Our Ministries / Missions
God calls us to labor for His glory. We work for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom through a variety of ministries. Below are links to some of the ministries that are currently in action.
Calvary Food Ministry
Pastor Bob Wilson -- Bible Teaching 12:00 Noon
Food Distribution 12:30 PM -- Registration prior to Bible Teaching.
Volunteers are always welcome to distribute food on Wednesdays, and/or help pack grocery boxes on Tuesday. Thank You!
Arrive early if you are not already registered. Registration prior to Bible Teaching.
The food distribution takes place here at 900 West Chapel Road on Wednesdays. Pastor Bob Wilson teaches at 12:00 Noon, then the food is distributed at 12:30 pm.
Volunteer Opportunities -- Tuesday -- We begin packing boxes in the morning at the warehouse. Many hands make light work! Volunteers are always welcome.
Volunteer Opportunities -- Wednesday -- Volunteers are always welcome to distribute food and pray on Wednesdays.
WHO WE ARE
The Calvary Food Ministry (CFM) is an entity affiliated with Calvary Chapel of Asheville, an incorporated 501(c) (3), and has been a donation funded and recipient volunteer food pantry in Asheville since 1997. Since our inception, we have been an agency and referral source for Manna Food Bank, due to the convenience of our central location. We have grown over the years from a one day operation sorting grocery food boxes on the floor of our church, to a warehouse with machinery, trucks and teams of volunteers. CFM is honored to have the opportunity to not only provide groceries to 150 plus needy families each week in Asheville as a local pantry for Manna Food Bank, but we've grown to be a hub for various other Western North Carolina pantries and relief effort organizations. The CFM pantry has helped to provide aid for victims of disasters like Katrina, and as recently as the Nashville, Tennessee flood.
The following are a list of some we have cooperated with over the years:
-- Manna Food Bank
-- Hearts with Hands
-- Child Evangelism Fellowship
-- Ledgewood Apartments
-- Rose of Sharon
-- Camp Good News
-- Asheville City Police
-- Food for Fairview
-- ABCCM
-- Western North Carolina Rescue Mission
-- 7th Street Mission in Hendersonville
Agencies that recently approached us for ongoing assistance:
Chaplaincy for the National Guard in Cherokee, NC
-- Assisting returning service men, women and their families
Police community effort with the Shiloh Community Center
OUR MISSION AND VISION
Our mission is to continue to be able to be a consistent and active source of groceries for recipients in Western North Carolina, for Disaster Relief organizations and other WNC food pantries.
However, with the current economy we have experienced a need and a mindset that is directing us into newer endeavors. We have started a cooperative effort with the Asheville City Police department, in appreciation for the hard work they perform, to provide nonperishable food in boxes for them to reach out to anyone in need in the community. We have committed to pack and avail boxes of groceries on a continuous basis at the various police sub stations in Asheville. We're excited about the possibilities to reach those in need who may never have the chance to step foot in a food pantry.
Our hope is that in the future we can reach more people in need through various community organizations and other outreach efforts. Another program we'd like to make available to the community is responsible financial counseling.
IN THE NEWS
At the beginning of the year our local WLOS news station wrote:
“Another top ten list for Asheville but, this one's not so good.”
“According to Equifax credit reporting agency people in the greater metro area rank sixth in the country for the amount of credit card debt they carry. Experts blame low wages combined with a high cost of living here in the mountains.Asheville Ranks High in Credit Card Debt”
Monday, January 31 2011, 11:44 PM EST
People sacrifice their diet when they attempt to meet the demands of the credit agencies clamoring to provoke repayment. Children of those in debt aren't simply suffering the loss of a meal or two, some payoff commitments can mean years. That financial burden coupled with those single mothers and grandmothers, who wouldn't normally want to ask for anything, are now forced into a new dilemma that they are attempting to face privately. These are some of the faces of our newer clients.
The importance of a good diet for a child during the developmental years of their life is a known fact. However the effects of child poverty, as Harry J. Holzer of Georgetown University and the Urban Institute writes in a study, Penny Wise, Pound Foolish, mean that poor children suffer a variety of consequences. Not the least of these is failure to thrive academically, with much lower graduation rates. Holzer's report estimates that child poverty (20.7% in 2009) reduces the value of U.S. economic output by $500 billion per year. This figure encompasses lost educational opportunities, poor health, lost productivity, lost taxes, and on and on.
HELP NECESSARY TO CONTINUE TO GROW
Calvary Chapel in Asheville is fortunate to own buildings that could easily house and allow us to continue to operate and expand. However we are in need of construction help.
Click on the link to see photographs of the buildings, which were once owned by the National Forestry housing the Civilian Conservation Corps Camp: Former CCC Forestry Builings. They are situated behind Biltmore Village on the corner of London Road and Shady Oak Road.
If we could get donations of various sorts to assist us either with the food ministry or the building operation, we would not have to deplete our efforts in feeding the hungry in Western North Carolina.
-- Concrete
-- Electrical Supplies
-- Plumbing Supplies
-- Fire rated Sheetrock
-- HVAC Units
-- Copper tubing;
Calvary Outreach to the 7th Street Rescue Mission
Once a month on the 1st Thursday of the month, from 10:30 to 12:30, we go prepare and serve a meal to the people at the mission. We look forward to it with great anticipation of good fellowship with those preparing the food, including the children who often come to help.
It is so rewarding to see the eager smiles on the men and women who come to the mission for a much needed meal. Those are the poorest people who mainly live on the streets of Hendersonville.
Barry and John both enjoy speaking and preaching the gospel for 15 minutes and give new testaments to those who request them. We thank God for the blessings of the 7th Street Rescue Mission.
Volunteer Opportunities -- First Thursday of the Month
-- contact Barry Brothers 828.595.4468
Calvary Ministry Opportunities -- Be Used of God
Calvary Food Ministry -- contact Pastor Billy Osigian
Calvary Outreach to the 7th Street Rescue Mission -- contact Barry Brothers 828.595.4468
Childrens Church -- contact John Bare 828.863.1254
Nursery Workers Needed -- contact John Bare 828.863.1254
Prayer Chain -- contact Melissa Marin 828.277.7703
Shady Oaks -- grounds maintenance contact Pastor Billy Osigian
Shady Oaks -- renovation contact Pastor Billy Osigian
Sunday Greeters -- contact Shirley Heim
Sunday Coffee & Snacks -- contact Cheryl Robinson
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:18
Men’s Prayer & Answers through God’s Word
As IRON SHARPENS IRON
Proverbs 27:17
I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 Timothy 2:8 (KJV)
I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
1 Timothy 2:8 (NKJV)
Men meet on Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. for prayer and fellowship.
Women’s Prayer & Bible Study
Let Us Reason Together
Isaiah 1:18
All welcome to join in prayer and devotional.
Every Saturday at 10AM.
CALL 277-7703 for any further details
Missions
Calvary Chapel of Asheville supports various external ministries and missions.
As believers in Christ, we strive to spread the gospel at home and in the world. Whether in our homes, neighborhoods, and places of employment, communities and global outreach we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, both in our daily lives and in our support missions and missionaries.
Vine International
The McCutcheon Family made the move to Guatemala to better serve their medical mission. The McCutcheon’s have been members of this congregation for many years. Dennis and Cindy McCutcheon are now both Distribution Managers with Vine International in Guatemala. They recently returned to visit with us in December, 2009.
You can see what they are up to:
i Love Atheists - just not their worldview
i Love Atheists is the ministry of one of our members, Todd Pitner.
... Here is what he has to say: “... and if you happen to be a non-believer, I used to be one of you — an intellectually fulfilled ‘good person’ who had a pretty good run for 42 of my 45 years. Although born into a Catholic family and lovingly forced into church attendance, after high school I couldn't get church in the rear-view mirror fast enough. Other than the obligatory annual Christmas and Easter services, I was “godless and doing just fine. ”
Long story tolerable, after God rescued me from self-sufficiency (or better, ‘lack thereof’), I decided to spread the good word and prove to non-believers God exists.
See, I ran (and run) in circles where rightful skepticism was (and is) prevalent. I knew if I were actually going to successfully prove God's existence, I'd have my work cut out for me. I knew that if I pulled out the Bible and Jesus-thumped my friends over the head, I'd receive a “talk to my hand” response. Rewind a couple of years and that's exactly what someone would have received from me if the subject of God, Christianity, salvation and the like were presented. These were ALL conversation stoppers.