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Who We Are
At Calvary Mercer we care about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Calvary Mercer is a family of individuals that have found hope in Jesus and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same freedom.
Where We Come From
Calvary Chapel of Mercer County began in 1997 in the hearts of several people at the same time. It was fascinating to watch it all come together rather quickly. A Bible study started in April and three months later the first Sunday morning service had 158 people in attendance. Below are a few of the details.
Our founding pastor, Scott Turansky was in Africa as a missionary in 1996 and believed that God wanted him to return to Mercer County to start a Calvary Chapel. Upon returning, he immediately began attending Calvary Chapel Philadelphia at the end of March. In April, he started a Bible study in his home and a second one at a bagel shop in Hamilton. The word spread quickly, and it became evident that God was already doing a work. Scott was only one of the people that God was working in to bring the church into existence.
Within two short months, the Bible study grew to over 60 adults, including our current pastor, Gregg Downs, confirming God’s direction in planting a church. The first Sunday, July 21, 1997 was quite a day. Only knowing each other for a short time we worked together to offer children’s classes, ushers, greeters, and a whole crew to set up and take down the equipment. Many of those same leaders who helped start Calvary Chapel have continued in leadership positions to this day.
As the church continued to grow and develop, Gregg left his teaching and coaching position at Ewing High School, where he was employed since 1994, to join the pastoral staff at Calvary full time, in 2007. He became the church’s Senior Pastor in August of 2012.
Statement of Faith
Calvary Chapel of Mercer County shall seek to emphasize the spiritual unity of all true believers. It shall be the policy of this church to give preeminence to the preaching of the gospel, to studying the Word, and to exalting the Lord Jesus Christ.
In order to identify the church as conservative in theology, and evangelical in spirit, we set forth this general statement of fundamental beliefs.
Our Beliefs
At Calvary Chapel we believe the fundamental doctrines of the evangelical Protestant church.
We invite you to explore our beliefs below and join us in our pursuit of living out our faith in boldness and passion.
Biblical Authority
We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, fully inspired, without error in the original manuscripts, and the infallible rule of faith and practice.
2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21; Psalm 119:160
Triune God
We believe there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe God the Father is the personal, transcendent, and sovereign Creator of all things.
Christ’s Work
We believe Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and provided atonement for our sins through His sacrificial death on the cross. He was bodily resurrected, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and continually intercedes for us.
Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; and who regenerates, sanctifies, and empowers believers for ministry. He indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and is an abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all Biblical gifts of the Spirit.
Human Salvation
We believe all people are by nature separated from God and responsible for their own sin, but that salvation, redemption, and forgiveness are freely offered to all by the grace of the Jesus Christ. Those who repent of sin and accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord are immediately born again, forgiven, and sealed by the Holy Spirit as children of God, destined to spend eternity with the Lord.
Christ’s Return
We believe in the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, and the eternal destiny of all people—eternal blessing for the righteous and endless separation and suffering for the wicked.
Church Unity
We are not a denominational church, nor opposed to denominations, but opposed only to over-emphasis on doctrinal differences that have led to division in the Body of Christ.
Christian Fellowship
We believe the basis of Christian fellowship is agape love, which surpasses all differences and is essential to truly identify as followers of Christ.
Biblical Marriage
We believe marriage has been ordained by God. It is defined as the exclusive and life-long covenantal union of one man and one woman, and that it is to be honored according to biblical standards. A civil government’s sanction of a union will be recognized as a legitimate marriage by the church only to the extent that it is consistent with the definition of marriage found in these articles.
Sexual Purity
We believe sexual relationships are to be expressed only within biblical marriage. All sexual activity outside of this (referred to in the New Testament as “porneia”)—including adultery, premarital sex, homosexuality, and pedophilia—is inconsistent with Scripture. Further, lascivious conduct, transgender behavior, and the creation/distribution and/or viewing of pornography are incompatible with the biblical witness.
Sacred Ordinances
The church will regularly observe the two New Testament ordinances of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These ordinances are observed in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, as acts of love and devotion, and are not considered to be necessary for our salvation.
Where We’re Headed
Calvary Chapel has an enthusiastic vision and seeks to be proactive in both nurturing the faith of its members and reaching out to the community and around the world. The history of Calvary is still being written. We invite you to take an active part as we grow together to be the church God has called us to be here in this community.
What This Means for You
What does this mean for you? Most importantly, you're always welcome at Calvary Mercer. We're saving a seat for you. Wherever you're at in your faith journey, you'll always be accepted as part of the CCMC family.
Beyond that, if you're ready to plan your first visit, click the button below. Or if you'd simply like to get in touch with a person on our lead team directly, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are your services?
Calvary Mercer meets every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening along with various small group gatherings throughout each week/month:
Sunday Morning: 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday Evening: 7:00 p.m.
How long is a Calvary Mercer service?
After a brief period of announcements, we will have a Scripture Reading followed by having about 25 minutes of contemporary worship led by our Worship band. You’ll also find the words projected on a screen for you to follow (and sing if you would like) if you are not familiar with the songs. Following that time of worship in song, Pastor Gregg will teach for about 40 minutes verse by verse through a book of the Bible and many of the messages will have slides that are projected to accompany the teaching. All said and done, we are wrapping up in 1.5 hours.
What about my kids?
A full children’s program to teach the Bible in an age appropriate manner to children ages 2 through 12 is provided at our Sunday Morning service. We also offer a nursery that provides care for infants. Parents that are more comfortable keeping their children with them are welcome to have their children attend the adult service, but are asked to sit in a location that will make their exit as least distracting as possible should the decision to step out of the main room be required. We also broadcast the message in our Community Room for those that may choose to sit in there to take in the service as well.
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