Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church -Detroit

02/11/2026

Barbara O’Brien, a longtime member of Mt. Calvary, was called home by her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Monday, February 9th. Her funeral will be held on Saturday, February 14th, at A.H. Peters Funeral Home in Grosse Pointe Woods, with visitation from 1:00 to 3:00 PM and the funeral service at 3:00 PM.

Celebrate the life of Barbara O'Brien, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of A.H. Peters Funeral Home.

02/06/2026

Martin Luther and our Lutheran Confessions recognize that there are two very significant aspects of the office of the pastor.

11/29/2025

Due to the severe weather conditions predicted for Sunday morning we are canceling our worship services for Sunday, November 30, 2025

09/15/2025

September 14th is designated as Holy Cross Day, remembering the cross on which our Savior died. It is one of the earliest annual celebrations of the Church, originally commemorating the day in which Helena, mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, discovered the original cross of Jesus. On a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, it’s said that Helena excavated three crosses, one of which was Christ’s. As a devote Christian, Helena helped to locate and authenticate many sites related to the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus throughout biblical lands. A basilica was built at the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection and dedicated on this day, also. The festival day was made official by Emperor Constantine in AD 335. “Holy Cross Day has remained popular in both Eastern and Western Christianity. Many Lutheran parishes have chosen to use ‘Holy Cross’ as the name of their congregation.” (p. 722)

Let us pray: "Merciful God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, was lifted high upon the cross that He might bear the sins of the world and draw all people to Himself. Grant that we who glory in His death for our redemption may faithfully heed His call to bear the cross and follow Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” Amen.

Prayer quoted from and description adapted from “Treasury of Daily Prayer,” pg. 721-722.

Artwork: Apse mosaic, mid-6th century, Basilica of Saint Apollinare in Classe, Italy. Public Domain.

08/21/2025

Long time member of Mt. Calvary has entered eternal rest.

05/08/2025

While the Catholic community is awaiting a new Pope I found this interesting in Luther’s Smallcald articles:

Smalcald Articles, Part II, Article IV: “The Papacy” is one of the most strongly worded sections of the Lutheran Confessions, written by Martin Luther in 1537. Here’s a summary and some key points:

⸻

Context

Martin Luther wrote the Smalcald Articles as a doctrinal summary in preparation for a general council of the Church, to clarify what the Lutheran reformers believed and what they would or would not compromise on. The fourth article of Part II specifically deals with the papacy.

⸻

Main Points of Article IV: “The Papacy”
1. The Pope is not the head of the Church by divine right:
Luther firmly states that the pope is not the head of all Christendom by God’s command or institution. Only Christ is the head of the Church.

2. The Pope’s authority is human and not biblical:
The article asserts that the pope’s office is a human invention, not a divine institution. His power is described as something that arose from human traditions and political maneuvers.

3. The Papacy is called the Antichrist:
This is the strongest and most controversial claim. Luther refers to the papacy—not necessarily any one pope—as the Antichrist because it opposes Christ by claiming divine authority, suppressing the Gospel, and placing human works over faith.

4. Christians are not bound to obey the pope:
Since the pope’s authority is not divinely instituted, Luther argues that Christians are not obligated to follow him, especially when he contradicts Scripture.

5. The papal system corrupts the Church:
The article criticizes the papacy for spiritual abuse, false teaching, and for turning the Church into a worldly kingdom.

⸻

Famous Quote from the Article:

“The pope is not the head of all Christendom by divine right… but only according to human law.”