An Ampersand in the Heart of Springfield
First & Calvary Presbyterian Church is a multi-generational congregation that has worshipped on East Cherry Street in downtown Springfield, Missouri, since 1845. The present name, and the ampersand that is treated as a kind of mark, dates to June 1930, when First Presbyterian and Calvary Presbyterian, two congregations both founded in the 1840s, prayerfully merged at the outset of the Great Depression "to unite their forces, social, moral, spiritual and financial" and make a "mighty impact" for God in the city. To this day, First & Calvary keeps the visual ampersand as a reminder that the new thing was meant to be greater than the sum of its parts. (The panes of color in the church's ampersand logo are taken from actual panes in the sanctuary's stained glass.)
The congregation is part of ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, a relatively young Reformed denomination. Members confess the historic Christian faith through ECO's Essential Tenets and Book of Confessions and are governed by elders and deacons elected in an ordered, unhurried process. The church's stated mission is to "labor alongside our Father as he draws people to Jesus & grow them as disciples," and the values that guide its decisions are gathered in three pairings: everyday conversations and historic confessions, serving others and campus hospitality, the life of the mind and the beauty of the arts.
Three Sunday Services Under One Roof
The worship schedule is built around three distinct Sunday services so that "whatever your age, stage in life, or temperament, you can draw near to God with others." The vision is to be a house of prayer for every generation.
At 8:45 a.m., a low-tech worship service is held in the Sanctuary. Lasting about 45 minutes, it uses organ music, hymns, historic confessions, and simple liturgies. Children's care is available starting in May.
At 9:45 a.m., a contemporary service fills the space with contemporary music, original songs written for the congregation, creative elements, and conversation. The service is held in the Sanctuary, is livestreamed, and runs about an hour. After it ends, the group moves to the Multipurpose Room for table discussions around the morning's sermon and Bible passage.
At 11:00 a.m., the traditional service takes place in the Sanctuary, also livestreamed, with rich music from various ensembles, liturgical prayer, and a special time for children. The service runs about an hour. Care for children is available at all three services.
Sunday classes for all ages are offered during the 9:45 hour during the school year, with adult classes, children's Sunday school, and youth discipleship all meeting at that time. A separate Table Discussion gathering follows the 9:45 contemporary service.
Services are livestreamed, and a library of past service videos is available on the First & Calvary YouTube channel.
Children, Families, and the Faith Passed Down
First & Calvary takes seriously the call in Deuteronomy 6 to teach the faith "when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way." The Children's Ministry, led by Children's Ministry Coordinator Amelia Davidson, is built around the conviction that children are cherished members of the congregation and that the church's job is to equip families to disciple children to be lifelong followers of Jesus who know they are beloved children of God, grow as apprentices in the faith, serve others in Jesus' name, and share their faith.
On Sunday mornings, F&C Kids Bible Time is available during every service for children third grade and under in the Childcare Center on the first floor. Children's Choir rehearses at 9:15 a.m. in the Choir Room for K-8th grade, and an Open Worship Art Studio runs at the same time in Room 215. Sunday school for potty-trained children ages 3-5th grade meets from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., with sign-in at Room 215 and an opening worship moment for everyone. During some "Single Service Sundays," a Worship & Wonder room invites potty-trained children ages 3-3rd grade into a sacred time with Bible stories and liturgical presentations that mirror the order of the main service.
The church hosts the Faith & the Arts Academy each July, a summer program for children ages 8-12 (and a Budding Artists track for ages 3-7) that explores Christian faith through tracks such as praise dance, drumming, acrylic painting, picture books, musical theatre, and weaving, with a public showcase on the final day. Maker Mornings offer free family-friendly art events during the school year. Parenting-specific events and resources, plus a weekly email for parents, round out the family ministry.
Baptism for children is available by contacting the church office; baptism preparation materials are provided.
Youth and College at a Crossroads Campus
First & Calvary sits a short walk from Missouri State University, and "campus hospitality" is one of the church's core values. The Minister to Youth and Young Adults, Paul Ragon, oversees both ministries.
Youth (grades 6-12) are welcomed into all three Sunday services, with opportunities to participate in choir, tech team, and other areas of service. During the school year, the youth Sunday morning class meets at 9:45 a.m. in the Student Lounge on the lower floor, where students "dive deep into God's Word and apply it to their lives." A youth discussion follows the 9:45 contemporary service in the Mahaffey Multipurpose Room. Confirmation is offered for students ready to take a next step in maturing as believers, with mentors walking alongside them as they firm up theological understanding, develop spiritual disciplines, and transition into full covenant partnership. Monthly events, retreats, and mission trips fill out the calendar.
College ministry is built around three weekly rhythms. On Sundays at 12:30 p.m. during the school year, college students eat together. They study the Bible together weekly at various times, and the group hosts monthly organized hangouts. The church also offers soul care to any MSU student, including biblical counseling, spiritual counseling, healing prayer ministry, and one-on-one discipleship and mentorship.
Adult Discipleship: Classes, Small Groups, and One Another Tables
First & Calvary's adult formation is built on a long Sunday morning class tradition. Adult classes meet at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, and weekday Bible studies gather throughout the week for both men and women. Current offerings include a study of Douglas Connelly's Meeting the Spirit, a video-enhanced walk through Israel and Turkey with Ray Vander Laan's In the Dust of the Rabbi, and a study of R.C. Sproul's series "What Did Jesus Do?"
Weekday studies include a men's Bible study through Revelation on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m., The Circle, a women's group studying Jack Kuhatschek's Hope, on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 1:00 p.m., and Table Talk, a women's Friday Bible study that meets from noon to 2:00 p.m. and follows the monthly Ligonier Ministries Tabletalk magazine through the General Epistles verse by verse. A Tuesday-evening Bible study for college students meets in a home.
One Another Groups are short-term, seasonal groups that meet in homes around a meal and a Bible study or sermon discussion, intentionally living out the New Testament's repeated "one another" commands: bearing one another's burdens, praying for one another, stirring one another up to love and good deeds. The next round is announced through the Weekly Update.
The Binnie Clements Guild, founded in 1928 in the old Calvary Church by Albina (Binnie) Parish-Clements to help children in Springfield, still meets monthly for a luncheon, presentation, and business meeting in the Fellowship Hall. It has donated more than $193,000 to Springfield children's charities since 2013 and is open to women of all ages in the community. Guild meetings are on the last Monday of each month at noon, with no meetings in July, August, or November.
The church also uses a B.A.S.E. Discipleship model, a personal growth framework that members use to plan their own discipleship across multiple dimensions.
The Beauty of the Arts as a Central Value
First & Calvary treats the arts as a matter of identity, not an add-on. The full statement of "the beauty of the arts" runs through every layer of the congregation's life.
The Musical Offerings Concert Series brings world-class chamber music to the greater Ozarks community free of charge as a gift to the city, with a 2026-27 season brochure published online. The Scholars Program offers ten paid internships each year to exceptional MSU students in fine arts, writing, and music, giving them time and space to work, one-on-one coaching in ministry, and resources that nurture the spiritual calling of the creative. Current Scholars include vocalists, choral musicians, and a worship-team leader from Missouri State's BFA Musical Theatre program.
The congregation has its own catalogue of original music. Tracks like "Give My Life Away," "Teach Us How To Pray," "Testify," "Come & Follow Me," "Be Still," "Blessed," "House of Prayer," "Abide In Me," "He Will Be With You," and "Holy Spirit Song" are released on Spotify and YouTube. Created & Creative is a digital journal celebrating the art, writing, and music of the church family, accepting submissions year-round from anyone connected to the congregation. Artists Anonymous is a monthly gathering for Christian artists who want a safe space to talk about craft and calling. Studio Nights invite people to gather in the church to paint, write, compose, knit, and practice, and Maker Mornings extend the same idea to children and parents.
The music ministry is built around four ensembles: the Chancel Choir, which rehearses on Wednesday nights and leads the 11:00 service with piano, organ, and instrumental soloists; the Children's Choir; the Bell Choir, which rings quarterly and welcomes youth and adults of all musical backgrounds; and a rotating, collaborative worship team that leads the contemporary service.
Mission: Local, National, and Global
The Mission Committee aims to allocate resources so that at least 70% of mission funds support the Ozarks and 30% bless national and international partners. The local list reads like a directory of Springfield mercy ministries: Ambassadors for Children, Bridges for Youth, Care to Learn, Crosslines, the Diaper Bank of the Ozarks, Harmony House, Jarrett Middle School, the Missouri Veterans Homes, the MSU Bear Pantry, NightLight (serving women impacted by sexual exploitation), Ozarks Food Harvest, the Potter's House, Project HOPE, Reed Academy, Safe to Sleep (overnight emergency shelter for women), The Kitchen Inc., Victory Mission, and the Well of Life Food Pantry in the 65806 zip code.
At the national level, First & Calvary supports Convoy of Hope, which is headquartered in Springfield, along with the Salvation Army and Samaritan's Purse. International partners include Bethlehem Bible College in the Holy Land, Canaan Christian Community near Port-au-Prince in Haiti, Fields of Dreams Uganda, Good News Club (a Child Evangelism Fellowship after-school Bible club program), Loving Shepherd Ministries, the Outreach Foundation in Pretoria, Rainbow Network in Nicaragua, and YWAM work in India. Members are invited into service, prayer, and financial partnership through a Partnership Application on the missions page.
What the Church Believes
First & Calvary belongs to ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, a Reformed body that confesses historic Christian orthodoxy. The church holds to ECO's Essential Tenets and is shaped by the documents in ECO's Book of Confessions. Elders and deacons take vows affirming belief in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the authority of the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God; and the unique Lordship of Jesus Christ over the church. The congregation values everyday conversations alongside those historic confessions, modeling its theological life on the conviction in Proverbs 13:10 that "wisdom is found in counsel."
Leadership, Governance, and the Legacy Campaign
The pastoral staff is led by Senior Pastor and Head of Staff Rev. Don Everts, who has served since August 2021 and came to First & Calvary after 14 years with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and 13 years as Associate Pastor at Bonhomme Presbyterian Church in St. Louis. He is an ECO-ordained pastor and an award-winning author of more than 20 books with InterVarsity Press. Rev. Jamie Swope has served as Associate Pastor since August 2022, is also ECO-ordained, and is working on a Doctorate of Ministry through Fuller Theological Seminary. Rev. Cooper McWhirter serves as Minister of Pastoral Care.
Paul Ragon is the Minister to Youth and Young Adults. Tyler Heckman is the Director of Worship and Music; Dr. James R. Davidson is the Advisory Director of Music and Principal Organist; Adam Holderbaum is the Contemporary Music Coordinator; and Faith Zimmer is the church's Resident Composer. Amelia Davidson is the Children's Ministry Coordinator.
Governance follows the Presbyterian pattern of elders and deacons elected by the congregation. The Nominating Committee oversees an unhurried, prayerful, ordered process of discerning each new class of leaders, with nominations opening each September. Elders oversee the spiritual health of the congregation; deacons nurture fellowship and caregiving.
The First & Calvary Foundation, established in 1954 with a single bequest of $15,000, now operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that distributes 4% of its Church Fund assets to the church each year. The Centennial Legacy Campaign is underway to grow the Foundation from roughly $5.8 million as of December 2025 to upwards of $25 million by 2030, the congregation's centennial birthday, with the aim of underwriting operating costs, inspiring greater generosity, investing in young leaders, growing ministries, and funding Christian missions. Gifts can be made as cash, pledges, estate gifts, IRA distributions, or appreciated assets.
Visiting First & Calvary
The church stands at 820 East Cherry Street in Springfield, Missouri. Visitors are invited to park in the large lot on the east side of the church, where a friendly greeter will direct them to the right worship service or to sign in for one of the children's programs. The First & Calvary app is available for download, the First & Calvary Podcast carries sermons, lectures, testimonies, and conversations wherever podcasts are found, and prayer requests can be submitted online at any time.
The Prayer Ministry Hour meets in the Sanctuary on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. It is open to the public, with trained prayer ministers available to read prayer cards and pray silently for anyone who comes, or to sit down for a one-on-one conversation after the hour. Alpha, a four-week introduction to the basics of the Christian faith, runs seasonally on Sunday evenings with a free dinner and free childcare. A 4-week fall Alpha is held on Sunday evenings starting in late September, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
First & Calvary keeps a Weekly Update email with the latest calendar, announcements, and opportunities to serve. The church's Bulletin, photo albums, communication request form, and job postings are all kept up to date online. Tithes and offerings can be given in person, by mail, by stock transfer, by credit card, through online banking, from an IRA, by text, or through a donor advised fund.
The church continues to live into its 1930 vision: a congregation that is greater than the sum of its parts, marked by the ampersand between two histories, and shaped by the conviction that the life of the mind and the beauty of the arts belong together at the heart of Springfield.