This Week in the BRN Family 09.28.23

BRN churches enjoy cookouts and retreats; campus ministries reach the next generation; and we celebrate several ministry milestones and baptisms - it's an exciting week in the BRN family!

September 28, 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:

Delaware Valley Baptist Church in Willingboro, NJ, hosts annual ‘Back to Church’ cookout

Earlier this month, Delaware Valley (Delval) Baptist Church in Willingboro, New Jersey, hosted their annual “Back to Church” cookout. The church family and community enjoyed an awesome time of food, fun, and fellowship!

St. John Memorial Baptist Church delivers Bibles and goods to fellow believers

Recently, St. John Memorial Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa., delivered free Bibles, hand sanitizer, biblical material, tracks, and body soap to First International African Baptist Church in Trenton, New Jersey! What a great picture of partnership and blessing between fellow believers!

LifeWay Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa., hosts 2023 Brotherhood Retreat

Men at LifeWay Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa., recently enjoyed a time of rest and respite at the 2023 Brotherhood Retreat. The annual retreat gave brothers in Christ the opportunity to appreciate God’s nature and each other’s fellowship through camping, hiking, and worship.

PSU and LHU NewLife campus ministries team up for half-day retreat

NewLife campus ministries from Penn State University (PSU) and Lock Haven University (LHU) combined forces on Sept. 16 for a half-day retreat at Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County, Pa. From 10-3 p.m., students enjoyed intentional time of rest and being in God’s Word as well as playing Ultimate Frisbee and fellowship with one another!

Steel City Church hosts connect group for students from CMU, Pitt and Duquesne

As college students returned to the campuses of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), Duquesne University, and the University of Pittsburgh, Steel City Church in Pittsburgh, Pa., was hard at work to reach students! Earlier this month, Steel City College Minister David Domalski hosted their first ‘connect group’ for college students from CMU, Pitt, and Duquesne.

Drexel University BCM connects with over 200 students through game night event during Welcome Week

During Welcome Week at Drexel University (the week of Sept. 17), nearly 290 students – including 10% of the freshman class – attended a game night hosted by the Baptist Campus Ministry! Throughout the week, the campus ministry also connected with students at the Graduate Student Resource Fair and an outdoor game night.

Ministry Milestones

GCC celebrates senior pastor for 19 years of ministry

On Sunday, Sept. 24, Great Commission Church (GCC) in Philadelphia, Pa., celebrated Dr. Larry Anderson, senior pastor of GCC and BRN director of church health and evangelism, and his wife, Kim, for 19 years of faithful ministry at GCC!

Congratulations, Dr. Anderson and family! We are so grateful for your ministry to the Philadelphia region and for the many ways God uses you to grow His Kingdom in Pennsylvania/South Jersey! We are blessed to have you on our team and in our BRN Family!

PBCI celebrates 22 years of reaching the nations in Philadelphia, Pa.

Philadelphia Bible Church International (PBCI) in Philadelphia, Pa., held a beautiful celebration on Sunday, Sept. 24, for its 22nd anniversary as a church! The church celebrated with worship, special speakers, including BRN Executive Director Dr. Barry Whitworth, and a sweet time of fellowship following the service. For 22 years, PBCI has ministered to the nations present in Philadelphia and made the good news of Jesus known! Congratulations, PBCI! We are so grateful for your 22 years (and counting!) of Kingdom work!

Reclamation Church Monroeville celebrates 10 year ministry milestone

For 10 years, Reclamation Church Monroeville has been making the name of Jesus known to the Monroeville, Pa., community! On Sunday, Sept. 24, Reclamation Church celebrated this ministry milestone! Congratulations, Reclamation Church Monroeville! We are so very grateful for the ways God is working through you and are praying for your next 10 years!

Baptisms

Four celebrate new life at First Baptist Church of Delaware

On Sunday, Sept. 24, four men went public with their faith in Jesus at First Baptist Church of Delaware (FBCD) in New Castle, Delaware. The church rejoiced over the four baptisms and new life in Christ! Please join us in celebrating with these new brothers in Christ and the whole FBCD family!

First Haitian Metanoia Baptist Church rejoices over the baptism of a new brother in Christ

Back in June, First Haitian Metanoia Baptist Church in Lansdowne, Pa., celebrated new life in Christ through the baptism of a young man named Caleb! Praise the Lord for this new brother in Christ! Please join us in celebrating with Caleb and praying for him as he continues to walk with the Lord!

Wrightsdale Baptist Church welcomes new sister in Christ

Wrightsdale Baptist Church in Peach Bottom, Pa., celebrated the baptism of Kelly Hirt on Sunday, Sept. 24. Kelly shared her testimony through an encouraging video and was baptized by Pastor Ryan Day. Praise the Lord for this new sister in Christ! Please join us in celebrating with Kelly and the whole Wrightsdale Baptist Church family!

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.