This Week in the BRN Family 05.12.22

Churches across Pennsylvania and S. Jersey celebrate moms; BRN Disaster Relief team serves hot meals to medical trainees; and BRN pastors return from being on mission in Zambia - it's a jam-packed week for the BRN Family!

May 13, 2022
Macala Mays

Every week, This Week in the BRN Family strives to share 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:

Churches across PA/SJ celebrate God’s gift of motherhood during Mother’s Day weekend

Over the weekend, several churches served, prayed and held special events for the mothers in their congregations and communities. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful mothers in our BRN Family! Thank you moms for all that you do!

Calvary Christian Church provided a photo booth for families to capture some fun Mother’s Day memories.

Carlisle Baptist Church, with the help of their Liberian sisters and brothers, honored some of their mothers that are involved in children’s ministry.

Philadelphia Bible Church International took time to pray over and honor the mothers apart of their church family on Sunday.

Wrightsdale Baptist Church’s Wayfinderz kids ministry provided breakfast for their mothers before worship on Sunday.

Harvest House Community Fellowship hosts women’s conference

Ladies of the Hornbrook, Pa., community enjoyed a time of fellowship and encouragement just before Mother’s Day at Harvest House Community Fellowship Church.

BRN evangelism grant helps Lehigh Valley church share the gospel through Easter events

Riverbend Community Church shares the gospel with more than 100 people in their community through various Easter events. more

Crosspoint Baptist Church of Souderton celebrates baby dedications

The church had several parents step forward to dedicate their little ones to God last Sunday. The congregation spent time praying for the parents as they seek to point their children to Jesus.

Disaster Relief Assistance

Five of BRN’s Disaster Relief (DR) volunteers served meals at a recent Western Pennsylvania’s Region 4 Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Institute training in Clymer using the organization’s own kitchen. The recipients were really appreciative and really enjoyed the food, said Jeff Slagle, a DR Blue Hat volunteer, noting the EMS group will hold another training in Pittston in East Pennsylvania soon. The hope is that this will create more relationships between this organization and local churches in the future.

BRN pastors host conference and evangelism workshop in Zambia, Africa

Twenty-two pastors and church members accompanied Rev. Ricky Wilson to Zambia for the sake of the gospel and strengthening churches in Africa. more

BRN evangelism grant helps Great Commission Church honor community leaders

Great Commission Church hosts special awards ceremony to honor several community leaders who are working to revive the greater Philadelphia area. more

BRN Director of Multiplying Churches joins Gateway Seminary staff

Dr. Cliff Jenkins, BRN’s director of multiplying churches, will join Gateway Seminary’s faculty as associate director of the Doctor of Ministry program and associate professor of leadership formation on August 1. Jenkins earned a Doctor of Ministry degree at Gateway, a Master of Divinity degree at Biblical (Missio) Seminary, and a Bachelor of Arts degree at University of Pittsburgh.

His ministry career includes stints serving as a church planter, pastor, interim pastor and as a church planting catalyst with the North American Mission Board (NAMB). Most recently he was state director of missions for NAMB and the Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania/South Jersey. He also received the William O. Crews Presidential Leadership Award, the highest honor Gateway bestows on students, when he graduated with his doctorate. Join us in celebrating with and praying for Dr. Jenkins as he prepares for this new season. Congratulations Cliff!

Baptisms

Several confess Christ as Lord and Savior through baptism at Restored Church in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

The church kicked off the month of May by baptizing several individuals. Restored Church has now celebrated 10 baptisms in 2022 and 149 baptisms in the last decade – Praise the Lord! Join us in welcoming our new brothers and sisters in Christ!

In Memoriam

Minnie E. Paul

The BRN expresses condolences to Pastor Robert Paul from Piney Grove Baptist Church, Philadelphia, for the passing of his mother, Minnie E. Paul on May 3, 2022. A Celebration of Life will be held on May 14 at 10 a.m. (viewing 8-10 a.m.) at Shalom Baptist Church, 4901 N. 10^th St., Philadelphia.

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.