Happy Thanksgiving

Church family,

As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, I want to pause and speak directly from my heart to yours.

Every week, I watch God doing something beautiful in our church — not just in the big moments, but in the quiet ones. The conversations in the hallway. The smiles exchanged in the foyer. The prayers whispered at the altar. The songs lifted in worship. The willingness to serve, to love, to give, to grow.

And I want you to know: I thank God for you.

Paul said to the Philippians, “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you.”
And today, that is exactly how I feel.
Every time I think of Calvary — of who you are, of what God is doing among you — gratitude rises in my heart.

This year, I have seen:
•Families walking through hardship with courage and faith
•Men and women stepping deeper into the Word
•Students and children growing in joy and truth
•New faces finding their place in our church family
•People praying for each other with tenderness
•People serving behind the scenes with humility
•Gospel conversations happening all throughout the week
•God shaping us into a people who truly love Jesus and love one another

And as your pastor, I could not be more thankful.

Thanksgiving is more than a holiday —
it’s a reminder of where our gratitude rests.
Not in the perfection of our circumstances,
but in the faithfulness of our God.

No matter what your table looks like this year —
crowded or quiet, joyful or tender, overflowing or simple —
you can know this:

God is near.
God is good.
God is present.
And God is working.

So as we gather this Thanksgiving, I want to encourage you:
•Thank God for His presence.
•Thank Him for His salvation.
•Thank Him for His peace.
•Thank Him for your church family.
•Thank Him for the everyday blessings we so easily overlook.

Church, I love you.
Tori and I are honored to walk alongside you.
And I believe the greatest days of Calvary Baptist Church are still ahead.

From my family to yours —
Happy Thanksgiving.
May your home be filled with joy, peace, and the goodness of our Lord.

With gratitude in Christ,
Pastor Tony Stephens