This Week in the BRN Family 08.04.22

One BRN church provides free school supplies to its community, while another offers free gas; mothers and graduates are recognized during worship; and four churches celebrate baptisms - it's a busy week in the BRN family!

August 1, 2022
Macala Mays

This Week in the BRN Family shares quick highlights of BRN churches and ministries throughout Pennsylvania and South Jersey loving their neighbors. Check out the latest happenings, baptisms and accelerating Kingdom movement stories below:

Berks Bible and Iglesia El Manantial teach women about loving and witnessing to their neighbors

Pastor’s wife, Joan Theisen, and ladies from Berks Bible Church and fellow church Iglesia El Manantial in Shillington, Pa., shared a Saturday morning devoted to learning how to love and witness to one’s neighbors on July 30. Theisen shared a devotional on the importance of sharing Christ, using stories of her own interactions with her neighbors. Others shared practical ways to initiate conversations, including the sharing of specially prepared recipes and crafted items.

Keystone KIDS have a blast at Field Day

Keystone Fellowship in North Wales, Pennsylvania, held a Field Day for its youth. The kids enjoyed everything from swimming to cereal eating competitions!

Agape International engages a total of 178 people through multiple outreach events

Through multiple summer outreach events – including a water evangelism event and a free gas event – Agape International Baptist Church in Vorhees, New Jersey, shared the gospel with their neighbors. more

Anastasis Fellowship in Reading, Pa., shares free school supplies

Anastasis Fellowship met with the local Parent Teacher League at the Antietam Valley Farmers’ and Artists’ Market in Reading, Pa., giving away free backpacks and school supplies to their neighbors and to the school!

Great Commission Church prayers for mothers and honors recent graduates

Last Sunday, Great Commission Church (GCC) in Philadelphia, Pa., prayed for mothers of two year-olds and younger as well as their kiddos. The church also recognized recent grade school, high school and college graduates. Please, join GCC in praying for their mothers as well as for their recent graduates!

Neighborhood picnics lead to gospel conversations in Sunbury, Pennsylvania

Throughout the summer, Sunbury City Church in Sunbury, Pa., has been hosting neighborhood picnics. These times of fellowship have allowed the church to enjoy good food and gospel conversations with their neighbors! more

Streamsong mission team completes project at senior center in Doylestown, Pa.

Earlier this week, a mission team from Streamsong Church in Doylestown, Pa., served their community by renovating the men’s bathroom at Central Bucks Senior Center. The team helped paint and make the bathroom more accessible for residents!

VBS at Harvest Church sparks students and volunteers to keep pursuing the gospel

VBS at Harvest Community Church – Petroleum Valley immersed children in gospel stories and encouraged volunteers to keep reaching out to their neighbors. more

Baptisms

Five go public with their faith in Jesus through baptism at Restored Church in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

On Sunday, July 31, Restored Church in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., baptized five individuals – Aoife, Onecia, Nora, Josh and Cara – who decided to take the next step in following Jesus. Restored Church has now celebrated 26 baptisms in the last 15 months! Please, join us in welcoming our new brothers and sisters in Christ!

Two are washed by the water at Impact Church in Parkesburg, Pa.

Last Sunday at Impact Church in Parkesburg, Pa., two people proclaimed their belief in Jesus through baptism! Please, join us in celebrating with them and the Impact Church family!

Carlisle Baptist welcomes three more into the Christian family through baptism

Carlisle Baptist Church in Carlisle, Pa., celebrated the baptisms of three gentlemen who recently decided to follow Jesus! Please, join us in welcoming our new brothers in Christ!

Renaissance Church, Pittsburgh, celebrates baptisms, too!

Renaissance Church in Pittsburgh, Pa., gloriously celebrated the baptisms of six people (three pictured below) on the two Sundays after Pastor Rob Maine returned from his sabbatical. “These are six stories that testify to a needed reminder while I was away (and even now as I return): I don’t build Jesus’ church. Jesus does,” Maine said. Please, join us in welcoming our new brothers and sisters in Christ!

Be a part of This Week in the BRN Family

Have exciting things happening in your church!? Let us know so we can celebrate with you and share the good news with our BRN Family. Submit stories of your church accelerating Kingdom movement, loving their neighbors or celebrating baptisms on our News Tips page. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Macala Mays

In 2022, Macala Mays stepped into her current role as Associate Editor of BRN United and Podcast Producer for the Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania/South Jersey (BRN). Before taking this position, she worked as a contracted Podcast Producer in 2021 and a freelance writer in 2020 for the BRN. During her time with the BRN, Macala Mays has produced three different podcast series, including 50 Stories of Transformation (2021-2022), The #LovePASJ Podcast (2022), and Celebrating Cooperative Missions (2023). She also has written over 60 articles for the BRN and has been nationally published by The Baptist Paper and Baptist Press. She is also a member of the Baptist Communicators Association (BCA).

Prior to working with the BRN, Macala interned at the State Capitol of Tennessee in the Publications Division under the office of Secretary of State. She also remotely wrote news for TalkErie, a radio station in Erie, Pa., and previously worked as a News Director/Producer for WJET-TV in Erie, Pa.

Macala Mays holds a master of arts in communications from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (EUP) as well as a bachelor of arts in journalism/public relations from EUP. During her graduate years, Macala worked as a Graduate Assistant and helped manage the on-campus radio station. She also served as a managing editor for the university’s newspaper, which led to an interest in music journalism.
Macala and her husband, Robbie, live in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, where they attend Big Woods Bible Church and Robbie serves as the Associate Pastor of Campus Ministry. Both Robbie and Macala find great joy in discipling and walking alongside college students at Lock Haven University.