Posted on : Saturday August 1, 2009

Arundel Association

The men’s ministry at Faith Church, Glen Burnie, is sponsoring “fishing for rockfish,” aboard a charter boat on the Chesapeake Bay.

The church said goodbye to Dale and Christa Pucket in June. Dale, who served as student minister at Fath, accepted a call to First Church of Vandalia, Ohio.

North Arundel Church, Glen Burnie, had its 6th annual swap meet and bike show outreach in June. The event draws bikers near and far for fellowship, fun, good food and live bands.

New Beginnings Church & Ministries, Pasadena, officially voted to become a satellite church of Streetlite Christian Fellowship. The church is now known as Streetlite Christian Fellowship, Pasadena. The official launch date is Sept. 27.

The new church is in the midst of revamping the sanctuary and has a pulpit available for free to any church that needs one.

New Hope Community Church, Baltimore, took a bus full of members and friends from both of their church sites to Washington, D.C. to tour the Smithsonian museums on July 14. It started out as a children’s ministry outing but quickly grew to be a big family event.

Riva Trace Church, Davidsonville, has an active women’s ministry and ladies Bible study program. The summertime Bible study draws up to 20 women weekly and up to 45 during the rest of the year.

Severna Park Church had a youth missions week last month. Teens did a food drive and helped serve at the Maryland Food Bank, they helped at Open Door Ministries and they did a car wash to benefit the Morgan Beverly Suicide Prevention Foundation.

Baltimore Association


First Church, Dundalk,
has had a whirlwind summer schedule. In July, the church had a block party, children’s sports camp, cheerleading camp, backyard Bible study, youth camp, children’s movie night, Vacation Bible School and a puppet night.

Reisterstown Church
is collecting jars of peanut butter and jelly for families who come to the Curtis Bay feeding ministry, sponsored by Inner Harbor Ministry.

They are also collecting backpacks and supplies for the children at Curtis Bay for the upcoming school year.

Immanuel Church
has kickball games every Sunday evening through the summer. The church has two teams, the youth and the “finely seasoned” team. Other churches send teams and they play two games. In between games, a church member gives his or her testimony.

The church is using kickball as an outreach to the community.

Blue Ridge Association

The youth of Paramount Church, Hagerstown, hosted a car wash on July 4 at the AutoZone on Longmeadow Road. The teens had fun washing about 30 vehicles. Though the car wash was free, the youth received $400 in donations towards their summer mission trip to Ocean City. The youth worked with Ocean City Resort Ministry helping at Bible clubs at O.C. campgrounds and giving away cold water to lifeguards.

The ladies of South End Church, Frederick, had a craft fellowship night. They brought unfinished crafts or projects, relaxed together, ate snacks and dinner together and just enjoyed each other’s fellowship.

Virginia Avenue Church, Hagerstown, will host the 2009 “Broken Before the Throne” prayer conference August 8-14.

This year’s speakers include John McGregor, executive director of Canadian Revival Fellowship; Al Whittinghill, Ambassadors for Christ International; Dan Biser, organizer of “Broken before the Throne” and pastor of Zoar Church and Fox’s Hollow Church, both in West Virginia; Greg Frizzell, prayer and spiritual awakening specialist, Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma; and Henry Blackaby, of Blackaby Ministries.

This is the third year for the conference. More information, devotional readings and registration information is available on the website, http://brokenbeforethethrone.com. There is no charge for the conference but donations are accepted. The conference is partially funded by Cooperative Program gifts and the offerings of many state conventions, associations, churches, entities and individuals.

Delaware Association

Ogletown Church, Newark, has had a “love your neighbor” initiative throughout this year. Earlier they collected pillows and pillowcases for a local homeless mission.

Last month, the youth participated in a weeklong “love your neighbor” home mission project. Partnering with Embrace Wilmington, the teens helped with light construction projects in Wilmington. They also lent support to local families in the Ogletown area.

Eastern Association

Allen Memorial Church, Salisbury, will host the Eastern Association’s 139th annual meeting from 3-5 p.m. on Oct. 25. David Jackson, BCM/D church multiplication missionary, will be the keynote speaker.

First Church, Easton, delivered food to a cancer center for 12 families who are uninsured and unemployed.

Church members will give out bottles of water at the free concerts in downtown Easton throughout the summer.

The church will have a sports clinic for students in grades 3-8 from Aug. 3-7. They’ll offer basketball, tennis, soccer and volleyball. For more information, see www.fbceaston.org.

Mid Maryland Association

Bethel Church, Ellicott City, will host the BCM/D Pinewood Derby and Field day from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Sept.19. Boys in first through sixth grades are eligible to participate in the homemade miniature car race. The cost is $8 per person.

The registration deadline is Sept. 8. To register online, see www.yourbcmd.org/pinewood_derby.

Westminster Church will have a “Frontliners” conference on from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 19 led by Mid-Maryland director of missions, Joel Rainey, and his wife, Amy. The Rainey’s will discuss the extent of lostness around the globe, approaches to missions that increase impact and avenues of involvement in international missions.

The cost is $10 per person and includes registration, materials, lunch and other resources. Childcare is included. The registration deadline is Sept. 11. For more information, call (410) 290-7156.

Montgomery Association

Kensington Church had a spring festival of flutes in June, featuring church member Amy Thomas and her students.

Members of Redland Church are planning a family ministry camping trip to Cunningham Falls State Park Aug. 21-23.

Seven Locks Church, Potomac, launched a new young adults group for ages 18-35 with a coffeehouse in July. During that time, the group discussed plans for future gatherings.

Potomac Association

Churches in the Potomac Association have been working on several summer mission projects this summer. Callaway, Dunkirk, Bayside and Maryland Point spearheaded the outreach efforts in their areas. Other church members and friends helped.

Callaway Church coordinated a soccer sports camp in a townhouse community. Bayside Church, Chesapeake Beach, did a kids’ camp in a beach community. Dunkirk Church hosted a community outreach in a mobile home community. Maryland Point Church, Nanjemoy, hosted missions activities to help with construction at their church and with children and youth ministries in local communities nearby.

Youth from Hughesville Church worked with Habitat for Humanity and did ministry at a shelter for abused children, and a nursing home during their recent mission trip to Myrtle Beach.

Prince George’s Association

Faith Fellowship Community Church of Laurel, will have their annual community day picnic on Aug. 15 at T. Howard Duckett Park. Church members and friends will enjoy food and fellowship. They’ll also bring donations of school supplies for Laurel Elementary School and canned goods for Laurel Advocacy and Referral’s food pantry.

First Church, Crofton, had a salad luncheon for the area’s business community in May. Church laymen shared testimonies on the topic, “How to Survive the Economic Meltdown.” The Crofton Chamber of Commerce co-sponsored the event. The church provided copies of the book, “How to Survive the Economic Meltdown” by Patrick Morley.

Members of Kettering Church, Upper Marlboro, will be washing cars and checking fluids as a community outreach from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Aug. 15.

The church recently had a baptismal service for 24 people.

Temple Hills Church will have a block party on Aug. 1, followed by revival services on Sunday morning and evening on Aug. 2.

Whitehall Church, Accokeek, collects donations on the first Sunday of each month to send to Pure Water, Pure Love (PWPL). The WMU initiative was originally started to provide clean drinking water to International Mission Board (IMB) missionaries, their families and those they serve. The program has grown and now provides grants for wells in villages and communities that are without clean water.

Whitehall members give to the cause to support the ministry and as a loving tribute to James Carl Johnson, a member who died in 2006. Johnson was a strong advocate for PWPL and is remembered for faithfully encouraging others to help.

Susquehanna Association

The Women’s Enrichment Ministry of Calvary Church, Bel Air, invited WRBS radio personality, Tracey Tiernan, to be the guest speaker at their June summer meeting. Karen Rickards, a member Oak Grove Church, provided the music.

Gary Nelson, USA director of Galcom International, will be the featured speaker at an annual missionary conference to be held at North Harford Church, Jarrettsville, beginning at 7 p.m. on Sept. 17. Galcom International is a non-profit organization that works with churches and other missions organizations to share the gospel using the latest in technology. The organization has provided over 760,000 fix-tuned radios to missionaries around the world.

In addition to Nelson, there will be other missionaries sharing about their work reaching the Muslims in the Middle East. For more information call (410) 836-6994. More information about both missionary organizations can be found at www.Galcom.org and www.LoveSaudis.com.

Oak Grove Church, Bel Air, will have its second annual “Oak Grove Cruise‘in” from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Aug. 22 featuring a car show, bands, hula-hoop contests and other games, Southern-style backyard barbecue foods, drinks and desserts including ice cream floats. They’ll also have a booth available for those interested in learning more about the church and its ministries.

Western Association

Nine Western Association (WBA) churches worked with the Alleghany County Fair last month.

The association led the annual vesper services on Sunday, July 19. Sherrill Dillon, pastor of Second Church, Cumberland, led the singing. The LaVale Church’s men’s choir provided the music. Doug White, pastor of Grace Church, Cumberland, was the speaker.

On Wednesday night, July 22, Association churches provided home-cooked meals to employees of the Reithoffer Amusements, the midway providers for the fair.

Throughout the week, churches manned a baby comfort station, offering moms and dads a clean place to change their babies. Churches also gave away free water and walking sticks. The sticks are unique gifts that also enable the giver to share how to “walk with the Lord.”

Does your church or association have any news you want to share, too? Simply send your news or newsletter to Sharon Mager at 10255 Old Columbia Rd., Columbia, MD 21046. Electronic newsletters and/or announcements may be emailed to smager@bcmd.org.

Please note: your submissions may be edited due to space and policy considerations.