This Week in the BRN Family 03.27.25

D-Life Trainings continue to take place across PA/SJ; college students serve while on Spring Break; and we rejoice over baptisms - it's a great week in the BRN Family!

March 27, 2025
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:

Pittsburgh church plant seeks to grow in discipleship with D-Life Training

Pastor Bhim Biswa and members of Cornerstone Nepali Church in Allegheny County, Pa., welcomed David Ludwig, BRN director of discipleship and leadership development and certified D-Life Trainer, on Saturday, March 22, for a D-Life Training. Ludwig shared with those in attendance what it means to make discipleship a lifestyle and how Jesus modeled this lifestyle for us. He shared that those who were present at the training really leaned in and desired “to be obedient disciple makers.”

Praise the Lord for all He is doing at Cornerstone Nepali Church!

The Foundry provides alternate night out with St. Patrick’s Day Open Mic event

On March 17, The Foundry in Wallingford, Pa., held an Open Mic night at its very own Studio 410. The evening featured four singer songwriters, two comedians, and a newly formed band from Easton, Pa. Participants enjoyed Irish food, great music, and stories about Patrick of Ireland. As a church that partners with the recovery community, The Foundry intentionally held this event on St Patrick’s Day for those seeking a fun night out without temptation.

Eleven years ago, The Foundry first opened Studio 410 with the intent to encourage local talent and provide a platform for Christ in the arts. Now, the studio hosts monthly events, community meals, and provides opportunities for local and national musicians, comedians, and poets.

Edgewood Church volunteers complete Spring cleaning

Edgewood Church in Beaver Falls, Pa., rolled up their sleeves and went to work on March 22 caring for the inside and outside of their church building! These hardworking volunteers did everything from landscaping to dusting. How great it is to see the Church caring for the church!

Penn State students continue hurricane relief in North Carolina during Spring Break

College students associated with Penn State’s New Life campus ministry took a trip to Western North Carolina for Spring Break. This was the group’s second trip to the region since Hurricane Helene devastated the area. This time they served in the town of Spruce Pine, further outside of Asheville.

During the week, students connected with shop owners downtown and helped a restaurant owner on his property for a few hours. They also partnered with Baptists on Mission to complete two jobs, and had the opportunity to talk and pray with one of the homeowners they were serving.

“Our students want to serve, always wishing we could do more. One thing we talked about at the end of the trip was adding physical, emotional, and spiritual value for the people we serve by not just working, but engaging them well,” said Penn State New Life Campus Missionary Eric Reiber.

Baptisms:

Reclamation Church Monroeville celebrates new life

Reclamation Church in Monroeville, Pa., recently witnessed and celebrated the baptism of Courtney! We praise the Lord for what He has done in Courtney’s life. Please join us in celebrating with her and the entire Reclamation Church Monroeville family!

Millcreek Community Church sees several go public with their faith in Jesus as the spring season starts

Spring has sprung and Millcreek Community Church (MCC) in Erie, Pa., is rejoicing over multiple baptisms! Since the new season begun, MCC has experienced several Sundays of people going public with their faith in Jesus. Praise the Lord! Please join us in celebrating with these brothers and sisters in Christ and the entire MCC 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.