This Week in the BRN Family 06.20.24

South Jersey ministry couples are blessed by a date night; BRN evangelism grants help churches reach their neighbors; and we celebrate ministry milestones - it's an exciting week in the BRN family!

June 20, 2024
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:

Browns Mills Baptist Church in New Jersey lays groundwork for military ministry

On May 26, the Sunday before Memorial Day, Browns Mills Baptist Church in Browns Mills, New Jersey, held a service to honor all the men and women of our armed forces who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of our country.

During the ceremony, Scott Anderson, a new member of Browns Mills and a member of the Navy JROTC Program, presented the white table ceremony in honor of those who are missing in action or prisoners of war. Additionally, the church hosted speakers from the joint base, enjoyed special music, and Rev. Maurice Mimms played taps. Mimms and Anderson are hopeful that this special service blessed local military families and laid the groundwork for a military ministry.

BRN Pastoral Blessing provides ministry couples with well-deserved date night

South Jersey pastors recently enjoyed a date night provided by the Baptist Resource Network (BRN) as a Pastoral Blessing. The BRN gifted pastors and their wives a date night package to go out on their own time to a specific restaurant on the shore and enjoy a night out together. These ministry couples included Steve and Kim Marfia from Legacy 242, Brennan and Kathleen Coughlin from Fellowship CrossPoint Church, and Matt and Michele Pilla from Keystone Fellowship – South Jersey.

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: Mind, Body, and Soul Health Fair serves Philadelphia community

St. John Memorial Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa., utilized BRN Evangelism Grant funds to partner with local healthcare agencies and other churches to provide a Mind, Body, and Soul Health Fair for their community. Read More

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: Edinboro Community Church cultivates relationships at local elementary

BRN Evangelism Grant funds contribute to Edinboro Community Church blessing teachers and staff at a local elementary school in Edinboro, Pa. Read More

Mason Dixon Baptist Church hosts second annual boys sports camp

For the second year in a row, Mason Dixon Baptist Church in New Freedom, Pa., hosted a boys sports camp, June 17-21. A total of 26 boys ages 3rd-6th grade spent the week learning how to play various sports – such as soccer, ultimate frisbee, street hockey, and kickball – as well as what it means to be a Christ-follower and a godly teammate!

Ministry Milestones:

Norristown pastor retires after 32 years of faithful ministry

On May 31, Byron L. Craig, senior pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Norrristown, Pa., retired after 32 years of dedicated service to the church and community. Over 400 people – current members, previous members, and community and church leaders – came to hear his final sermon. Rev. Craig turned the pulpit over to Daniel Alford, assistant pastor, who assumes the interim pastoral role until a senior pastor is called by the church.

Congratulations Rev. Craig on your retirement! Thank you for your many faithful years to Macedonia Baptist Church and its community. We pray the Lord blesses your next chapter of life and all that it holds!

Great Commission Church celebrates 25 years

To celebrate their 25th church anniversary, members of Great Commission Church (GCC) in Philadelphia, Pa., hit the road and spent the weekend in the great outdoors as one big, happy church family! Through June 14-16, the church enjoyed campfires, worship, workshops, special messages from founding Pastor Hal Hopkins and ministry partners Rev. Paul and Christine James, swimming, singing competitions, an awards ceremony and so much more. It was a retreat for the whole church!

Congratulations GCC on 25 years! Thank you for your fervent and faithful ministry to the Philadelphia area for the sake of the gospel! We pray for your next 25 years of Kingdom work!

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.