30-Day Comment Period

What is the elder team? The elder team is the body that guards and shepherds the church. The elder team at Calvary is composed of 4 pastoral elders employed by Calvary Church and 8 lay elders, men who are trusted church members and leaders in our community. Scroll to the bottom of the team page to see the current elder team.

Why is there a comment period? The 30-day comment period allows church members who have worked alongside or know elder candidates to provide information that may affect the elder team’s decision about installing the candidate as an elder.

Who is the elder candidate? The new elder-elects for 2026 are Pierre Gibbs and Kevin Johnson. Elder-elects spend their elder-elect term (usually 12 months) learning the role of an elder and participating in board meetings before taking a full seat on the team the following year when another elder’s term ends.

Why are there 2 elder candidates this year? The 2026 candidate slate was strong, the elders moved to select 2 elder candidates in this round.

Who can be an elder? Candidates for the Calvary Church elder team must meet the following minimum qualifications:

• a man at least 30 years of age

• a member of Calvary for at least 5 years

The Bible lays out even more characteristics of someone who will humbly guide the church. Pastor Jon Nitta has compiled a list of these characteristics in the nomination policy. In short, an elder should be someone who not only leads but also serves with a spirit of humility and genuine care for others.