such as basketball, roller hockey, a zipline, and a climbing tower. Recreational events throughout the year include baseball games, hikes, open gym at the Ministry Center, and game nights.
New Horizons: A Ministry for the 50+ Crowd
New Horizons, named for the new season many find in their 50s and beyond, meets on the third Wednesday of each month from September through April at the Ministry Center. Doors open at 10:00 a.m. for fellowship, with the program beginning at 10:30 a.m. and lunch served ($5 recommended). Programs have ranged from a Lancaster County Parks naturalist speaking about monarch butterflies, to a Civil War reenactor sharing the story from beginning to end, to a missions update on Hope's Haven Youth Ranch in Bainbridge, PA. A Christmas Carol Sing kicks off Advent each November in the sanctuary, and a Game Night fills the summer calendar.
New Life: Walking With Moms From Pregnancy Through Preschool
New Life Ministry nurtures and equips mothers from pregnancy through preschool to be rooted in Christ and built up in Him. The ministry supports mothers throughout pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum with one-on-one communication and prayer, group chats with other expecting or new moms, meal trains, and postpartum visits with gifts. Throughout the year of support, mothers receive resources for church connection and community, then stay connected through regular gatherings, special events, Grow Groups, Community Groups, Bible studies, and serving. Bi-annual breakfast events feature speakers and discussion, while Coffee and Chaos meet-ups offer a relaxed setting for friendship.
A Meal Train Ministry delivers home-cooked meals to families welcoming a new baby, and a Clothing and Diaper Closet provides essentials (preemie through 2T clothing, NB through 12-month diapers) to moms in need, including those in adoption, foster care, or financial hardship. Mothers graduate when their youngest child enters kindergarten, with opportunities to return as Mentor Moms.
Mount Calvary Christian School
Mount Calvary Christian School partners with families to provide a quality education and encourage students to grow into faithful and mature followers of Christ, from preschool through twelfth grade. The school occupies the West Campus at 35 Elm Avenue and uses parts of the Main Campus. The Superintendent, a 2004 alumnus of MCCS, has served since Spring 2021, after ten years in roles including Assistant to the Superintendent, Advancement Director, and Athletic Director.
The MCCS experience includes academic, artistic, and athletic opportunities built upon the foundation of biblical truth. The school hires for a range of positions and frequently lists openings for bus drivers, custodial cleaners, and teachers. Several staff members' families are deeply connected to the school, with multiple generations having attended.
Upward Sports
Upward Sports uses the church's passion for athletics to reach the community for Christ. The Director of Upward Sports has led the program since 2015, with a Flag Football season running in the fall for kids from kindergarten through sixth grade. Evaluations are held in mid-July, with practice and game schedules set once teams are assigned. Volunteers serve as referees, logistics managers, and greeters on game days, and training is offered for those new to refereeing.
Walking Through Grief and Loss: MCC Cares and GriefShare
MCC Cares walks alongside church members and the wider community through some of life's heaviest moments. GriefShare, a Christ-centered 11-week support group, meets in the lobby of the church at 625 N. Holly Street on Wednesdays from 6:15 to 8:00 p.m. The Surviving the Holidays seminar offers encouragement during the Christmas season for those grieving a loss, and the Loss of a Spouse seminar is a single-session gathering for widows and widowers.
The Meal Ministry Team coordinates home-delivered meals for church families during a time of need, and the Prayer Team sends out an email chain when urgent prayer needs arise. A pro-life prayer team receives notifications of prayer requests from sidewalk counselors and information about upcoming prayer walks. DivorceCare for Women is in development.
Equipping Classes and Adult Bible Classes
Adult Bible Classes meet on Sunday mornings during the first service, with two options: a co-ed adult class and the Ladies Bible Class. Special topical classes such as Financial Peace University or parenting classes are offered occasionally.
Equipping Classes are one-day Saturday sessions on specific topics. Past offerings have included an End Times study, a study on Revelation, a six-session study on Adoption, Intentional Leadership through Nehemiah, a study on Ecclesiastes, a class on the spiritual habits from David Mathis's Habits of Grace, and a First Things First series on finances. End Times Events, a six-week Bible study led by two elders, meets on Sunday evenings from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary, exploring the Rapture, the Antichrist, the Tribulation, future judgments, Christ's Millennial Kingdom, and the Eternal State. A Love & Respect equipping class for couples is offered in video form.
Audio for equipping classes and Bible classes is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with video recordings of selected classes on Vimeo.
Becoming, Growing, Going: The Discipleship Path
Mount Calvary organizes its teaching around seven habits of a disciple, drawn from its statement on discipleship: spending time daily in God's Word, praying throughout the day, fasting occasionally, sitting under preaching and worship regularly, connecting in community, confessing sin to safe friends, and serving the church with one's gifts. Each habit has a short teaching video, a reading plan, and a follow-up sermon.
The broader framework is even simpler. The entire ministry centers on three movements: Become a disciple through saving faith and baptism, Grow as a disciple through habits and community, and Go and make disciples through sharing the Gospel locally and globally. Each of those steps has a corresponding path. Becoming leads to baptism and eventually Discover MCC membership classes. Growing connects people to habits, Community Groups, Grow Groups, and Bible classes. Going points to missions, both supported through a wide missionary family and lived out in the local community.
The Statement of Faith: Scripture, the Ordinances, and the End Times
Mount Calvary holds to a detailed Statement of Faith that all members are required to attest to. The church believes the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is God-breathed, verbally inspired in every word, without error, and infallible, and that its truth stands in judgment over every human opinion. God is one, infinite, eternal, almighty, perfect in holiness, truth, and love, existing eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The church believes in the full deity and humanity of Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary, sinless in life, who died on the cross as the substitutionary sacrifice for sin, rose bodily on the third day, and ascended to Heaven as High Priest and Advocate.
The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, regenerates, sanctifies, and indwells every believer from the moment of salvation. Adam and Eve are understood as the historical parents of all humanity, and the entire creation was subjected to futility because of human sin. Salvation is a gift from God, received by grace through faith and wholly apart from human works; those who believe are born again, indwelt, sealed, and secured to eternal life.
The church observes two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper, and practices baptism by immersion as the biblical model. Marriage is defined as a lifelong union between one man and one woman, and the statement holds that any form of sexual immorality, including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, and use of pornography, is sinful.
Regarding the end times, the church teaches the personal, bodily, visible return of Christ and holds a pre-millennial and pre-tribulation rapture view. Israel is described as having a special relationship with God, with a future restoration of the Jewish people in view. The church teaches the bodily resurrection of all people, final judgment, eternal salvation for those in Christ, and everlasting conscious punishment in Hell for those apart from Christ.
Leadership: Pastors and Elders
Matt Watson has served as Lead Pastor since July 2018, coming from Burke Community Church in Northern Virginia. He holds a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and a degree in Bible and Communications from Cedarville University. Jonathan Witmer joined the staff as Youth Pastor in April 2004 and became Executive Pastor in July 2021, overseeing church operations, Family Ministry, staff and congregational care, and the missions program.
Joe has served as Student Pastor since July 2021, coming from Immanuel Church in Massachusetts with a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Ray Stuart has served as Connections Pastor since August 2015, after five years at Bethel Baptist Church in Manheim, PA, with degrees from the University of Louisville and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Other ministry leaders include the Director of Care Ministry, the Director of Middle School Ministry, the Director of Kids Ministry, the Director of Worship, the Director of Upward Sports, the Director of Groups Ministry, the Women's Ministry Coordinator, the men's ministry lead, and the New Life Ministry lead.
The church is led by a plurality of elders who shepherd, teach, and guard doctrine. Current elders are Dan Eaby, Jon Hixon, Ryan Hostetter, Jerry Mohr, Mark Weise, Bob Zeager, Tim Buhr, and Justin Risser, along with Pastors Matt Watson and Jonathan Witmer. Elders serve four-year terms, nominated by current elders and affirmed by the membership.
A Worldwide Mission Family
Mount Calvary supports a wide family of missionaries in the United States and abroad, with a focus on evangelism, church planting, training indigenous leaders, Bible translation, and aviation missions. Missionary couples serve with organizations including ABWE, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Biblical Ministries Worldwide, MMS Aviation, Liebenzell, the North American Mission Board, DiscipleMakers at Elizabethtown College, Pastoral Support Service in Brazil, India Bible Education Enterprises, and CRU. Mission fields span Lithuania, Bulgaria, Brazil, India, Papua New Guinea, Luxembourg, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, and Japan.
The church also supports local organizations meeting physical, emotional, and spiritual needs in Lancaster County, including Cornerstone Youth Ministries in Elizabethtown, The Way Recovery Houses for addiction recovery, Love Life for the cause of life, and a Gospel-centered coffee shop ministry.
Plan a Visit
Two Sunday services, an extensive kids program, and three parking lots make visiting straightforward. Visitors are welcomed at the door by the Welcome Team and escorted to kids' classrooms as needed. Bibles in hand are welcome; the English Standard Version is used for preaching and teaching. Dress is casual. For those wanting to take the next step, Discover MCC classes meet several times a year with lunch and childcare provided. Weekly reminder emails and the church's connection card help newcomers stay plugged in to what God is doing at Mount Calvary.