Located one block south of Main Street at the corner of South Cayuga and Milton, Calvary Episcopal Church has stood in the heart of Williamsville since the 1920s and welcomes whoever walks through its doors. The parish takes as its touchstone a line from Matthew 25: "For I was a stranger and you welcomed me... Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me." Calvary describes itself as joyfully committed to living out Jesus' central messages of love, justice, and compassion, and as a place where families and singles, children and seniors, people of every ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, and background gather as one community.
Liturgical Worship in the Episcopal Tradition
Calvary follows the church year and a prescribed order of service drawn largely from the Book of Common Prayer. A typical service moves through Bible readings, a sermon, prayer, and Holy Communion, with most prayers coming from the Prayer Book itself. The same Bible passages are read as in other Episcopal churches on any given Sunday, and the rector was recognized as an outstanding preacher by former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, who invited him to lead a preaching workshop for bishops.
The parish gathers four times a week for worship:
- Saturdays at 4 p.m.
- Sundays at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.
- Wednesdays at 7 a.m.
The 10 a.m. Sunday service is livestreamed, and bulletins are available for download ahead of each service. All are welcome to receive Holy Communion at the Lord's Table, regardless of denomination or background. Anyone with questions about communion is invited to speak with the clergy.
The Kryder Organ and the Niederlander Carillon
Music is at the heart of Calvary's identity. Two instruments anchor the parish's musical life. The Kryder Organ was built by the Schlicker Organ Company of Buffalo in 1970 as a gift from the Wesley Dudley family, who later added the antiphonal organ at the rear of the nave and established the Edward H. Kryder Fund for instrument maintenance. With 44 stops, 53 ranks, and over 3,000 pipes ranging from three-quarters of an inch to 32 feet, the organ's wooden antiphonal housing was designed and carved by David Miller in 1990.
The Niederlander Carillon is one of only 178 carillons in North America and the only authentic carillon in Western New York. It began in 1959 as a 15-bell chime gifted by Daniel and Catherine Niederlander; 22 more bells followed in 1966, and seven additional bells were added by generous donors in 1995, completing the 44-bell instrument. The original bells were cast by the Van Bergen foundry in Heiligerlee, the Netherlands; the 1995 bells came from the Petit and Fritsen foundry in Aarle-Rixtel, also in the Netherlands, with replacements for two bells cast by Meeks, Watson and Company of Georgetown, Ohio, in 1996.
The Calvary Choir and Great Music at Calvary
Renowned composer and musician Roland Martin directs the parish's music program as organist and choirmaster. The Calvary Choir leads worship regularly and is open to people of all ages and experience levels, including those who are not members of the parish or even Episcopalians.
Beyond Sunday worship, Calvary hosts Great Music at Calvary, a free musical offering to the Western New York community that features special services, recitals, and concerts. Past seasons have included masterworks such as Mozart's Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, Buxtehude's Membra Jesu Nostri, Bob Chilcott's St. John Passion, and Fauré's Requiem, alongside world premieres. The annual series typically opens with Choral Evensong in September, followed by a fall concert, the Festival of Lessons and Carols in December, a Mass Appeal concert in February, a Good Friday Concert in March, and a closing Choral Evensong for Pentecost in May.
Children, Youth, and Sunday Mornings
Sunday School serves children and youth from Pre-K through 10th grade using the Weaving God's Promises curriculum, with a focus on Holy Communion and the church year. Classes begin at 9:45 a.m., before the 10 a.m. service, and children join their families in church around 10:30 a.m. for Holy Communion. On the last Sunday of each month, children lead a Children's Service, serving as readers, leading the Prayers of the People, and assisting as ushers. Outreach projects and special activities such as Trunk or Treat, Advent crafts, pretzel making, family game nights, and scavenger hunts are part of the program year.
Nursery care is available for children from 3 months through age 3 on Sundays from 9:45 to 11:00 a.m., September through May, and for children up to age 5 during the summer.
For adults, the Sunday Forum meets between services in a hybrid format that welcomes participants in person or from home. Common Ground is a free speaker series that addresses current issues and their impact on the world. Periodically, before the bishop's visitation, Father Robert leads an all-day Inquirer's Class for those wishing to be received or confirmed in the Episcopal Church.
Pastoral Care and Small Gatherings
Pastoral care at Calvary is a shared ministry that takes many forms. The Pastoral Care Team meets monthly to address ongoing needs in the congregation. Lay Eucharistic Visitors bring Holy Communion to those unable to attend services in person. The Prayer Shawl Ministry provides handmade shawls delivered by the Eucharistic Visitors and made available upon request. Healing Meals volunteers prepare and deliver hot meals to those recovering from illness or loss. A core group of parishioners serves as trained volunteers for Hearts and Hands, providing rides to worship and church events for residents of the Town of Amherst.
The Flower Ministry divides donated altar arrangements into smaller bouquets delivered to those who are ill, homebound, or celebrating. The Prayer Chain responds confidentially to prayer requests submitted by card, phone, or email. Funeral Receptions are provided to families following a service at the church.
Good Grief, a non-denominational peer support group for anyone who has suffered a significant loss, typically meets at 9:30 a.m. on the last Saturday of each month and is open to people of any denomination or none.
Calvary's Pet Ministry supports pet owners and local animal organizations and sponsors the annual Blessing of the Animals each October, when people and their leashed, crated, or carried pets gather for a blessing and reception. Monetary contributions and pet food items collected at the event are delivered to the Pet Food Pantry at St. Aiden's in Alden.
Outreach Across Western New York
Outreach is one of Calvary's top priorities. The parish supports Buffalo Public School 30, donating school supplies and funding educational and cultural programs throughout the school year. Each December, the Mitten Tree project distributes more than 200 Christmas gifts to students in 2nd and 4th grades.
Hands to Hearts Knitting Ministry creates items for congregational care as well as hats and mittens distributed through Journey's End. Each autumn, volunteers knit warm hats, gloves, and scarves for refugees arriving in Western New York. The Refugee Ministry also collects household items to furnish apartments for Afghan evacuees and refugees.
Every other month, volunteers carpool from Calvary to serve dinner and assist with the clothing closet at Friends of Night People, providing meals to homeless and hungry individuals. Year-round donations of clothing and toiletries are collected.
Calvary also helped establish the Northtown branch of the Family Justice Center, which provides counseling and help to victims of domestic abuse. The parish donated funds, books, and furniture, and continues to donate time and supplies.
From Williams Mills to a Norman-Style Church
Calvary's history reaches back more than two centuries. Records dating to 1819 document the first services of what would become the parish, held in residents' homes of what was then called Williams Mills. In 1912, the first communion services were held at the Thorner home on Miller (now Oakgrove) Street. As the congregation grew, services moved to the Mader Barn on North Ellicott Street, and in 1918 to the Burkhardt building (now 5500 Main Street).
In 1918, property at the corner of Los Robles and Milton was donated for a parish hall, and in 1922, the Rev. Alfred Priddis became the first Priest-in-Charge. A new church was dedicated on March 5, 1924, by Bishop Charles Henry Brent. In 1940, the Rev. Frank Patterson was named Priest-in-Charge and tasked with transforming the Calvary mission into a parish. On October 28, 1945, he was instituted as Calvary's first Rector.
In 1951, parishioner Daniel Niederlander donated land at the corner of South Cayuga and Milton for construction of a larger church. Built in Norman architectural style, the church opened in time to celebrate Easter Day services on April 13, 1952.
The Wider Episcopal Communion
Calvary is one of 59 congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, one of 110 dioceses in The Episcopal Church, and one of 38 provinces in the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Planning a Visit
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The main phone number is 716-633-7800, with a pastoral emergency line at 716-263-2392 after hours. The general email is general@calvaryepiscopal.net.
On Sunday mornings, parking in the lot adjacent to the church is reserved for those with mobility challenges. Additional parking is available in front of the church, on surrounding streets, and in the Municipal Parking Lot on South Cayuga Road just south of Main Street. The church campus is accessible by elevator, with the church one level up and Hughson Hall two levels up. Sunday School is located on the entry level. Children are welcome in worship, and nursery care is available during the 10 a.m. service for children three years of age and under.
Hughson Hall is available for rental for meetings, parties, showers, and other events, with a kitchen available as well. Baptisms, weddings, and funerals are also arranged through the parish office. Anyone interested in learning more about membership or being confirmed or received in the Episcopal Church is invited to contact the rector.