October 2026 Prayer Calendar
Calvary is blessed with an abundance of incredible ministries! We invite you to join us each day through the month of October by praying for each specific ministry: find the date, see the ministry of the day, learn what they're about, and join us in praying for them!
The Stewardship team at Calvary has intentionally chosen to celebrate the generosity of our congregation by highlighting the ministries supported by our tithes and offerings through prayer. We are excited to see where a focused month of prayer can lead our church not only as we plan programs and budgets but as we dream for the upcoming year.
Not sure how to pray? Try this:
"God of Ministry and Love, thank you for the many ministries of our church. Bless this ministry to meet real needs, share your love, and help us all to see Your work in our midst. Amen."
Oct 1: Church Council is the governing body of the church and meets every 1-2 months.
Oct 2: Staff and Contractors.
Andy Wells, Caretaker | Anne Penner, Office Administrator | Kim Burnett, Congregational Care
Tim Fleming, Youth and Outreach Ministries | Arise Band, 10:45a worship service
Christy Roberts, Nursery Coordinator and nursery workers | David Pérez, organist. Shawn Chastain | Music Director
Ashley Prescott Barlow-Thompson | Education and Justice Ministries, Deacon
Micki McCorkle, Worship and Administration, lead pastor | Steve Falke, Building Engineer and Media Coordinator, Contractor
Oct 3: Administrative Committees.
Finance, Trustees, Staff-Pastor Parish Relations Committee (HR), and Nominations and Leadership Development Committee
WEEK 1—KIDS' MINISTRY
Calvary has a robust children’s ministry which includes education, spiritual formation, music, cooking, and crafts. Many volunteers work hard throughout the year to make all these ministries successful. During July and August, Water Days are fun Sundays when Children wear clothes in which they can get wet and play outside during Sunday School.
Oct 4: VBS
Vacation Bible School welcomes Calvary kids and community kids, birth-5th grade, to a week of faith formation and fun the 3rd week of June every year!
Oct 5: 3rd Grade Bibles
Each year our 3rd graders receive their bibles in early January and embark on "Bible Adventure Club" with a grownup in their life, learning in three sessions: "Why" we read the Bible, "How we read" the Bible, and "What" is in the Bible!
Oct 6: Education
Children's Education happens throughout the year on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights for kids, birth-5th grade. Volunteer teachers help them know God's love, learn the stories and practices of our faith, and learn to love like Jesus does!
Oct 7: Camp & Retreat
Calvary has a long tradition of sending children to summer camp at Camp Horizon in Arkansas City each summer. In the fall, our kids join children from across our area for a fall retreat at camp remembering that God is with them wherever they go!
Oct 8: Special Faith Events
Calvary has multiple special gatherings throughout the year for children and their families to grow in faith together! From Pancakes and PJs in January to Holy Week events just for families, from our annual Easter Egg Hunt and story hour to Water Days where kids splash outside and learn the stories of water in the bible, and from Family Worship Night ot Advent and Christmas Parties, we spend the year deepening the faith lives of families in powerful ways.
Oct 9: Teachers & Nursery Workers
Calvary has an incredible nursery staff who teach our children on Sundays and Wednesday about God's love while in childcare. Along with the staff, we have over 50 volunteers who serve children throughout the year in a variety of ministries!
Oct 10: Dream
Dream of what Calvary's Children's Ministry could be as God leads us forward in faith!
WEEK 2—YOUTH MINISTRY
Through retreats, mission trips, Bible study, and fun and games, each Youth experiences genuine care and belonging, grows in faith and character, invites other young people into our Youth Group community, and discovers a life-long faith that is encouraged by the other Youth and adults around them.
Oct 11: Confirmation
7th and 8th grade Youth learn about the history of the Christian faith, traditions in the United Methodist Church, and decide for themselves if they would like to become professing members of Calvary UMC.
Oct 12: Youth Missions
Each Summer, Calvary Youth take part in two Mission Trips (Middle School and High School). Middle Schoolers rotate through urban, rural, and justice-centered service and learning trips; High Schoolers rotate through the quadrennial United Methodist Youth event (Youth 2027), international partnership with Manos Juntas in Mexico, justice education with the Global Board of Church and Society in Washington DC, and wilderness/nature exploration backpacking in Colorado.
Oct 13: Graduation Sunday
The first Sunday of May, Calvary celebrates High School and post-High School graduates, recognizing this incredible achievement and right-of-passage.
Oct 14: Spiritual Formation
Youth learn and grow through programming built around their developmental needs in Sunday School, Youth Group, and 6 Awesome Wednesdays. Sunday School focuses on liturgical Scripture study; Youth Group rotates through Calvary's vision if Invite/Connect/Grow/Serve; 6AW focuses on mid-week play and connection during students' insanely busy scedules.
Oct 15: Retreats
Calvary Youth escape from the "noise" to Camp Horizon in the Fall and Spring semesters. The Fall Retreat is Calvary-only, allowing a technology-free weekend at beatiful Camp Horizon, connecting with God and each other through devotional time, play, fellowship, and intentionally unstrutured free-time to take a break from their busy lives. The Spring Retreat is district-wide, allowing a teaser of what Summer Camp includes for UMC Youth from all across the region.
Oct 16: Volunteers
Calvary Youth leaders include Sunday School teachers, Youth Group sponsors, event-specific volunteers, Mission Trip sponsors, meal cooks, and so much more. These leaders give of their time, energy, and hearts to foster encouraging relationships with Youth, often going above-and-beyond "regular" programming to ensure that each Youth knows that they are loved.
Oct 17: Dream
Our dream for Calvary Youth is that each young person experiences genuine care and belonging, grows in faith and character, invites other young people into our Youth Group community, and discovers a life-long faith that is encouraged by the other Youth and adults around them.
WEEK 3—ADULTS
There are 7 Sunday morning study opportunities from which adults can choose, along with service projects throughout the year. United Women in Faith is a global organization of Methodist women who pray, study and serve God. Craft Collective meets twice a month and is open to anyone interested, no specific skills required! The Ramp Ministry builds accessibility ramps at people’s homes for free.
Oct 18: United Women in Faith
United Women in Faith provide faith building and social events throughout the year to encourage the women of our church and community. One of their biggest endeavors has been GermanFest, celebrating Calvary's early history as a German-speaking congregation and raising funds for the Ramp Ministry.
Oct 19: Care Ministries
Please be in prayer for those persons who serve on The Prayer Team who receive via email our weekly prayer requests from worship, our Care Ministers caring for those in our congregation who need a listening ear, the amazing Funeral Hospitality Team who provides hospitality by providing meals for bereaved families, our faithful Card Care Team who send cards of comfort and care.
Oct 20: Ramp Ministry
Calvary's ramp-builders are constantly looking ahead to needs in the Wichita area: in 2025 they built over a dozen ramps for folks with mobility concerns, and the slate this year looks just as involved! These volunteers give of their time, energy, and resources to make sure people can get in and out of their homes safely.
Oct 21: Craft Collective
Calvary's Craft Collective gathers bi-weekly to share their passions, create together, and serve our community through their art! No prior skill is needed to join them on Wednesdays at 9:30am
Oct 22: Education
Calvary has seven Sunday School options for adults of all ages weekly at 9:40am. Throughout the year, we also have long and short term small groups meeting throughout the week that help our adults know God and serve God's world in faith filled ways.
Oct 23: Volunteers
Adults at Calvary serve in a variety of ways-- from leading worship to teaching classes, volunteering in the office, and leading teams. Volunteers at Calvary are a blessing to our church family!
Oct 24: Dream
Ask God to help you dream of a future for adult ministries at Calvary and notice where God might be calling you to participate.
WEEK 4—MERCY & JUSTICE MINISTRIES
Calvary has school partnerships with Little ECC and Cloud Elementary. Reconciling Team brings welcome and justice to LGBTQAI+ community in Wichita. Racial Justice Team works to inform the congregation and encourage all to work racial equality and justice. Justice Together is a multi-faith organization in Sedgewick County that advocates for changes that address the root causes of our most pressing problems.
Outreach Team at Calvary works with our community partners to offer acts of kindness and mercy.
Oct 25: Justice Together
Justice Together is an interfaith non-profit that seeks to make systemic and sustainable change in Sedgwick County. Calvary is one of 40 congregations working to find solutions to justice needs like homelessness, mental health crises, housing and gun violence.
Oct 26: Outreach Team
Calvary's Outreach Team serves as our arm of mercy in the community. They maintain a rotation of service projects throughout the year, like lunches and monthly food collections at United Methodist Open Door, as well as bigger campaigns throughout the year, like Laundry Detergent Drives for Open Door's downtown services, Thanksgiving Food Drive, and Adopt-a-Family (Christmas gifts). One of their biggest events is the annual SERVE Sunday project in the Spring, as the whole congregation works together at projects on-site and off-site to serve Wichita.
Oct 27: Reconciling Team
Calvary's Reconciling Team helps educate and engage our congregation in acts of affirmation and inclusion for the LGBTQIA+ community. You will see us out at community events welcoming others to Calvary and educating our congregation through acts of worship and action, like the inclusive bathroom and Rainbow Sunday.
Oct 28: Racial Justice Team
Calvary's Racial Justice Team helps educate and engage our congregation using the ARC model: Awareness, Relationship and Commitment, to help end discrimination in our own hearts and minds and in our community. We partner with the Ulrich Art Museum and the Indian UMC for some of our good work throughout the year!
Oct 29: Partnerships with United Methodist Open Door, Little Early Childhood Center, and Cloud Elementary School
Calvary has committed to supporting the ministries of Open Door, and the needs of students at LECC and Cloud. These partnerships see many events throughout the year, like food and laundry detergent collections for Open Door, school supply collections for LECC and Cloud, event sponsorship at LECC, and Adopt-a-Family Christmas gifts for Open Door and Cloud.
Oct 30: Volunteers
We are proud to celebrate that nearly ALL of Calvary's congregation volunteers in so many ways! From sorting and packing food for hungry people to rolling Play-Doh for our school partners, the Calvary community is blessed to be a blessing.
Oct 31: Dream
How do you imagine Calvary continuing to make an impact in the Wichita area and around the world? Pray that God's Spirit would be at work as we seek to do Justice and love Mercy.