This Week in the BRN Family 01.12.23

One BRN church adds to its leadership team; evangelism grant funds help advance the gospel; and churches rejoice over baptisms - it's an exciting week in the BRN family!

January 12, 2023
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:

Zion Church in Clarion, Pa., welcomes two new elders to their team

This week, Zion Church in Clarion, Pa., announced that Angelo Anderson and Jacob Otto will be joining their elder team. Anderson and Otto have been meeting with Zion’s other elders for over a year to prepare for this new leadership role. Praise the Lord for these faithful and willing leaders. Please join us in celebrating with the Zion Church family!

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: Streamsong Church strengthens relations with local schools through snack ministry

Streamsong Church in Horsham, Pa., uses evangelism grant funds to serve local schools by stocking staff break rooms with snacks. more

Ekklesia of North Philadelphia youth put a spin on Sunday lunch

After worship one Sunday, kids a part of Ekklesia of North Philadelphia’s youth group held a cooking competition. They enjoyed some friendly competition, food, and fellowship!

Pittston, Pa., church collaborates with township to bring Christmas cheer to local kids

This past Christmas season Plaid Community Church in Pittston, Pa., partnered with Jenkins Township for their annual Kids Christmas Party. The church handed out homemade stockings crocheted by the ladies at Plaid as well as backpacks supplied by the North Carolina/Pennsylvania partnership. A backpack was supplied to every child filled with goodies and a Bible!

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: Pittsburgh church pursues sharing the gospel after tragic event

Just weeks before their Christmas outreach event, Pittsburgh Baptist Church faced a tragic situation – but God. The church carried out the event, at which more than 200 people heard the good news of Jesus! more

Baptisms:

Memorial Baptist Church rejoices over 10 baptisms

On Jan. 8, Memorial Baptist Church in Gettysburg, Pa., saw a flood of obedience as 10 individuals made the decision to be baptized. Praise the Lord for these new brothers and sisters. Please join us in celebrating with them and the Memorial Church family!

Big Woods Bible Church in Lock Haven, Pa., baptizes young believer

Last Sunday, Big Woods Bible Church in Lock Haven, Pa., baptized a young man who grew up attending the church with his family. After a few years at college, he decided to take the next step in his personal relationship with Jesus and be baptized at his home church – Big Woods! Please join us in welcoming this new brother 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.