A Reconciling Congregation on Ridge Place
Calvary United Methodist Church stands on Ridge Place in Latham, a hamlet within the town of Colonie in Albany County, New York. The congregation describes itself as a Reconciling Congregation and names its mission plainly: to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Its vision is to be a place for the spiritually curious to live and learn the Way of Christ. Calvary organizes itself around four core values: Christian Worship, Spiritual Growth, Passionate Service, and Open to All.
In 2023 the congregation voted to join the Reconciling Ministries Network. The decision was affirmed by an overwhelming majority of members and community attendees at a congregational meeting, and Calvary now identifies publicly as a congregation that welcomes and affirms people of every gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, as well as people of every age, race, ethnicity, physical and mental ability, level of education, family structure, and economic, immigration, marital, and social status. Calvary is also a designated Safe Haven congregation within the United Methodists of Upper New York, equipped to offer radical hospitality to anyone whose church has closed or chosen to disaffiliate, regardless of theological leaning.
Pastor Drew Sperry writes that the Way of Christ is an ancient term used to refer to the teachings and actions of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Love, he teaches, radical, generous, justice-filled, reconciling love, is the Way that the congregation seeks to be as it helps others learn this Way of living.
Sunday Worship in the Sanctuary
Worship at Calvary takes place at 10:00 AM on Sunday mornings in the Sanctuary. The hour-long service is traditional in style and includes several meaningful elements: congregational singing, prayer, scripture reading, anthems from the Chancel Choir, occasional special music from groups such as the children's choir or the handbell and chime choir, and a dynamic sermon from one of the pastors. Pastors often preach in short series that build on one another from week to week. The Sacrament of Communion is offered on the first Sunday of every month, and the church describes itself as an open table at which all may share in the Sacrament.
Worship is also streamed live on Facebook at 10:00 AM, and recordings remain available to watch later. Prayer requests of joys or concerns may be submitted online and are lifted in prayer during the congregational prayer time on Sunday mornings.
Children are always welcome in worship. A nursery is available for children from age two months through age three during the service. Children's Church, for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, meets in the Chapel during worship. Children may begin in the Sanctuary with a parent or guardian and join Children's Church following the children's message, or remain in the main service throughout. Sixth through eighth graders are invited to serve as helpers in Children's Church, developing leadership skills alongside adults. Children in kindergarten through sixth grade also have access to a Prayer Ground, children's bulletins, lap desks, and crayons designed for engaging in worship. Once a month, an All Family Worship Sunday gathers all ages in the sanctuary with tween sermon guides, a Prayer Ground, and family-friendly elements throughout the service.
Parking is available across the street from the church, with handicapped parking in front of the main entrance. The building is handicap accessible. A virtual 360-degree tour of the building is available for those who want to see the space before visiting.
Family Ministries from Nursery to Twelfth Grade
Family Ministries at Calvary is led by two co-coordinators. Charity Preston focuses on older children and youth, while Kristen Rains focuses on younger families. Together they oversee nursery care, Children's Church, the Children's Choir, the youth group, King's Kids, and seasonal events.
The Youth Group is open to any seventh through twelfth grade student and meets on Sundays after worship from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Activities include shared discussion, retreats, mission projects, and connection with other United Methodist youth groups and Conference events. King's Kids is a theater group open to all Calvary youth in grades four through twelve. Members develop confidence, leadership, and character by performing on stage in a fun, stress-free atmosphere. The King's Kids Council, made up of ninth through twelfth graders, directs productions and mentors, music, costumes, set design, and lighting, and mentors the younger members. King's Kids typically meets Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:00 PM and on Saturdays at variable times when preparing a performance. Each December the group produces a Living Nativity Scene, complete with a stable, animals, and tour guides who lead guests through the story of Jesus' birth told through skits and song.
The Family Ministries calendar includes an annual Easter Egg Hunt with treats and activities; Vacation Bible School each summer for children kindergarten and up, with seventh through twelfth graders serving as junior leaders; Trunk or Treat each fall; and a Christmas Pageant presented by the children as part of the church's Christmas celebration.
A new Tween Group for students in grades five through eight launched during the Sunday school hour, led by a team of volunteers and offering a room where middle schoolers can make friends, ask questions, explore their faith, and submit their toughest questions to a Stump the Pastor box.
Recently the team established a Family Ministry Corner in the Gathering Space just outside the coat room, serving as a central place where children, youth, and families can connect with all that is happening at Calvary, with information about Youth Group, King's Kids, Tweens, Children's Church, and the Preschool.
Music That Sings Across Centuries
Music is one of the strengths of Calvary's ministry. The Chancel Choir, open to high school students and adults, rehearses on Thursdays at 7:00 PM and provides anthems during Sunday morning worship. The choir performs a wide variety of composers and styles, ranging from sixteenth century works to current-day spirituals. In May 2019 the Calvary UM Choir was invited to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York City, joining choirs from around the country under the direction of composer Mary McDonald.
The Children's Choir is open to children ages three and up and practices on Sundays after the worship service for a half hour during the school year. Led by Mrs. Barb and Mrs. Kristen, the choir typically sings once a month during Sunday morning worship.
The Howe Music Endowment offers annual scholarships to members of Calvary for vocal or instrumental instruction. Managed by the Trustees, the endowment is open to candidates from seventh grade through adults who are members of a musical performance group at the church.
Music Ministry is led by Organist and Choir Director Natalia Shevchuk, a native of Ukraine and a graduate of the Kyiv State Conservatory.
House Churches, Way Groups, and Sabbath
Calvary maintains a network of House Churches, small groups of no more than ten people who gather in homes once a week for worship at a day and time agreed upon by the host and group. Each House Church maintains a covenant that outlines how members will maintain healthy boundaries and be in community together. The worship includes prayer, glory sightings, scripture reading, a short message from Pastor Drew, and discussion.
Building on the legacy of small-group ministry, Calvary is launching Way Groups, covenant communities shaped by four commitments: We Belong, We Learn, We Practice, and We Go. Way Group Handbooks are available in the Gathering Space for anyone interested in exploring what the renewed ministry might look like.
The congregation has been spending a year focused on Sabbath renewal. Wednesday evenings feature a three-week study of Walter Brueggemann's Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now, with options to participate in person or by Zoom. Each Wednesday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM the Sanctuary is open as a quiet space for Sabbath rest, prayer, and reflection, with interactive prayer stations including a prayer labyrinth, devotionals, a community prayer journal, and the baptismal font.
Justice Ministries and Safe Haven
Calvary's commitment to intersectional justice flows directly from its identity as a Reconciling congregation. Members and friends work alongside other United Methodist individuals, covenant groups, and congregations committed to the full participation of all LGBTQ+ people throughout the life and leadership of the Church.
Calvary is also a Safe Haven congregation within the United Methodists of Upper New York. Safe Haven congregations are local churches equipped to offer radical hospitality to anyone whose church has closed or has chosen to disaffiliate or close. Calvary welcomes such guests in the spirit of Acts 2, where the community of Jesus' followers cared for one another across their differences.
Missions Reaching Across Colonie and Kentucky
Calvary's missions and outreach extend from the local area to international partnerships. The church offers a free English as a New Language tutoring program for adults who are learning or improving their English. Volunteer tutors from the church and surrounding community work with people from many countries and faiths, of all educational levels and backgrounds. Tutors meet with individuals or small groups for one to two hours per week, often at the church. Calvary provides basic training and resources; no teaching experience is required. The program helps students develop language skills needed for citizenship, getting a driver's license, finding housing, and applying for employment.
Through the Volunteers in Mission program, Calvary teams have participated in week-long building trips to Mississippi, Iowa, and Cuba, as well as day trips to local areas in need. The Knitting Ministry reaches out to those in need of hope and healing through gifts of prayer shawls and lap blankets, welcoming knitters and crocheters of every skill level.
Calvary maintains a long-standing relationship with the Capital City Rescue Mission. Each quarter a group of volunteers cooks a hot meal that is then served to residents at the Rescue Mission. The congregation also supports the Rags to Riches collection, donating unusable tattered, torn, or stained clothing and linens. Serviceable items are given to clients and third-world missions, and unserviceable items are bundled and sold to provide funds for Rescue Mission programs. Only textile items are accepted.
The St. Ambrose Food Pantry partnership collects non-perishable food items in the vestibule collection center and during Sunday morning worship, with donations brought forward during the children's time and delivered to the pantry after the service. Monthly personal-care and hygiene collections supplement the food drive. Calvary also sends volunteers every three to four months to Sidewalk Warriors Troy, a grassroots organization that provides meals, supplies, and compassionate support to those in need in the community at Christ Church Troy.
Every Advent, Calvary serves as a designated collection site for the Red Bird Mission Christmas Shoebox Project, coordinated with Endwell United Methodist Church. The Red Bird Missionary Conference is one of three United Methodist missionary conferences in the United States, providing outreach and services that minister to the whole person. Shoeboxes are filled with suggested items for either children or adults, with a suggested donation per box for transportation costs. The mission also accepts new pillows, sheet sets, blankets, towels, books, school supplies, new backpacks, and cleaning supplies.
Ongoing collection boxes for the Lions Institute (prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses) and for Equinox (used cell phones and chargers for victims of domestic violence) are located outside the church office. The church also maintains a pastor's discretionary fund to assist individuals and families in need.
Running the Race Together
Calvary has launched a capital campaign called Running the Race Together, with a goal of $235,000. The campaign funds renewing the sanctuary to create a more welcoming, flexible, and accessible space for people of all ages and abilities, and strengthening the congregation's financial freedom so that ministries can be sustained and expanded into the future. Donations to the campaign may be made online by selecting Run the Race Together from the dropdown menu.
Calvary Methodist Preschool
Calvary Methodist Preschool operates on site, providing preschool programming that draws from the church and surrounding community. The preschool hosts Art Nights as family gatherings and participates in PE classes and other community-building events. A church apparel fundraiser with Awards by Walsh offers t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other items, with a portion of each sale supporting preschool programming.
Pastors and Staff
Pastor Drew Sperry has served as lead pastor of Calvary since 2019. He is a graduate of Niagara University with a BS in Management and Drew University with a Master of Divinity. Drew began his ministry in 2010 as Chaplain at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital, where he helped to develop a diagnostic chaplaincy program. In 2014 he was appointed Associate Pastor of Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church and was ordained a full elder in 2016. He serves the Upper New York Annual Conference as part of its leadership team, on the Board of Ordained Ministry, and as a member of the Jurisdictional Conference Delegation. He chairs the Conference Clergy Wellness team. He is married to Dr. Eileen Sperry and is the father of Emily.
Assistant Pastor M. Gordon Drake has been in ministry for nearly forty years, having retired in 2012 as Vice President of Prevention Services for Northeast Parent and Child Society. He has served as Program Director for persons with developmental disabilities in Ohio, Director of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services in New York, and Coordinator and Director for services with homeless and runaway youth in Albany and New Hampshire. He was Associate Pastor at Calvary from 1978 to 1985. He holds degrees from Ottawa University in Kansas, Andover-Newton Theological School, and Russell Sage Graduate School. He and his wife Lisa live in Colonie, New York, and both sing in the choir.
Natalia Shevchuk serves as Organist and Choir Director. A native of Ukraine, she graduated from the Kyiv State Conservatory and has performed in New Hampshire and Maine. She and her husband Chris Young moved to New Lebanon, New York in 2016.
Charity Preston, Family Ministry Coordinator, joined the staff in 2016. She holds a bachelor's in Psychology from Elmira College and previously worked as a paralegal in the capital area. She also serves as a Special Education Teacher Aide and Job Coach for the Shenendehowa Central School District. She is married to Nate and is the mother of Matthew, Katie, and Abbie.
Kristen Rains, Family Ministry Coordinator, joined Calvary in 2019. She previously practiced as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in childhood trauma in Denver, Colorado. She began her ministry at Calvary as Nursery Care Provider before transitioning to her current role in 2021. She is married to Tim, and they have two daughters.
Visiting and Getting Involved
Calvary welcomes visitors warmly. Sunday servant roles include acolytes for youth ages eleven to eighteen, ambassadors, Children's Church helpers, coffee hour hosts, communion stewards on the first Sundays, greeters and ushers, liturgists, livestream team, nursery care providers, PowerPoint operators, and tellers. The visitation team visits at-home members on a regular basis. A Eucharistic Ministry team drops off communion elements to at-home members on first Sundays. Calvary's Treasures is a fundraising effort that sells donated items on eBay and Facebook Marketplace, with one hundred percent of net proceeds donated to the church.
Giving is available online through Servant Keeper, by mail to 15 Ridge Place, Latham, NY 12110, or in person at the church office. The church office phone is (518) 785-5142 and the general email is calvaryumclatham@gmail.com. Visitors, longtime friends, and newcomers are all warmly received at Calvary United Methodist Church.