This Week in the BRN Family 07.28.22

A BRN church serves its neighborhood through a full-week of missions; kids THRIVE at an outreach event; and a Christmas in July event provides hundreds of bikes to at-risk youth - it's a servant-hearted week in the BRN Family!

July 28, 2022
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:

Stagecoach Road Christian Fellowship serves its community through Missions Week in Sicklerville, NJ

From July 25-28, members from Stagecoach Road Christian Fellowship lived on mission in their community! Every day was a new mission as the church packed goodie bags for the homeless volunteered at Wholesome Riches and the local Boys and Girls Club and provided a night of crafts and games for local youth.

BRN Evangelism grant helps Riverbend Community Church host first-ever VBS

Riverbend Community Church in Allentown, Pa., welcomed a total of 43 students and 29 volunteers for its first-ever Vacation Bible School. more

First Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church enjoys time of fellowship

The First Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa., recently enjoyed a sweet time of food, fellowship and fun with their church family!

The SOAR Church continues its 100-year anniversary countdown with Family and Friends BBQ

Last Sunday, The SOAR Church in Woodbine, New Jersey, continued its 100-year anniversary celebration with a Family and Friends BBQ. The church will officially celebrate 100 years of ministry on September 11, 2022!

Harvest Community Church overcomes apprehension for outreach event; shares gospel with 200 people

Harvest Community Church – Petroleum Valley Campus found joy in God’s faithfulness after 200 people attended their spring Easter egg hunt and heard the gospel. more

Men from Fellowship CrossPoint enjoy a guys’ night out at Citizens Bank Park

After a morning of Bible study and cleaning up the sanctuary, men from Fellowship CrossPoint Church in Chesterfield, New Jersey, headed to Citizens Bank Park to enjoy a Phillies game together!

BRN Executive Board Member and Mission Pastor helps out at community bike drive

Earlier this week, BRN Executive Board Member and Mission Pastor at The SOAR Church Alfonzo Toney Sr. volunteered at the first ever Christmas in July Jaws Bike Drive, an event put on by the Jaws Youth Playbook Foundation. The bike drive gave away hundreds of bikes, locks and helmets to at-risk youth in the Wildwood, New Jersey, community!

Calvary Church Penns Valley hosts THRIVE event to engage young creative minds in the Millheim, Pa., area

During the three night THRIVE event, Calvary Church Penns Valley in Millheim, Pa., welcomed local youth to engage in musical and creative projects as well as to hear about Jesus!

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.