This Week in the BRN Family 11.06.25

Serve Lehigh Valley prep begins with night of prayer; BRN churches bless their communities with outreach opportunities; and college students gather for annual Amplify retreat - it's an exciting week in the BRN Family!

November 6, 2025
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:

Serve Lehigh Valley prep begins with intentional night of prayer and partnership

Local pastors, church members, and community leaders in the Lehigh Valley as well as BRN leaders and pastors gathered at Riverbend Community Church in Allentown, Pa., on Nov. 4 for an intentional time of prayer and partnership for the next Serve PA/SJ Tour – Serve Lehigh Valley – which will take place June 26-27, 2026.

Please join us in continuing to pray for this incredible service/partnership opportunity! Learn more about Serve Lehigh Valley and how you can get involved this summer by visiting servepasj.com.

Delval Baptist Church hosts weekend of outreach

Last weekend, Delaware Valley Baptist Church in Willingboro, New Jersey, hosted a Family and Friends Weekend for their community. This weekend of outreach included a Trunk or Treat, a movie night, and three special Sunday services revolving around the Family and Friends theme. Praise the Lord for the impact this weekend had on the Willingboro community!

Reclamation Church packs food boxes for New Kensington and Arnold communities

On Wednesday, Nov. 5, Reclamation Church in New Kensington, Pa., gathered as a church family to pack food boxes for their community distribution, which took place the next day. The food boxes were packed by those young and old and were designed to bless families in the New Kensington or Arnold area. What an awesome way to serve your community together as the local church!

Missionary with BRN ties arrives safely in Prague

Missionary Alta B., who formerly attended Wrightsdale Baptist Church in Peach Bottom, Pa., made it safely to Prague during the last week of October. She is settling into her new home by learning the lay of the land and getting to know her team and church. Alta began language classes on Nov. 4, which will last for six weeks. Please pray for the Lord to provide friends for Alta in her language class and for Him to give her the ability to retain all she learns!

Fall Fun Night fosters community connections at Mt. Wolf Community Church

Mt. Wolf Community Church in Mt. Wolf, Pa., hosted a Fall Fun Night for their community, complete with costumes, candy, and a photo booth. What a fun and engaging way to connect with your neighbors!

BRN Team meets to pray together and prepare for 2026

On Nov. 5, BRN leaders, staff, and consultants met at the Harrisburg hub for a team meeting. The team utilized the time to pray together, debrief from Accelerate, and prepare for what lies ahead in the new year as they work to serve our churches and accelerate Kingdom movement in Pennsylvania/South Jersey! The team also had fun celebrating November birthdays – Happy Birthday Chuck and Noelson! We are so grateful for you both!

BRN Next Gen retreat encourages nearly 60 students to ‘amplify God’s voice’

Last weekend, 58 college students representing nine different campuses across Pennsylvania gathered at Camp Hebron in Halifax, Pa., for BRN Next’s annual Amplify Fall Retreat. The theme of the weekend was centered around “amplifying God’s voice” as students learned from main sessions and breakouts how to do this in their lives, on campus, and around the world. The weekend was sponsored by the generosity of several BRN churches and individuals.

Check out next week’s edition of BRN United for full coverage on this event, including main session replays and photo gallery!

Baptisms:

Month of October marked by baptisms at Delval Church

Throughout the month of October, Delaware Valley Baptist Church in Willingboro, New Jersey, celebrated multiple baptisms. Praise the Lord for these brothers and sisters in Christ and their public professions of faith in Jesus! Please join us in rejoicing with them and the entire Delval Church family.

Greencastle Baptist continues to witness God’s faithfulness through busy baptism season

Greencastle Baptist Church in Greencastle, Pa., celebrated the baptism of a young lady last Sunday, Nov. 2. So far this year, the church has witnessed God’s transformative work through five baptisms. Praise the Lord for this harvest and for all He is doing at Greencastle Baptist Church!

Five go public with their faith in Jesus at Big Woods Bible Church

On Nov. 2, Big Woods Bible Church in Lock Haven, Pa., rejoiced over five baptisms, including a husband and wife who professed their faith in Jesus together. Praise the Lord for these brothers and sisters in Christ! Please join us in celebrating with them and the entire Big Woods Church family.

Ministry Milestones:

Yeadon, Pa., church plant celebrates first anniversary

Lion of Judah Ministries International, a church plant led by Pastor Philip Draper in Yeadon, Pa., recently celebrated its first anniversary! BRN Ethnic Church Advancement Consultant Noelson Chery visited with Pastor Draper and the church to rejoice over this ministry milestone.

Congratulations on your first anniversary Lion of Judah Ministries International! We are so grateful for the Gospel work you are doing!

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.