This Week in the BRN Family 10.16.25

BRN churches serve their communities and spread the Gospel; we celebrate new life in Christ through baptism; and churches witness the Lord working in and through the next generation - it's an exciting week in the BRN Family!

October 17, 2025
Macala Mays

Browns Mills Baptist Church puts ‘Ready Church’ skills to use to bless military families

Browns Mills Baptist Church in Browns Mills, New Jersey, recently hosted BRN Director of Disaster Relief Kenton Hunt and members of the Arkansas DR Support Crew for a “Ready Church” presentation. This presentation taught members of Browns Mills about disaster relief support for churches and how they can be a support for their community when crisis comes.

Earlier this week, Browns Mills put this new knowledge to good use, partnering with the Pemberton Township and Vicinity Ministerium to donate and deliver 3,000 diapers to a local military base for families living there. The church hopes to continue serving this military community and be a support to the Pemberton Township and military base during times of disasters and emergencies.

North Carolina partners prayer walk with campus pastor at Pennsylvania university

At the beginning of October, Dewey and Kathie Aiken, North Carolina Baptists on Mission on-site coordinators for PA/NC partnership, and friends Todd and Sheila Alewine of Around the Corner Ministries visited Lock Haven University in Lock Haven, Pa. The NC partners visited to prayer walk the campus and visit with Pastor Robbie Mays, associate pastor of campus ministry at Big Woods Bible Church, and his wife. What a blessing it is to have partners who want to bless our pastors and their ministries!

Harvest House Community Fellowship participates in annual ‘Pumpkin Roll’

Harvest House Community Fellowship in Towanda, Pa., participated in their community’s annual “Pumpkin Roll.” The Fall festival-like event presented a great outreach opportunity as Pastor Chuck Fricker and church members spent the day connecting with local families, praying with community members, and sharing the Gospel!

South Central PA ministry leaders gather and pray at Accelerate 2025

At the 2025 Accelerate Conference, pastors and their wives and key ministry leaders who serve in the South Central PA region gathered with BRN Church Advancement Consultant Pastor Rob for a time of fellowshipping and prayer. A few non-south central BRN friends saw them praying and also joined!

Baptisms:

Big Woods Bible Church baptizes 19 in Lock Haven river, bulk of baptisms college students

The rain held off and the temperature remained above 60 for Big Woods Bible Church’s outdoor baptisms on Monday, Oct. 13. Big Woods Bible Church, located in Lock Haven, Pa., partnered with their collegiate ministry, which ministers to students at Lock Haven University, to hold this special baptism service at the Lock Haven Beach. At the river, they baptized 19 people; 18 of those being college students connected with the church’s college ministry! Praise the Lord for this Harvest and for each one of these brothers and sisters in Christ! Please join us in rejoicing with them and the entire Big Woods family!

Edgewood Church hears powerful testimonies and witnesses baptisms

On Sunday, Oct. 12, Edgewood Church in Beaver Falls, Pa., celebrated three lives transformed by the Gospel through baptism! The gathered body heard powerful testimonies showcasing God’s faithfulness and then watched as these individuals publicly proclaimed their faith in Jesus. Praise the Lord for these individuals and their faith in Jesus! Please join us in rejoicing with them and the entire Edgewood Church family!

Collegiate Corner:

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: Millcreek Community Church builds bridge with local university athletic community

Millcreek Community Church in Erie, Pa., recently hosted 150 individuals from the Gannon University football team for an evening of food, encouragement, and Gospel impact. A BRN Evangelism Grant helped support the night. Read More

BRN EVANGELISM GRANT: College ministry continues to grow at The Fields Church in State College, Pa.,

Phyllis “Fifi” Matthews

Phyllis “Fifi” Matthews, sister of Pastor Robert Matthews Jr., New Growth Church in Rio Grande, New Jersey, was called home on Oct. 9, at the age of 68. A celebration of life ceremony will be held on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 11 a.m. in the Seashore Community Church, Cape May, where her viewing will be offered from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. The BRN expresses its sincerest condolences to Phyllis’ family and loved ones. Please join us in praying for them, especially our dear brother Pastor Rob Matthews Jr. Read Full Obituary

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.