All throughout Maryland and Delaware, BCM/D churches are preaching the Gospel, reaching into their communities, and striving for fellowship and unity.
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.” 1 John 1:3-4 (NIV)
Redemption City Church celebrated their first baptism as a church on Sept. 23.
Church members of Redemption City Church, Baltimore, which launched in March, celebrated their first baptism as a church on Sept. 23.
Jesus our Redeemer Church, Baltimore, will have a “Pie in the Park” fellowship in Federal Hill Park on Oct. 7.
The church formed when Redeemer City Church merged with the historic Lee Street Memorial Church in 2014. Brad O’Brien, pastor of Jesus Our Redeemer, said they strive to meet the needs of the diverse neighborhoods surrounding the church. They’ve formed “Gospel Families,” medium-sized groups in various neighborhoods designed to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together to encourage and support one another. From these groups, smaller gender-based discipleship groups are formed.
Jesus Our Redeemer Church has “Gospel Family” groups, bringing folks from all walks of life in a neighborhood together to share food and get to know and help one another.
O’Brien, describing the structure of the group said, “If the Gospel families groups are big cookies, the discipleship groups are like the chocolate chips.”
Dr. Bernard Fuller, pastor of New Song Bible Fellowship Church, will be the guest speaker at Emmanuel Baptist Church’s 37th anniversary.
The husband and wife teams in the larger groups shepherd the smaller discipleship groups and the elders of the church oversee the “Gospel families.”
“It’s a Jethro kind of shepherding,” O’Brien said, referring to Exodus 18. The groups, he said, have been very helpful in getting people “connected and sticking.”
“Every year we try to adapt to what we’re learning about the city and the church. One thing we’re struggling with is creating space for the entire congregation to fellowship together,” O’Brien said.
To bring the groups together, the elders identified members who have the gift of hospitality and formed a party planning committee. The first of the fellowship “parties” is the “Pie in the Park,” a laid-back fun day with picnics, lawn games, and a pie baking competition. Folks will vote for their favorite pies with pieces of candy corn.
O’Brien said the event should be a fun way to give the body a chance to fellowship and to invite friends and neighbors.
Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, Rohersville, will have their annual “Fall Fun Day” from 1 to 5 pm on Oct. 13. The huge outreach includes hay rides, face painting, scarecrow making, bobbing for apples, cornhole, vendors, door prizes, pony rides and more.
Pleasant Valley Baptist Church will have a huge Fall Fun Day on Oct. 13.
Emmanuel Baptist Church, Laurel, will have revival services Oct. 3-5, beginning at 7:30 pm each evening. Guest preachers include David Gaines, pastor of Manna Bible Church, Baltimore, Gregory Strong, pastor of City of Zion Church, Laurel, and Wale May, pastor of Touch of Love Bible Church.
The church will celebrate their 37th church anniversary at 5 pm on Oct. 7. The guest speaker will be Bernard Fuller, pastor of New Song Bible Fellowship Church, Lanham.
First Baptist Church of Waldorf will host Potomac Baptist Association’s senior fall luncheon on Oct. 18. The mission focus will be The Catherine Foundation, a local pregnancy center, and the guest speaker will be the foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Heather Sells.