Arundel Association
Grace Baptist Church of Sunset Beach, Pasadena, had a special “Creation” worship service late last month. Interim music minister, Julie Barnickel, said the service included a hymn sing as well as other expressions of worship such as art, poetry and dance.
Grace is beginning its autumn programs this month. Volunteers serve evening meals on Wednesdays before Bible study/prayer meeting and children and youth events.
The church serves continental breakfasts on Sunday mornings, followed by a short assembly before Sunday school.
On Sept. 10, the church will host Lifeline Screening, an inexpensive offering of testing for strokes, diabetes, osteoporosis, peripheral arterial disease and more. Pastor Doug Alberts said the testing is a great outreach to the community.
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.
Some studies cover the books of the Bible. Others deal with today’s issues such as marital intimacy, anxiety, grace, weight loss and emotions. A recent study focused on healing after the loss of a child. Each study has its own private prayer chain so study participants can pray for each other confidentially.
Baltimore Association
Members of Northpoint Church, Dundalk, will celebrate their 52nd anniversary with a homecoming service on Sept. 13.
Past and present church members and friends will gather after the morning worship for a covered dish dinner and outdoor games such as horse shoes, volleyball and a moon bounce for the children.
Salem Gospel Ministries had a “youth on fire conference” from 7-9 p.m. Aug. 2-16. Each evening featured outreach, praise and worship, teaching, preaching, workshops, games, testimonies and refreshments. Thirty youth attended and seven make confessions of faith.
Salem Gospel Ministries' "Youth on Fire" conference on August 2 to 16 brought 30 youth to the church. Seven of the teens made confessions of faith.
Seventh Metro Church wrapped up the summer with a bang. The church threw a block party geared for students in grades one through twelve with video games, music and a free school supplies give-away.
Blue Ridge Association
Covenant Church has a “Mothers of Miracles” support group. Women who are expecting, including those adopting, can meet other moms for friendship, support and to pray for each other, their babies and their families.
Rock Spring Church, Shenandoah Junction, W.Va., will have a Labor Day celebration and potluck picnic on Sept. 6 followed by a paint ball tournament.
Delaware Association
Covenant Church, Chestertown, Md., is having a Friend Day on Sept. 27. The church has several new members and is planning a baptismal service in the near future.
The Delaware Association sponsored medical mission trip to Moldova is Oct. 25-Nov. 7. Mal Utleye, Delaware Association’s interim director of missions and leader of the mission team, said the team needs approximately $11,000 to service the anticipated patient load at the 42 church clinics the team will be working with. Utleye said $7 pays for one patient’s medicine.
To make donations to the medicine fund for Moldova, send donations to Delaware Baptist Association, designated for the medicine fund, 967 North State Street, Dover, Delaware, 19901.
Eastern Association
Faith Fellowship, Cambridge, will have a night of Southern Gospel music on Sept. 12 featuring The Dove Brothers with special guests, Greater Love and One Day Closer. The concert will be at Cambridge South Dorchester High School. Doors open at 6 p.m. The cost is $15 in advance and $17 at the door. For tickets call (410) 221-8510 or (410) 221-5104.
Ocean City Church starts its dinners and family fun evenings at 5:30 p.m. at their west campus beginning Sept. 3, followed by prayer and Bible study for kids at 6:30 and youth group from 6-8 p.m.
Soul Discovery Church, Salisbury, will have a “Back to church Sunday” on Sept. 13 with a special emphasis on inviting visitors and those who have slipped away.
The church has prayer meetings on the first and third Monday of each month.
Church members meet on Sundays at Parkside High School in Salisbury.
W. Paul Curtis Jr. recently gained the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank of achievement in Boy Scouts. Curtis received his Eagle award at a special ceremony at Immanuel Church, Salisbury. Paul and his parents, Paul Curtis, Sr. and Teresa, are members of the church.
The new Eagle began his Boy Scout career as a five-year-old Cub Scout in Fruitland. He progressed through the ranks. Along the way he served the troop as quartermaster, librarian, chaplain’s aide, patrol leader, senior patrol leader and junior assistant scoutmaster.
The young man said Scouting above all has taught him leadership. His peers voted him into the Scouting National Honor Society, the Order of the Arrow, in 2007.
Paul Curtis, Jr. is now assistant Scoutmaster at the Salisbury Rotary Club sponsored Troop 176, serving with his father, who has been Scoutmaster throughout his son’s membership.
He built a 3 by 40 foot pavilion at Immanuel Church as his Eagle service project. The task began with drawing the blueprints and continued through the completion of the structure.
Curtis recently graduated from James M. Bennett High School in Salisbury and plans to enlist in the U.S. Air Force and receive training in firefighting and rescue operations. He became interested in rescue work while on a backpacking scouting trip in New Mexico.
Mid-Maryland Association
Faith Family Church, Finksburg, will host the Mid-Maryland Association Annual Missional Church Summit from 5-7:30 p.m. on Oct. 3. Alvin Reid, associate dean and professor of evangelism at Southeastern Theological Seminary, is the guest speaker.
The Association is sponsoring a marriage conference entitled “God on Marriage” on Nov. 6-7 at Northwest Church, Reisterstown. Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Theological Seminary, will be the guest speaker.
Topics include husbands and their hang-ups, the wonderful world of women, nurturing, affection and romance and communication and conflict resolution. The cost is $20 per couple and includes light refreshments on Friday evening and a continental breakfast on Saturday morning. Registration deadline is Oct. 15. For more information see www.wecare.org.
Hope Church, Laurel, had an end of summer block party with a free yard sale, carnival games, music, face painting and fire company displays.
The church helps support the “Elizabeth House,” an ecumenical ministry to help the less fortunate in the community. Hope Church serves meals at the facility twice a month and they collect and deliver food items every week.
Several Hope members traveled to Monroe, Ohio, this summer to work with Builders for Christ, an organization of men, women and children who encourage others and share the gospel as they volunteer their time and talents to do construction work.
Montgomery Association
Ashton Church will host their annual car and truck show from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sept. 19.
Barnesville Church had a youth rally with games, music and other special events on the church grounds. Justin Hanneken, Taneytown Church’s youth pastor, presented the gospel. Christian rock band LifeBlood played afterwards.
Redland Church had an old fashioned hymn sing last month. Church members voted on their favorite hymns. The votes were used to develop a top ten countdown. There was also a dramatic monologue presentation presented by an actress portraying famous hymn writer Fanny Crosby. At the end of the evening the church celebrated outside with homemade ice cream.
Seven Locks Church, Potomac, will host the Montgomery Association annual meeting from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Oct. 10.
Potomac Association
First Church Welcome is using puppets to reach their communities for Christ. The church began its puppet ministry after Pastor Mark Hashagen started preaching at services held at Goose Bay Marina located in Welcome, Md., during the summer months to reach the campers. Goose Bay Marina had a youth puppet team that got the services started. Pastor Mark began preaching the summer of 2003 and when that summer ended, Goose Bay Marina donated money to the church to start their puppet ministry. That is when the “W-Dog” puppet ministry began. With a dog named Howey as the mascot, puppeteers ranging from age five to 17-years-old with full-bodied puppets dressed like girls and boys, named their ministry “W-Dog,” which stands for “We dig our God.” They wanted a catchy title to get people to ask, “What does that mean?” It’s just another way for them to share their ministry and witness that believing in God is a cool thing.
FBC Welcome has "W-Dog" puppets. The acronym stands for "We dig our God." The church uses the puppets to minister at a local marina, in church and around the community.
They minister at their church and some Sunday mornings at Goose Bay. The team also performs at community events such as the Indian Head Christmas Festival where they have been invited back the past three years. They were even invited to sing at an 80th birthday celebration recently for a lady who so enjoyed their performance from Christmas that it was all she talked about.
This year they are hoping to expand their performances to include visits to nursing homes and hospitals to witness to children who are sick.
Puppet Ministry director, Mary Hashagen, works with the young team to write skits and add Christian lyrics to popular music. Hashagen said she thought the team would primarily minister to children, but was amazed to see that people of all ages respond to the puppets.
“I’m amazed at how many adults have been touched by the puppets,” Hashagen said.
Prince George’s Association
Galilee Church, Suitland, set a goal for 150 in attendance for their August youth revival. Youth Minister Albert Jackson was amazed when between 200-400 people poured into the church.
“To exceed that number by 250 was amazing exponential growth. It was really God pouring out His blessings, especially in the middle of the slowest month of the year filled with travel and back-to-school activities, Jackson said.
Each Wednesday in August, the church had a month-long youth revival featuring local and national guest revivalists and musicians. The theme was “Building a stone wall of soldiers for Christ.” The evenings’ activities began with age appropriate rap sessions with guest facilitators for children, youth and adults. Guests also preached on Sundays and special outings were planned to supplement the revival.
Galilee is working to reach their community for Christ. The church has developed strong relationships with four local schools and with the local civic association to discover and meet financial and spiritual needs.
Temple Hills Church will have a key leader’s conference on Sept. 19 with workshops for all areas of church ministry.
Susquehanna Association
Approximately 300 local residents showed up for a block party that Pathways Church, Forest Hill, hosted in July. The church hosted the event for residents of Spenceola Farms in Forest Hill. The party featured live music from local artists, carnival games, children’s activities and free food.
Members of the church heard many positive comments from residents who ‘couldn’t believe that a church would throw a block party for the community.’ In addition to the fun and games, Pathways offered prayer for residents and handed out church literature to anyone requesting additional information. A mission team from East LaFollette Church in Tennessee assisted pathways.
Western Association
Christ Memorial, Westernport, hosted a weeklong basketball camp with a team from Harford Christian School and North Harford Church. The team also helped with various outreaches throughout the week. Two hundred fifty people came to the pool party. The church paid the admittance fee for the swimmers. Members also gave away free school supplies, cotton candy and shaved ice.
The Western Association (WBA) had its annual youth camp in July at Camp Frame 4-H Camp in West Virginia. Each day’s events included praise and worship, Bible study, sports, Bible drill competitions, lots of good food and snacks, skits and, of course, the campfire time.
One hundred and five campers attended Western Association's annual summer camp. Twenty-eight young people made decisions to accept Christ or to recommit their lives to Him. The camp began in 1942 has been running since 1947 and at that time was led by Bob Moreland and Frank Byer.
WBA partnered with a mission team from the New River Association in Jacksonville, N.C. lead by Joe Capper. Capper brought four volunteers to the camp to serve as a mission project. WBA also teamed with Three Forks Association, Ky. Jim Castlen, Three Forks Association’s director of missions, served as the resident missionary for the week. Castlen has led mission teams to China, Russia, Honduras, Brazil and Tanzania, along with serving on numerous disaster relief teams and he shared his mission experiences throughout the week.
Though planning began in February, the camp team organizers were discouraged as registration was lagging due to the current economic downturn.
“At the time of deadline, registration was far below the minimum required to make the camp financially feasible,” Dee Lockard, camp director wrote in an email to BaptistLIFE.
“Guidance through fervent prayer was sought and a deadline for decision-making was set for a Monday. On Friday afternoon, God answered this prayer with the command to the administrative team leader to ‘take a step of faith.’ The same words were spoken again during Sunday morning Bible Study as fellow brothers and sisters were being asked to join in this prayer. “You are not to be anxious about youth camp. I have been praying, too. I’ve been told that you need to take a step of faith,” said a sister in Christ. There was very little convincing of the executive committee on the following Monday.
As always, God provided. There were 105 campers and 28 of these young people either gave themselves to the Lord for the first time or made a recommitment to the Lord during the week of camp.
“We celebrated physical and spiritual birthdays every morning during the week. Praise God for all those who have been added to His Kingdom. The Spirit was moving. He could be heard in the teaching, preaching and singing. He could be seen in the crafts, recreation and Bible drills. He could be felt in the campfires. He nourished our physical bodies with great camp meals and cool nights for sleeping. And then Friday came all too soon.
“But the Spirit was only just beginning. As we were leaving camp, there were many young people full of excitement as they were headed home to prepare to go on mission trips to spread the good news that they had just heard. The Facebook postings of these campers give reports of their own life changing experiences while on missions.”