This Week in the BRN Family 04.20.23

A Pittsburgh church partners with Send Relief to serve the city; BRN evangelism grants fund creative Easter outreach events; and pastors and ministry leaders gather for First Steps Gathering - it's a productive week in the BRN family!

April 20, 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:

Steel City Church partners with Send Relief in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for first ever church Serve Night

On April 18, the Pittsburgh Send Relief center hosted its first church Serve Night. Members of Steel City Church volunteered in three different areas – organizing new donations of baby clothes, diapers, and wipes for the Mom’s Closet, making lasagna to be frozen and distributed to those in need through Eden’s Farm and making hygiene packs that can be handed out as needed for at risk women.

“We are thankful to Steel City Church for being willing to give us their time and effort and look forward to a lot of opportunities to partner together with churches like them in the future,” said Janna Gray, Send Relief Ministry Coordinator.

Any church or small group interested in volunteering for a night at the Send Relief center, can reach out to Janna Gray at Jgray@sendrelief.org.

Preparation for Easter Sunday proves fruitful at Faithbridge Community Church

Leading up to Easter weekend, Faithbridge Community Church in Mckees Rocks, Pa., saw several members engage with the community, which resulted in some professing Christ. Lee Bradley, a representative of the Tucker Baptist Association, accompanied the church in these outreach efforts. Then, on Good Friday, Faithbridge held their annual Tenebrae sunset service, followed by a community waffle bar breakfast and worship on Resurrection Sunday!

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: East Shore Baptist shares the gospel with over 1,200 people at Eggstravaganza

Eggstravaganza at East Shore Baptist Church in Harrisburg, Pa., reaches more than 1,200 people during Easter season. more

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT:Wrightsdale Baptist stirs up good times and shares the gospel at 2023 Eggsplosion

Wrightsdale Baptist Church in Peach Bottom, Pa., uses BRN evangelism grant to host Easter egg hunt and more on the Saturday before Easter. more

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: Expressway Baptist displays gospel message with compassion and an empty egg

On April 1, Expressway Baptist Church in Freeport, Pa., reached its community through an Easter egg hunt and a unique gospel presentation. more

New pastors and ministry leaders gather at BRN Hub in Harrisburg, Pa., for First Steps Gathering

On Tuesday, April 18, several pastors and church leaders new to the Baptist Resource Network (BRN) family enjoyed a First Steps Gathering at the Hub in Harrisburg, Pa., to learn about how the BRN can serve and encourage them. We are better together!

Baptisms

The Foundry Church in Wallingford, Pa., baptizes two on Baptism Sunday

On Sunday, April 16, The Foundry Church in Wallingford, Pa., celebrated Baptism Sunday with two baptisms, one being a student from Swarthmore College. Please join us in celebrating with these brothers in Christ and The Foundry family!

Man and wife are baptized at First Baptist Church of New Holland after prior hesitancy towards church

When his mother died, Justin said he would never go to church again. On Baptism Sunday, April 16, Justin and his wife, Mary Beth, were baptized at First Baptist Church New Holland in New Holland, Pa., by Pastor Jack Peters and Deacon Michael Brill. Please join us in celebrating with Justin and Mary Beth!

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.