Whether you know it as “The Holy City” or you refer to it as “The Port City,” we welcome you to Charleston, South Carolina the home of The Historic Calvary Episcopal Church! We were founded in 1847 and as a Parish of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, we continue to “do the work we have been given to do” (see BCP, Prayer After Communion - Rite II) so that we can make Jesus increase in our Parish, in our homes, in our city, in our state, in our country and in our world!
Every Sunday at 10:30 a.m., we celebrate the Blessed Eucharist with a full choir, with an enthusiastic & joyful community steeped in the Black tradition of hymns, spirituality and prayer! Throughout the week, various committees and organizations come to Calvary for work, for prayer, for community and yes - for celebration!
Charleston’s soil is soaked with the blood and witness of our enslaved African ancestors. Our Parish stands on the holy ground of buried African slaves and it is from this context that we remember the sacrifices that were made for us to be here. The proclamation of God’s Word and the celebration of the Eucharist of Jesus Christ solidifies us as a praying Church. It empowers us to be effective witness to the world! It inspires us to “keep on keepin’ on” because God continues to be so good to all of us!
Won’t you take some time to join us? You are more than welcome here! Come and share your gifts, tell your story and join us in being a witness!
God bless you & welcome to Calvary!
WELCOME LETTER FROM THE REVEREND RICARDO X.-Z. BAILEY, B.A., S.T.B., M.DIV.
THE 7TH RECTOR OF THE HISTORIC CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
CITY OF CHARLESTON
“We’ve Come This Far by Faith!” Our Parish has been faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and of the proclamation of the Good News of the Risen Jesus to Charleston and to the world! From the time that I was named Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, I have had people from all around tell me of their good memories of Calvary as well as their own connection to Calvary either through the weekly celebration of the Eucharist on Sundays or through their membership/enrollment at the day-school that once graced the property of our Parish. Whatever your history is or was with Calvary let me invite you to reinvest your spiritual journey with the rich potential of what Calvary can be, should be and in the Name of Jesus – WILL BE for you!
As a Church we stand on the powerful legacy of every life whose faithful witness has led us here. However, we also stand on the promises that we made at our Baptism to do the following:
- “Will you proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ?”
- “Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as you love yourself?”
- “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?”
In Church while we are participating in and praying at a Baptism, we all say “I will.” But these last 3 questions of the Baptismal Covenant of the Episcopal Church call us to a collective responsibility that challenges us not to be a Church of the “status quo” and to not be a Church that practices “cosmetic solidarity” when it comes to issues of justice, advocacy and direct social change! If you want to know the source of justice, advocacy and social change then you need to look no further than Jesus and His Church! We are called to be all these things and even more!
As the Rector of this blessed community, I humbly invite you to JOIN US in this Movement and JOIN US as we work to enact true change in our lives, in our Church, in our Diocese and in our world! We gather every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and you are invited to pray with us and more importantly, to JOIN US!
If I can be of any help in your transition into our Parish, please let me know! God bless you and welcome to Calvary!
In Jesus’ Name I remain,
Father Bailey+
The Reverend Ricardo X.-Z. Bailey, B.A., S.T.B., M.Div.
Rector
The Historic Calvary Episcopal Church
Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina