Calvary Fargo sits on 45th Street South in Fargo, North Dakota, just south of the I-94 and I-29 interchange, in a brick building that has gathered worshippers for more than a century. Its roots run back to 1879, and its name has changed four times since then, but the cornerstone has stayed the same: proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ in this corner of the Red River Valley. The congregation now belongs to the Global Methodist Church and identifies itself as a diverse community becoming like Jesus in how it lives, gives, and multiplies his love in the world.
From Zion Evangelical to Calvary Fargo
The church's story begins in 1879 with the founding of Zion Evangelical Church. The first downtown Fargo structure was dedicated with a text from Romans 1:16: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes." That scripture still anchors the church's self-understanding today.
Over the years the congregation transitioned from Zion Evangelical to Calvary Evangelical Brethren to Calvary United Methodist to Calvary Fargo as part of the Global Methodist Church. The location has moved as well, but the thread of continuity is what the leadership calls a commitment to know Christ and make him known, summed up in the church's motto, "To Know Christ and to Make Him Known." Today the building at 4575 45th Street South houses a congregation that intentionally identifies itself as diverse, anchored in scripture, and open to the work of the Holy Spirit.
What a Sunday Morning Looks Like
The Sunday schedule is built around three touchpoints. Growth Groups for all ages begin at 9:00 AM, including Sunday School classes for children, youth, and adults. Coffee Fellowship opens at 10:00 AM in the foyer, giving visitors a chance to grab a hot drink and meet people before the service. Worship begins at 10:30 AM, both in the sanctuary and online through the church's YouTube stream.
The worship service itself follows a steady rhythm. The congregation praises God, confesses sin together, affirms the faith corporately, celebrates the Lord's Supper, hears scripture read and taught, and offers a time of response and personal prayer ministry at the altar. Communion is a regular part of gathered worship, and altar prayer is available at the close of every service for anyone who wants prayer for healing, breakthrough, or wisdom.
The music is described as a blend. Modern praise songs, rich hymns, and reflective songs sit side by side. Sit, stand, or simply receive: the leadership is explicit that worshippers are free to engage however feels natural. The preaching rotation centers on Lead Pastor Rey Colón, with a current teaching series walking through foundational topics such as God and Creation and Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Beliefs Anchored in Scripture, Open to the Spirit
Calvary describes itself as a church anchored in scripture while pursuing the power and presence of the Spirit. Its doctrinal affirmations track with historic Christian orthodoxy and include the following core convictions:
- God. There is one God who has revealed himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Jesus Christ. The Son of God was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died and rose again, and will return to reign as King.
- The Holy Spirit. The Spirit is teacher and helper; the filling and empowering of the Spirit is a repeatable experience available to every believer.
- The Bible. Scripture is the divinely inspired and inerrant Word of God, the infallible rule of faith and conduct.
- Salvation. Salvation is a free gift, received by grace through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
- Spiritual gifts. The Spirit distributes gifts to build up the church, always in harmony with Scripture.
- The Church. The church is the body of Christ and God's instrument to reveal his purposes on earth.
- Eternity. People are created to exist forever, either separated from God or in union with him through Christ.
The staff notes that these beliefs align with what Christ followers have affirmed for two thousand years, and the church is studying the Global Methodist catechism, A Catechism of Christian Faith and Doctrine for the Global Methodist Church, in a Wednesday-night study called "Profoundly Christian, Distinctly Methodist," led by Pastor Rey.
Calvary Kids: Nursery, Children's Church, Sunday School, and Awana
Children's ministry at Calvary runs on two weekly tracks. On Sunday mornings the nursery is open from 10:15 to 11:45 AM for infants through age 3, year-round. Children's Church, for ages 3½ through third grade, takes place during the sermon portion of the worship service; children are dismissed just before the message. Sunday School for ages 3 through fifth grade runs from 9:00 to 10:00 AM, walking each year from Genesis to Revelation through skits, games, and crafts.
On Wednesday evenings, Awana takes over from 6:30 to 7:45 PM for children age 3 through fifth grade. Awana is divided into three clubs: Cubbies (two years before kindergarten), Sparks (kindergarten through second grade), and T&T (third through fifth grade). The Awana program runs from September through May, focused on helping kids know, love, and serve Christ for life through scripture memorization, games, and small-group time. Children's Pastor John oversees the children's ministry along with facility care for the building.
Calvary Youth: Anchoring Teens in Truth
Calvary's Youth Ministry, led by Youth Directors Ann and Brandon, is built around two weekly gathering points. On Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM, students in grades 6 through 12 meet for Sunday School, currently working through the book of James with discussion and teaching. Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 PM create space for conversation about life, faith, and purpose, with mentors walking alongside students as they explore what it means to follow Jesus.
Beyond the weekly rhythm, Confirmation is offered for students in grades 9 through 12 on Sundays from 12:00 to 1:00 PM, beginning in mid-September. The class covers the foundations of the Christian faith, Scripture, and what it means to live as a committed disciple of Jesus, with room for honest questions and conversation. Students also head to the North Dakota Youth Convention each fall, a multi-day gathering with services, worship, late-night activities, and a dodgeball tournament that brings students from across the state together.
Adults in Growth Groups and Wednesday Bible Study
Adult ministry at Calvary is structured around three weekly rhythms. Growth Groups meet on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM and range from sermon-based Life Groups to topical studies; current offerings include Authentic Manhood, Experiencing God (Women's), and Bible Recap. Wednesday evening small groups gather at 6:30 PM and host a rotating set of studies, including the Joshua study for women, the Profoundly Christian Distinctly Methodist catechism study, and other Bible studies that change with the church calendar.
For those who want a midday pause, a weekly Prayer Gathering meets in the Calvary prayer room on Wednesdays from 12:00 to 1:00 PM. The emphasis is corporate prayer: lifting up requests, seeking God's guidance, and dropping in whether one can come once or every week. On Sunday evenings, two longer-format studies run from September through the fall: Alpha, a free introduction to the Christian faith with food, a video, and small-group discussion, and Financial Peace University, a nine-lesson course on biblical stewardship of money.
Men's Advance, Women's Coffee, and the Community Garden
Men's ministry takes the shape of Men's Advance, meeting every Friday morning at 6:00 AM in an atmosphere of informal mentorship and discipleship. All ages are welcome; the first Friday of every month adds a community breakfast with a guest speaker. The Women's Coffee gathers on Friday mornings at 10:00 AM in the Calvary foyer, with coffee, conversation, and a relaxed setting that welcomes moms with little ones.
Behind the building, the Calvary Community Garden brings together beginners and experienced gardeners on Mondays at 5:30 PM and Thursdays at 9:30 AM, weather permitting, from May through September. The Prairie Pursemakers of Hope group, a sewing and craft ministry, meets periodically to assemble purses filled with supplies for outreach.
Singles at Calvary
Singles ministry at Calvary follows a steady monthly rhythm. The Singles at Calvary potluck meets on the last Friday of every month at 6:00 PM in the Calvary foyer. The format is intentionally intergenerational and open to all ages: a shared meal, hymn singing, a devotion, and a time of prayer. April through September the group gathers at the church; October through March they move to the Ed Clapp Senior Center for a noon meal and midday devotions.
Music, Missions, and the Heart of the Church
The Praise Team, led by Lindsay, carries the musical life of the church, anchoring both Sunday worship and special evenings like Revayah, a quarterly acoustic worship and prayer night focused on singing praise for God's overflow of blessing and provision. Revayah, the Hebrew word for "overflow," gathers the congregation for extended times of sung worship and prayer.
Missions are woven into the life of the church. The congregation supports Bread of Life Africa (BOLA) and has sent teams to serve there; updates from those who travel are shared with the church family on Sunday mornings. Annual events such as Vacation Bible School in the summer, the Women's Retreat at Camp Joy in late September, and various fellowship nights (movie nights, game nights, and outings like a Fargo RedHawks baseball game) round out the rhythm of the year.
Planning a First Visit
Visitors are warmly anticipated at Calvary. The address is 4575 45th Street South, Fargo, ND 58104, with plenty of parking in the lot near the building and drop-off available under the main canopy. Accessible parking is available on the south side for those with mobility challenges. The welcome process includes a staffed Information Center for questions and a Coffee Fellowship time at 10:00 AM before the service.
There is no dress code: jeans and a t-shirt are as welcome as business casual. Children are welcome in worship; a nursery for ages 0 to 3 is available from 10:15 to 11:45 AM, and Children's Church is offered for ages 3½ through third grade during the sermon. Advance registration is not required, though families may set up a Church Center profile for faster check-in and ministry updates. Those who cannot attend in person can join the livestream on YouTube, and sermons remain available online through the messages archive and podcast feed.
Giving is available online through Church Center, and a Connection Card makes it easy to ask questions, send a prayer request, or subscribe to the weekly email. The prayer chain keeps the congregation connected in caring for one another. From its first gathering under the name Zion Evangelical in 1879 to its present identity as Calvary Fargo, the church's heartbeat remains the same: to know Christ, and to make him known.