This Week in the BRN Family 12.08.22

BRN churches host Thanksgiving outreach events; volunteers are recognized; and several take the next step in following Christ through baptism - it's an exciting week in the BRN family!

December 9, 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:

First Haitian Metanoia Baptist Church in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, holds turkey giveaway for Thanksgiving

Members of First Haitian Metanoia Baptist Church in Lansdowne, Pa., partnered with Daniel Pope Karate Institute to bless community members with turkeys for Thanksgiving. This outreach also gave the church an opportunity to evangelize to the Lansdowne community!

First Baptist Church of Crestmont blesses neighbors with Thanksgiving baskets

During the Thanksgiving holiday season, First Baptist Church of Crestmont in Willow Grove, Pa., held a Thanksgiving basket giveaway. The church gave out a total of 51 baskets at this outreach event!

Rolling Hills Church in Verona, Pa., celebrates its newest additions

Recently, women at Rolling Hills Church in Verona, Pa., gathered to celebrate new moms and their new little bundles of joy with a diaper shower!

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: Harvest Community Church becomes hands and feet of Christ through oil change outreach

Harvest Community Church in Petrolia, Pa., hosts oil change outreach event to bless community and share the light of Christ with their neighbors. more

Willow Grove, Pa., church holds vaccination clinic for community

On Dec. 3, First Baptist Church of Crestmont in Willow Grove, Pa., hosted a Flu/Covid-19 vaccination clinic. They were able to help 60 people in their community receive vaccinations!

Volunteers at Reclamation Church in Monroeville, Pa., are celebrated with food, favors and Family Feud

On Dec. 3, Reclamation Church Monroeville in Monroeville, Pa., held its annual Volunteer Appreciation event. During the event, they commended volunteers for their faithfulness in service, enjoyed fellowship, and participated in some friendly competition by playing Family Feud!

The Foundry Church in Wallingford, Pa., partners with NC church to distribute over 300 backpacks and Bibles

The Foundry Church in collaboration with Wrightsboro Baptist from Wilmington, North Carolina, distributed 325 backpacks with Bibles last weekend. The churches teamed up to giveaway backpacks to kids at Kinder Park Community Center, Stetser Elementary School, and two other sites in Delaware County!

Baptisms:

Zion Church of Clarion County shares testimonies and baptizes several on Celebration Sunday

During Celebration Sunday at Zion Church of Clarion County (ZCC) in Clarion, Pa., the church worshipped, heard testimonies, and celebrated several planned and spontaneous baptisms! Please join us in praising God for these new brothers and sisters in Christ!

Multiple take the next step in following Jesus at Restored Church in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

On Sunday, Nov. 27, Restored Church witnessed multiple individuals take the next step in their relationship with Christ through baptism. The church has now seen 21 salvations and 26 baptisms in the past 18 months! Please join us in welcoming these 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.