This Week in the BRN Family 09.22.22

A BRN church plant launches and hosts its first official service; PA/SJ churches and college ministries engage in outreach; and a BRN mission house gets a make-over - it's a fruitful week in the BRN family!

September 22, 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:

Anastasis Fellowship in Reading, Pennsylvania, launches and officially opens its doors

On Sept. 11, Anastasis Fellowship in Reading, Pa., hosted its first official service in the Antietam Valley Recreation and Community Center. Congratulations, Anastasis Fellowship! Please continue to pray for this new ministry and for the community it is serving!

Calvary Christian Church encourages neighbors to get back in the pews on Back to Church Sunday

Calvary Christian Church in Philadelphia, Pa., celebrated Back to Church Sunday by inviting their neighbors to join them for worship and then hosting a time of fellowship, food and fun! After worship, the church served soft pretzels, announced giveaways and provided live music for their guests.

Outreach group grows at Stagecoach Road Christian Fellowship in Sicklerville, New Jersey

Earlier this week, Stagecoach Road Christian Fellowship in Sicklerville, New Jersey, had a record turnout for its Wholesome Riches Outreach group. The group of volunteers was the largest the church has taken to serve at Wholesome Riches, a nonprofit in Camden, New Jersey.

The Foundry Church in Wallingford, Pa., to host Delco Film Festival Arts Weekend, October 7-9

Lights, Camera, Action!

The Foundry Church in Wallingford, Pa., is inviting you to join them for an exciting, art-filled weekend! The Delco Film Festival will kick off Friday, Oct. 7, at The Foundry Church in Wallingford, Pa., and wrap up Sunday morning, Oct. 9, with special guest speaker Robert G. Lee, who is a writer, comedian and actor. He will be talking about the power of story. This year’s festival will also feature a selection of independent film shorts, documentaries and feature films. Admission is free. more

Penn State and Lock Haven NewLife campus ministries team up for half-day retreat

Last weekend, NewLife campus ministries from Penn State and Lock Haven University teamed up for a half-day retreat at Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County, Pa. The campus ministries enjoyed a time of individual devotion and prayer, hiking, volleyball and fellowship!

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: Campus Ministries at Drexel University make gospel known through Welcome Week events

Baptist Campus Ministries at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pa., seek gospel opportunities during Fall term Welcome Week. more

Mission Team from South Carolina blesses BRN with a new porch at Warren House in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Recently, a mission team from Lake Murray Baptist Church in Lexington, South Carolina, came and put a new porch on at the Warren House in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Warren House is a home the Baptist Resource Network intentionally rents to mission teams, volunteers and church planters staying in Pennsylvania. The South Carolina team not only gave of their time and talents, but they also gave financially towards the building of the porch. Praise God for this wonderful partnership!

Please keep our South Carolina friends in your prayers as they continue to show the love of Christ through their efforts and through their ministry!

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.