BCM/D Churches are ministering in their communities, welcoming neighbors, hosting “back-to-school” events, as well as raising money to support missions around the world. Our commission remains the same:
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”’ (Matthew 28:18-20 )
Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Rohresville, heads out into their community every Tuesday night to welcome new residents, giving them homecoming “survival kits”— mason jars filled with some interesting goodies.
A paper in the jar explains that the jar itself can be used for measuring and storage, but, “You’ll never be able to contain or measure the love that Jesus has for you, John 3:16.”
Pastor Clayton Clark, Outreach Team Leader Bobbie Bowers, and Children’s Ministry Coordinator Adrena Sheppard were among those who recently headed out to welcome new neighbors to their community.
Other items include a pad and pen, soap (Jesus cleanses us inside and out); hot cocoa (brings warmth and comfort the way you’ll find us), and other such items.
“It’s a very inexpensive jar—the total contents including the jar is just $3,” Pastor Clayton Clark said. “We try to make as many stops as we can in an hour and a half with two groups of people,” he said. They average four to six volunteers.
Clark said they always put the new neighbors first and welcome them, and share that they’re from Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, give them the gift, and invite them to attend if they haven’t yet found a church home.
Though they haven’t seen visitors as a result of the ministry, the recipients are very appreciative, Clark says.
Church members give out mason jars filled with goodies that also point to Jesus.
In addition to letting neighbors know the church is there for them and planting spiritual seeds, members benefit by seeing other church members going out into the community, and those going out are growing through their continued evangelism experiences.
Clark said Pleasant Valley Community Church is growing both numerically and spiritually and people are excited. He recently baptized four believers and two joined the church. Four more people are waiting to join and the church is excited, he said.
Nanjemoy Baptist Church is preparing for their annual “Back to School Carnival” starting at 4 pm on August 18. They’ll have games, prizes, food, an obstacle course, and a waterslide!
Burtonsville Baptist Church raised $9,000 to help children in Liberia.
Burtonsville Baptist Church set a Vacation Bible School mission goal of $1,500 to help the Betty Memorial Institute in Liberia, and they far exceeded that goal, raising $9,000.
The church had a competition between the boys and the girls to bring in the most mission money. At the end of the VBS, they had their closing on a Sunday morning and invited the church to give. Members were generous, and others outside of the church heard about the effort and also contributed. The Betty Memorial Institute provides food, shelter, education, and the Gospel of Jesus to boys and girls.
Charlie Brown, pastor of East Baltimore Graffiti Baltimore, recently arrived at the church to prepare for worship only to find a partially collapsed ceiling and rain damage in the worship and storage rooms.
“It is unsafe and we were forced to cancel worship. We know God is Sovereign and He will meet our needs,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
The church is in the process of renovating a new building. He is seeking volunteer construction teams or other resources. Brown said the church’s after-school ministry, food pantry, Celebrate Recovery, youth ministry, and Sunday worship needs the new space desperately. Brown asks churches to consider sending volunteer construction teams or resources to assist them.