By Sharon Mager, BCM/D Corespondent
BALTIMORE —As Baltimore prepares to welcome the 2014 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention on June 10-11, 2014, the Baltimore Baptist Association (BBA); the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) are preparing for Crossover Baltimore. Each year, there is a huge prayerful evangelistic outreach, “Crossover,” that precedes the SBC annual meeting in and around the host city.
Cindy Irizarry is the Crossover Baltimore director of mobilization and logistics. She is proactively seeking pastors and church leaders to take a step forward.
Several members of the Crossover Baltimore Steering Team met in Houston during the SBC meeting: Cindy Irizarry,Phyllis Ajayi, Colonial Baptist Church, Ellen Eudovich, BCMD Acts 1:8 missions involvement missionary; and Bob Mackey, Baptist Baptist Association Executive Director.
Irizarry said there are mission teams from across the country ready to minister alongside Baltimore churches. There are churches in Baltimore and surrounding areas, and associations, who want to serve. Some churches will give and some churches will receive, but ultimately, God will be glorified and souls will be saved.
Pastors and lay-leaders met for a time of prayer, repentance, worship and brainstorming for Crossover at a special service in June at Manna Bible Baptist Church. A second meeting is planned for Sept. 22 (the location is yet to be determined.) Irizarry said pastors are encouraged to bring their congregations.
“We want this event to be a night of worship and prayer,” Irizarry said. “We want to take the time to pray over the different areas of Baltimore we hope to be able to go and serve.”
Irizarry grew up in New York City. She and her husband Arnaldo, both members of Long Green Baptist Church, were living in Florida before moving to Maryland. The couple wanted to be closer to their families in the Mid-Atlantic.
The Crossover Steering Team, comprised of BBA pastors, BCM/D staff, and lay leaders is prayerfully overseeing the entire Crossover ministry.
In addition to Irizarry, the team includes: BBA Executive Director, Bob Mackey; Phyllis Ajayi, Colonial Baptist Church; Robert Anderson Jr., pastor, Colonial Baptist Church; David Gaines, pastor, Manna Bible Church; Tyler Griffin, executive pastor, Freedom Church; Wilbert McClamb, Colonial Baptist Church; Mike McQuitty, BCM/D collegiate church planting missionary; Dave Moyer, executive director of Maryland Bible Society; Peggy Peek, collegiate minister; Theresa Sassard, BBA executive office administrator; Dale South, pastor of Long Green Baptist Church; Ellen Udovich, Acts 1:8 missions involvement missionary and Tally Wilgis, pastor, Captivate Church.
For more information about Crossover Baltimore, contact Irizarry, cindycrossoverbaltimore2014@gmail.com