This Week in the BRN Family 04.13.23

BRN churches take Jesus to the street for Good Friday; the BRN family celebrates Resurrection Sunday; and many are washed by the water on Easter Sunday - it's a joyful week in the BRN family!

April 13, 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:

BRN churches partner to take Jesus to the streets of Philly on Good Friday

For Good Friday, St. John Memorial Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa., and Ekklesia of North Philadelphia took Jesus to the streets! The two churches set up a trailer with speakers and worship equipment and headed out into the streets to share God’s Word, pray for and with their community, worship, and hand out books, tracts, and pamphlets. The word was presented by Pastor Holder and Pastor Peterkin from St. John Memorial Baptist Church as well as Pastor Saxton and Pastor Molina from Ekklesia of North Philadelphia.

Calvary Christian Church hosts community egg hunt and sees four come to Christ

On Saturday, April 8, Calvary Christian Church in Philadelphia, Pa., hosted a community wide Easter egg hunt. The church provided games, food, and a visit from the Easter bunny for the community. Then, the next day, Calvary Christian dressed in their Sunday best and celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, during which they witnessed four people give their lives to Jesus!

PBCI children and youth provide special music on Easter Sunday

The children and youth of Philadelphia Bible Church International (PBCI) in Philadelphia, Pa., treated their church family to a special musical presentation on Sunday, April 9, in celebration of Resurrection Sunday.

Great Commission Church carries on tradition of recognizing community leaders on Easter

During their Easter Sunday worship service, Great Commission Church (GCC) in Philadelphia, Pa., took time to recognize individuals who make a difference in their local community. This acknowledgement of community leaders has become an annual tradition at GCC. This year the church recognized four individuals.

Providence Church in Coatesville, Pa., teams up with community organizations to bring NFL player and sports journalist to local high school

Providence Church in Coatesville, Pa., partnered with The Bridge Academy and the Parkesburg POINT to host a leadership assembly at Coatesville Area High School, which featured Philadelphia Eagles NFL player Brandon Graham and Rob Maaddi, a radio host and sports journalist. Both Maaddi and Graham highlighted the importance of their faith and how it has sustained them through the successes and difficulties of their careers.

Baptisms

Zion Church in Clarion, Pa., celebrates new life on Resurrection Sunday

On Resurrection Sunday, Zion Church in Clarion, Pa., baptized several individuals who made the decision to follow Christ. Please join us in celebrating with these individuals and the Zion Church family!

Freedom Biker Church in York, Pa., baptizes one on Easter Sunday

On Easter Sunday, Freedom Biker Church in York, Pa., celebrated the resurrection of Christ with worship and a baptism! Please join us in celebrating with this new sister in Christ!

Harborcreek Community Church in Erie, Pa., witnesses the faithfulness of God through baptism

On Sunday, April 9, an older gentleman was baptized at Harborcreek Community Church in Erie, Pa. His baptism was a living testimony that you’re never too old to be made new in Christ and that God is faithful to His people! Please join us in celebrating with this brother in Christ!

Bedrock Church Fishtown in Philadelphia, Pa., sees two washed by the water amidst resurrection celebration

During Bedrock Church Fishtown’s Resurrection Sunday service, the church witnessed two young men be washed by the water and raised to new life in Christ! Please join us in celebrating with these two brothers 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.