This Week in the BRN Family 05.02.24

BRN churches serve local schools and celebrate diversity; churches rejoice over baptisms and ministry milestones; and ministry leaders are featured by local news outlets - it's a joyful week in the BRN family!

May 2, 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:

Acts 1:8 Team at Wrightsdale Baptist Church packs lunches for local teachers and staff

Earlier this week, the Acts 1:8 Team at Wrightsdale Baptist Church in Peach Bottom, Pa., shared the love of Christ by packing and delivering lunches for the teachers and staff at Providence Elementary and Bart-Colerain! What a great way to love your community and extend the love of Jesus!

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: Marriage Enrichment Day at Windham Summit encourages couples with the gospel

Windham Summit Bible Church in Rome, Pa., uses BRN evangelism grant funds to host Marriage Enrichment Day to encourage couples with the gospel. Read More

Origin Day at FBC Delaware celebrates over 20 different nationalities

Each Sunday, First Baptist Church (FBC) of Delaware in New Castle, Delaware, has over 20 nationalities represented in their church body! To honor and recognize these roots, FBC Delaware hosted an Origin Day celebration after worship on April 28. During the celebration, everyone enjoyed potluck dishes from around the world and a sweet time of unity in the Lord!

Baptisms:

Three say ‘yes’ to Jesus at Keystone Fellowship South Jersey

Keystone Fellowship South Jersey in Sewell, New Jersey, recently rejoiced over three baptisms! The church celebrated with Destiny, Tony, and Jimmy, who all said ‘yes’ to going public with their faith in Jesus. Praise the Lord for these new brothers and this new sister in Christ! Please join us in celebrating with Destiny, Tony, Jimmy, and the whole Keystone Fellowship South Jersey church family!

Big Woods Bible Church in Lock Haven, Pa., celebrates four baptisms

On Sunday, April 28, four individuals went public with their faith in Jesus at Big Woods Bible Church in Lock Haven, Pa. These individuals included two college students a part of the church’s NewLife campus ministry. Praise the Lord for these new sisters and brother in Christ! Please join us in celebrating with them and the whole Big Woods Church family!

Restored Church reaches 200 baptism milestone

On April 28, Restored Church in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., celebrated its 200th baptism as a church! With four more people going public with their faith, the church has now seen 46 people be baptized in the past 12 months. Praise the Lord for these new brothers and sisters in Christ and for the work God is doing in and through Restored Church! Please join us in celebrating with the whole Restored Church family!

Ministry Milestones:

Calvary Christian Church celebrates 104 years of ministry

On Sunday, April 28, Calvary Christian Church in Philadelphia, Pa., celebrated its 104th anniversary! As part of the celebration, Calvary Christian heard from guest pastor Rev. Darryl Dade from Living Water Christian Fellowship Church. The church also ordained deacons and recognized individuals for their outstanding service contributions from the previous year. It was a full day of rejoicing! Congratulations on 104 years, Calvary Christian! Your BRN Family is incredibly grateful for your many faithful years of ministry and your commitment to the gospel going forth in your community!

In The News:

East Shore Baptist elder, Tom Toone, recognized by local news outlet for community service

On April 25, Tom Toone, elder at East Shore Baptist Church in Harrisburg, Pa., was featured in Lower Paxton Township’s Volunteer Spotlight. In the article, Toone was recognized for his community service, specifically his faithfulness in driving weekly for the Lower Paxton Township’s Senior Van Service and his chaplaincy at Community General Hospital. Read More

Redeeming Grace Church named ‘Church of the Week’ on WORD-FM

This week (April 29-May 5), Redeeming Grace Church in Pittsburgh, Pa., was featured as WORD-FM’s Church of the Week! On the air and on the radio station’s website, Redeeming Grace was recognized for its commitment to the gospel. A special interview with Pastor Josh Tancordo, senior pastor of Redeeming Grace, will go live on WORD-FM this Friday-Sunday (May 3-5). 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.