Small church draws big crowds
The Calvary Fellowship, a
nondenominational church in
Eugene, is gaining popularity for
its unique style of worship
By Brook Reinhard
Oregon Daily Emerald
The sound of electric guitars
pierce the air. A bass guitar throbs
in the background, and a drummer
rolls out a steady beat. In the
crowded auditorium, people lift
their hands toward the ceiling.
The scene could be typical of
any rock concert. But it’s 10:45
Sunday morning — the “concert”
is just 200 people gathered together
at Calvary Fellowship for one of
two weekly services.
“We don’t tell them what
they have to do for the
church. We tell them what
God has done for them. ”
Danny O’Neil
Calvary Fellowship pastor
People who go to Calvary don’t
identify themselves as Baptists,
Methodists or Catholics. They say
they come to the South Eugene
church because the focus is on God.
Calvary Fellowship is one of a
handful of nondenominational
churches in Eugene that are draw
ing a crowd of Eugene residents
and University students alike.
“I don’t give them religion or
church,” Pastor Danny O’Neil said.
“I give them God.”
O’Neil, a former University
quarterback who helped lead the
Ducks to the Rose Bowl in 1995
after a 9-4 record, came back to
Eugene two years ago to start the
ministry.
The church does not pass an of
fering plate or have formal church
membership. It relies on individ
ual donations in a small box at the
back of the room to keep the min
istry growing.
“It’s not about things or religious
ness, it’s about growing in the
Lord,” University student Katie
Dersam said.
Dersam, a theater major at the
University, is one of the people
who helped start the church two
years ago at a farm in West Eugene.
A year ago, the church outgrew its
location and moved to its current
building at 40th Avenue and West
Amazon Street.
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Jeramie Brown for the Emerald
Katie Leonard, left, and Lori Thomas sing praise at Wednesday night's service. They say that
singing is a way to uplift the congregation while thanking Jesus for all that he’s done for them.
The church has since doubled
in size.
O’Neil, who calls himself a
“teacher” for his church, said Cal
vary has split the congregation into
two services on Sunday morning to
accommodate everyone. He said
many of the members come from
more traditional backgrounds but
stay at Calvary because the focus is
n’t on religion.
“We don’t tell them what they
have to do for the church,” he said.
“We tell them what God has done
for them.”
There are no pews in the church
and no hymnals. O’Neil, in a button
down shirt and khakis, is one of the
best-dressed people in the room. The
lead worship singer wears a baseball
cap, T-shirt and jeans. And after the
service, footballs can often be seen
flying back and forth the auditorium,
landing within inches of the expen
sive sound equipment and coming
perilously close to hitting unsuspect
ing churchgoers.
This casual atmosphere has
drawn many students to the
church. Holub estimates that 25 to
50 percent of the congregation are
University students.
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“We’ve got everything from
punks to hippies to football players
to serious, academic students,”
Holub said.
The activities don’t hurt, either.
The church is planning sky-dives
over the summer, a trip to Eagle
Cap in Eastern Oregon, a houseboat
trip and a rafting trip. And that’s
not including the three mission
trips Calvary members are planning
to do later this year.
Oregon track star John Stiegeler
said that, although the activities are
nice, he goes to Calvary because of
the close relationships he has with
other people and the emphasis on
the Bible in O’Neil’s preaching.
“We just teach on the word,”
Stiegeler said. “You can’t go wrong
if you teach what the word says.”
Holub and O’Neil expect to add
another service to Calvary Fellow
ship if growth continues. Last year
the group had 150 members and
now there’s more than 400. Holub
predicts even more people will
come next year.
“Next school year we’re just
gonna explode,” he said.
Brook Reinhard will be a news editor
for the Emerald in the fall.
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throush August 15, 2002
Oregon Daily Emerald