This Week in the BRN Family 11.09.23

PA/SJ WMU gathered for their annual meeting; BRN evangelism grants help churches make a local impact; and we celebrate ministry milestones and new BRN family members - it's an impactful week in the BRN Family!

November 10, 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:

WMU Representatives from across Pennsylvania/South Jersey gather for annual meeting

On Nov. 4, the PA/SJ WMU hosted their annual meeting at Red Land Baptist Church in New Cumberland, Pa. WMU representatives from across Pennsylvania and South Jersey gathered for a day of fellowship and seeking ‘hope for our world.’ Read More

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: Wrightsdale Baptist Church hosts colorful outreach event

On Oct. 28, volunteers from Wrightsdale Baptist Church dressed in their brightest orange and welcomed more than 300 community members to their campus for a fall festival. Read More

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: Harvest House Community Fellowship sees fruit from outreach opportunities

Harvest House Community Fellowship in Towanda, Pa., witnesses community members come to Christ through summer and fall outreach events. Read More

St. John Memorial Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa., offers prayer to its neighborhood

Earlier this week, St. John Memorial Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa., set up a prayer tent in their neighborhood. They invited those in their community to come and chat about Jesus and receive prayer. They also took time to pray for their city, their first responders, elected city leaders, the homeless population and neighbors.

Ministry Milestones

Freedom Biker Church Harrisburg celebrates year one

On Sunday, Oct. 29, church plant Freedom Biker Church – Harrisburg Campus celebrated their one-year anniversary! Following a morning of worshiping and praying together, the church hosted an anniversary celebration – complete with cake and sweet time together. Congratulations Freedom Biker Church Harrisburg! We praise the Lord for your first year of ministry and for the many years to come!

Welcome to the BRN Family

Austin Burton | Central Baptist Church, Mont Alto, Pa.

Central Baptist Church in Mont Alto, Pennsylvania, is pleased to welcome Austin Burton as our new assistant pastor. Austin was raised in a Christian home and grew up attending Friendship Baptist Church in Stewartstown, Pennsylvania. He attended Lancaster Bible College from 2016-2020, where he had a double major in communication and Bible.

He then spent two-years working as a collegiate missionary at Penn State University under the direction of Eric Reiber, PSU collegiate missionary and Baptist Resource Network (BRN) associate next gen director. Read More

In Memoriam

Howard Girard

Howard Girard, 95, of Ocala, Florida, went home to be with the Lord on Nov. 3, 2023. Howard is survived by his loving wife, six children, 12 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.

Howard and his wife, Jean, were instrumental in the establishment of the BRN’s Guest House, which provides a space of respite for BRN pastors and their families. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 11, at 2 p.m. at Highlands Baptist Church in Ocala, Florida.

The BRN expresses its deepest condolences to Howard’s family and loved ones. Please join us in praying for them during this challenging season of loss. Read More

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.