This Week in the BRN Family 01.15.26

Send Philly hosts fourth annual Prayer on the Parkway; several BRN churches install new leaders; and the new year kicks off with multiple baptisms - it's an exciting week in the BRN Family!

January 15, 2026
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:

Send Philly continues Prayer on the Parkway for fourth year; adds new compassion component to prayer event

On Saturday, Jan. 10, Send Network Philly hosted its fourth annual Prayer on the Parkway along the Ben Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. From 9-11 a.m., pastors, ministry leaders, organizations, and individuals gathered and prayed for the city they call home and the people in it.

This year, Send Philly added a compassion component to the event by distributing cold weather and hygiene essentials to the homeless living on the Ben Franklin Parkway. What an amazing morning of intentional care for the City of Brotherly Love. Thank you to all of the Send Network leaders, pastors, ministry leaders, pastors’ wives, and individuals who made this day possible!

Wrightsdale Baptist Church ordains Next Gen Pastor

On Sunday, Jan. 11, Wrightsdale Baptist Church in Peach Bottom, Pa., celebrated the ordination of Pastor Jared Carline, who has been serving at Wrightsdale as their Next-Gen Pastor. Wrightsdale has played an integral part in Jared’s ministry development and public launch.

Congratulations to Pastor Jared and his family! Please join us in praying for Pastor Jared and his family as he fulfills the call the Lord has placed on his life.

Harborcreek Community Church welcomes new members and new deacon

Last Sunday, Harborcreek Community Church (HCC) in Harborcreek, Pa., had the joy of welcoming new members into their church family and installing Dave Hall as a new deacon. What a blessing it is to see God growing the church body in members and in leadership. Congratulations to these new HCC members and Dave!

Three men are commissioned as elders at Walnut Creek Baptist Church

Walnut Creek Baptist Church in Erie, Pa., celebrated a special day in the life of their church family on Sunday, Jan. 11. During their worship service, Walnut Creek installed and commissioned Jim Silman, Ryan Mannon, and Cliff Emus as Elders.

As these men step into this new leadership position, they have committed to shepherding the Walnut Creek congregation with humility, prayer, and a commitment to God’s Word. Praise the Lord for raising up these leaders! Please join us in rejoicing with them and praying for them as they care for their church family.

BRN Kicks off New Year with Discipleship Workshop

On Thursday, Jan. 15, BRN Director of Discipleship and Leadership Development David Ludwig hosted a discipleship workshop at the Baptist Resource Network Hub in Harrisburg. This one-day workshop offered a time of training, resources, and peer-to-peer conversations about disciple-making and multiplication. During the workshop, guests were encouraged and equipped by Ludwig and Kevin Marsico, Chief of Global Ministry, Dynamic Church Planting International.

Interested in benefiting from a discipleship workshop at your church? Contact David Ludwig at [email protected].

Baptisms:

Riverbend Community Church kicks off new year with several baptisms

Riverbend Community Church in Allentown, Pa., rejoiced over multiple baptisms on Sunday, Jan. 11! Praise the Lord for these brothers and sisters in Christ! Please join us in celebrating with them and the entire Riverbend Community Church family.

Reclamation Church Monroeville celebrates new life in Christ through baptism

Reclamation Church in Monroeville, Pa., celebrated new life in Christ through baptism on Sunday, Jan. 11! Praise the Lord for these sisters in Christ who boldly proclaimed their faith in Jesus! Please join us in rejoicing with them and their church family at Reclamation Church Monroeville.

Collegiate Corner:

PSU New Life joined by Virginia Tech BCM team for first week of classes outreach

Earlier this week, the New Life Campus Ministry at Penn State University (PSU) in State College, Pa., welcomed a team from Virginia Tech Baptist Campus Ministry to help with outreach during the first week of Spring classes at PSU. From Saturday-Wednesday, the VT team helped the PSU New Life crew by tabling on campus, connecting with students, and inviting students to New Life’s weekly Bible study.

As a result of their efforts, the VT team collected 19 contacts for the PSU ministry, and three new students attended the weekly Bible study because of direct interaction with the VT team. Praise the Lord for this Kingdom partnership! Please join us in praying for the students at PSU as well as for the VT team as they head back to their own campus.

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.