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IN THIS ISSUE
14 COVER STORY: SENT NETWORK This July, SENT Network Director Mark McGeever and three SENT church planters will preach on Sundays at Bay Area. Here, they give an update on what God is doing in their churhces and across the Mid-Atlantic.
12 PRAYER FOR SHORT TERM MISSIONARIES This month, as 79 people from Bay Area serve on six missions teams headed to the nations, Short Term Missions Coordinator Michele Rollins provides encouragement for how we can best pray for our short term missionaries.
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18 AFTER TRAGEDY, HOPE IN SOUTH SUDAN In November 2017, a village in South Sudan suffered the devastating loss of 100 people who were either killed or kidnapped, but a month later God provided a way for Bay Area to help them begin to rebuild hope.
4 LETTER FROM THE LEAD Lead Pastor Greg St. Cyr gives an update on many things happening at Bay Area, from multiplication in Easton to upcoming sermon series.
We appreciate your comments and questions. Please email us at feedback@bayareacc.org and a staff member or elder will respond within 48 hours.
Gathering Times: 7:50, 9:20, 11:20 a.m.
MAGAZINE CREDITS EDITOR Meredith Thompson ART DIRECTOR Josh Shirlen ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Arianne Teeple ASSISTANT EDITOR Jocelyn Sacks LEAD DESIGNER Josh Burgin GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jake Williams CONTRIBUTORS Craig Fadel Michele Rollins Sam Logan
On the cover: Mark McGeever Photo by Josh Shirlen
ELDERS Barry Willhite Bill Plenge Bill Smith Chris Heacock David McPeak Don Wiley Greg St. Cyr J. Upton John Taylor Keith Riniker Ken Gilmore Peter Godfrey Rich Heath Roger Ishii Tim Grossman Tom Hogan Warwick Fairfax
884 Chesterfield Rd. Annapolis, MD 21401
410.544.2222
BAY AREA LEADERSHIP Brent Squires, Student Ministry Pastor – brent.squires@bayareacc.org Brian Hopper, Annapolis Campus Pastor – brian.hopper@bayareacc.org Craig Fadel, Easton Campus Pastor – craig.fadel@bayareacc.org Ed Kelley, Executive Pastor – ed.kelley@bayareacc.org Gail Wiles, Children’s Ministry & Weekend Experience Director – gail.wiles@bayareacc.org Greg St. Cyr, Lead Pastor – greg.stcyr@bayareacc.org Janet Graves, Women’s Ministry Director – janet.graves@bayareacc.org Jerry Shirlen, Financial Administrator – jerry.shirlen@bayareacc.org Jocelyn Sacks, Missional Community Director – jocelyn.sacks@bayareacc.org Jonathan Madrid, Worship Leader – jonathan.madrid@bayareacc.org Josh Shirlen, arts – josh.shirlen@bayareacc.org Leanne Lane, Care Network Director – leanne.lane@bayareacc.org Meredith Thompson, Communications Director – meredith.thompson@bayareacc.org Pat Linnell, Teaching Pastor – pat.linnell@bayareacc.org Ron Dutton, Operations Director – ron.dutton@bayareacc.org
For a comprehensive list of all BACC staff, elders and deacons, please visit bayareacc.org/leadership J U LY GO&MAKE 3
LETTER FROM THE LEAD
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT BAY AREA? One of the things that is a constant at Bay Area is change. Jesus is changeless, yet He is always leading us to greater steps of faith in order to expand His impact. The amount of things going on is hard to keep up with, so here are few of the highlights I think you should know about:
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The building expansion is in full swing. Our move-in date is by early January. Pray for Executive Pastor Ed Kelley as he oversees the host of details. Also pray for Student Ministry Pastor Brent Squires and Children’s Ministry Director Gail Wiles as they make plans for the new opportunities of ministry that the expansion will bring about.
A Saturday night gathering is in the works for the Annapolis campus. Campus Pastor Brian Hopper and his team are preparing to launch our Saturday evening gathering to coincide with the traffic flow problems associate with the RenFest. This gathering will be a blessing to those who have Sunday morning conflicts, and will create more room on Sundays for new people. You will hear more about this next month, but anticipate us looking for many volunteers to serve on Saturday nights.
Multiplication is happening in Easton. Easton’s Student Ministry Director Dustin Carpenter will be entering our church planting residency with SENT Network to prepare for planting a church on the Eastern Shore. This is awesome! In addition, Jake Wieduwilt, who has completed his pastoral residency in Annapolis, has accepted the Student Ministry Pastor role in Easton and will be moving there. Jake’s wife, Sarah, will also help serve on the Easton worship team.
Short term missions are fully underway. Short term mission teams have returned from Bluefield, West Virginia. Still to come are trips to Uganda, Poland, Belize, El Salvador, Ghana and Southeast Asia. God is using us all around the world.
Staff transitions and hires continue. Casely Essamuah has transitioned to lead the ministry of Global Christian Forum. We have retained him part-time as our Global Mission Consultant until the Lord raises up our next global mission pastor.
Also, we are currently in the process of looking for a Missional Community pastor to help provide more leadership to our MCs, as well as another worship leader to help with our chapel and Saturday night gathering experience in Annapolis.
Volunteers are needed for Children’s Ministry. We love children at Bay Area! The serving opportunities are ongoing. Consider making a difference in children’s lives by volunteering at the Easton or Annapolis campus.
The next campus is coming. We are currently searching for a campus pastor who will provide leadership for our next campus. Our prayerful goal is to launch this campus at Easter 2019. Pray with us toward that end.
July parables, August the Book of James. Throughout July we will be encouraged by many of our SENT Network church planters who will be preaching the parables of Jesus. In August we will be preaching the book of James. Get ready to be challenged!
The 120. On the second Tuesday of every month, people gather for prayer in the chapel. The prayer meeting is called “The 120” after the prayer gathering in the upper room (Acts 1:14). We are praying for God to do great and awesome things through Bay Area. Come join us! To receive information from me about the 120, email Debbie at debbie.klimczyk@bayareacc.org. I hope you are encouraged by the many things God is doing. If you have any questions or comments, email us at info@bayareacc.org. Please continue to faithfully and fervently pray for our church.
From here to the nations,
Greg St. Cyr Lead Pastor
Greg St. Cyr is the lead pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributor to GO&MAKE.
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By Pat Linnell
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few years back my grandfather’s health began to decline. I spent most of my childhood hanging out and accomplishing 80 percent of construction projects with him, so it was tough to not see him as much. At the same time, my work and family life was busy, and I was growing disconnected from his condition. I got a call to help with a little construction project at his house, after the rod holding all their hanging clothes in the closet broke and needed repair. I remember this visit because it alerted me to how frail he was becoming – it was a good visit, a meaningful one. It took the closet breaking to get me there that day. It turns out that the piece of wood that held the rod in place on either end had held up for over 50 years, but broke that day. Upon my investigation I saw that the rod was positioned directly on top of a knot in the wood. The pressure from the weight of the rod bearing down on a piece of wood with a slight weakness was the culprit. That day felt like a Grace Bomb to me from God in the gift of time I got to spend with Pop, as there were not many more times like that before he died. If that was God’s desire, that visit, then a path led me there. At some point He designated a tree, somewhere along the eastern seaboard of the U.S. to grow with a branch of a particular diameter that would form a 2” knot, whereby after being harvested, milled, shipped, cut and nailed into a closet in Glen Burnie, would have the ability to withstand pressure for over 50 years until the owner of that closet’s grandson would need to see him on that particular day. God is able to bring about His desires in all kinds of ways that might seem random to us, but have been calculated from eternity past for Him. And the knot was a little thing. All throughout the Bible you see God superintending big and crazy
things to bring about His purposes of love in the world. Do you recall the angry brothers of Joseph back in the book of Genesis? These were Jacob’s sons who hated their dad’s favorite younger brother Joseph. Given the opportunity, they threw him into a pit and were debating what to do next when a band of merchants headed to Egypt came along. They sold Joseph into the slave trade, and made it seem to Jacob that he’d been killed in the wild. This was a bad thing. Some 22 years later after a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, the brothers went searching for food in Egypt. Guess who was there? Joseph, now second in command in Egypt and responsible for having stored enough grain to last seven years of famine. Though it was no easy ride for Joseph, he knew God to be faithful, in control, and able to bring about good things directly through bad things. After forgiving his brothers before they even had asked for it, he declared that “as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today (Gen. 50:20). God ended up saving the Israelites during the years they were just one small tribe by superintending the path of Joseph. Today is not a random day because God is not a random God. The people you meet and the places you go have a purpose. Be mindful of that even now, and be thankful for the wood knots and angry brothers of your life.
Pat Linnell is the teaching pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE.
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By Craig Fadel
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is a few minutes of “Jeopardy” and I know I’m not about to win any intelligence competitions. Of course, with Google, Alexa and Siri available, intelligence feels a bit less valuable these days. The value of its counterpart, however, is priceless. As you know, based on the title of this article, I am referring to wisdom. Wisdom rules! Pardon the puns. Yes, wisdom is ruling like a king, you need rules or laws of wisdom, and wisdom is awesome. You need wisdom. Without it, you could know all there is to know but still have no idea how to make decisions. You could take a journey around the world but end up without any true understanding of culture. You could speak to people in other languages from hundreds of countries and still not understand relationships. What’s my point? To make decisions, understand culture, and develop relationships, you need wisdom. Do you want wisdom yet? Good, because wisdom takes your intelligence and makes it meaningful and useful. Our problem is less often lack of knowledge (or at least access to it). Our problem is our inability to apply intelligence in a helpful way. My uncle reminds me, “Intelligence is knowing tomatoes are a fruit. Wisdom is knowing that tomatoes do not belong in a fruit salad.” In comes Proverbs, essentially commanding us to get wisdom. “Get wisdom, get insight” (Proverbs 4:5). The book of Proverbs is found in the middle of the Bible and this 3,000-year-old work still finds astounding meaning today. The writings come mostly from an ancient King, considered by some to be the wisest king that ever lived: King Solomon. You can almost hear the frustrated and desperate plea of a father begging his teenage son to understand a crucial life principle. “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Proverbs 4:7). Sound redundant? That’s a good sign that this is something important, something King Solomon thought was worth repeating.
Proverbs teaches us that wisdom is so important that it is more precious than rubies (Prov. 8:11). More precious than a rare and valuable gemstone? It is interesting that if you look up the word ruby, you will see “precious” in the definition. Apparently wisdom is more precious than something that is defined as precious! What if someone were to offer me a magical pill of wisdom or a case of legit diamonds? I think I’d have a hard time not taking the riches. Why? Because I’m human, and I might try to justify it by saying I can buy wisdom. And that’s where I’d be severely mistaken. Money can’t buy wisdom, though in theory you could pay wise people to stand around and give you counsel. The problem is that would require wisdom to know if they’re wise. And what if they don’t agree with each other? Or what if I disagreed and refused to listen? What’s the point in all of this? Wisdom is priceless. Comparing wisdom to monetary worth or material value is like comparing apples with rocks. One gives you sustenance, the other gives you little more than hard, lifeless material. Since we can’t buy wisdom, but it is more precious than any material thing, where do we start? I’m glad you asked. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5). You need wisdom and you have access to it through our all-wise God. Our Lord is so wise that He gave us a simple way to gain wisdom: ask. Though it’s certainly not the only God-given way, you can start this step toward wisdom today. So now’s your chance, get wisdom!
Craig Fadel is the Campus Pastor at Bay Area Community Church Easton.
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We would love to have you pick at least three Sundays this summer to serve in any of our Children’s Ministry environments: Tidal Pool • birth - age 2 Coral Reef • ages 3-5 Submarine Canyon • kindergarten - fifth-grade sign up online at bayareacc.org/summerserve 10 GO&MAKE J U LY
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Did you know there are several ways to give at Bay Area? In addition to cash or check, you can give via:
A recurring gift with your credit or debit card, or bank account transfer.
The Bay Area app
Giving Kiosks in the Annapolis Campus lobby OFFICE BAY CAFÉ EAST EXIT
CHAPEL WEST EXIT
AUDITORIUM
In June 2018 we launched a 24-month generosity initiative called Unrivaled; through June 2020, all giving will go toward our goal of $16,500,000.
You can learn more or give online at
bayareacc.org/give
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By Michele Rollins
“PRAYER DOES NOT EQUIP US FOR GREATER WORKS; PRAYER IS THE GREATER WORK” - Oswald Chambers
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PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE THEY WILL SERVE.
T
his month, 79 men, women and children who call Bay Area home will head out to serve the nations on one of six short term missions teams headed to Belize, El Salvador, Ghana, Poland, Southeast Asia and Uganda. Nearly 50 others will leave their homes in 2018 to share the gospel around the world on a Bay Area short term missions team. Over the past several months they have stepped out in faith, built rich community, raised support, shared meals and testimonies, and yes – they have prayed. For each other, for the people they’ll serve, for their families they’ll leave behind, for travel plans, safety, jet lag, team unity and tasty food. Little and big, they bring their requests to God. Our prayer this summer is that you would join them, partner with them to get the gospel to the nations through committed prayer for our short term missions teams. Taking our model from Jesus’ prayer for His disciples in John 17, here are a few ways you can pray for our teams this summer:
BELIZE
EL SALVADOR
GHANA
POLAND
UGANDA
SOUTHEAST ASIA
“Now this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (v. 3). Pray that spiritual fruit would be borne, hearts would be open to the gospel, and new brothers and sisters would join us in the Kingdom as they respond to the good news of Jesus.
PRAY FOR PROTECTION. “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one … my prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one” (v. 11, 15). Pray against spiritual attacks, discouragement and sickness. Praying through the “armor of God” in Ephesians 6 may be a helpful guide.
PRAY FOR SANCTIFICATION. “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (v. 17). Pray that our teams, and the global partners they serve with, would hold fast to truth and grow in Christlikeness as they step out in faith and rely on God in new ways.
PRAY FOR UNITY. “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you … so that they may be brought to complete unity” (v. 21, 23). Pray that the unity of our teams and the way that team members interact with each other would richly portray the gospel to those who are watching. Pray that they would “outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10). To take a line from Oswald Chambers, via Greg St. Cyr: “Prayer does not equip us for greater works; prayer is the greater work” (My Utmost for His Highest, Oct. 17). God’s people, gathered together around a common cause of bringing Him glory among the nations, can and will change the world. Jesus said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18), and in prayer we can see Jesus worshipped among people who have never trusted in Him before – pushing back the gates of hell and welcoming these new brothers and sisters into eternal life. Chambers goes on to say, “prayer is the battle, and it makes no difference where you are. However God may engineer your circumstances, your duty is to pray.” Whether you’ll sleep tonight in Annapolis, Easton, Uganda, Poland or Belize, your prayer matters. So let’s pray it up, friends – and see how Jesus will change the world.
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Welcoming
SENTCHURCH NETWORK PLANTERS
to Bay Area
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is the largest mission field in the Western Hemisphere and the fifth-largest in the world. Unfortunately, 3,500-4,000 churches close every year in the United States, according to Ed Stetzer, church consultant and researcher. In 2008, Bay Area commissioned our first church planting team to establish Downtown Hope in Annapolis, and in late 2012 we launched a churchplanting organization called the SENT Network. SENT's mission is to equip leaders to plant gospel-centered churches. This month, as several of these church planters join us at Bay Area to preach during our series on parables, SENT Network Director Mark McGeever shares exciting news about how God is moving in the Mid-Atlantic.
WHAT’S THE LATEST NEWS WITH SENT NETWORK? Mark: This spring a number of churches that have been preparing and laying the groundwork launched their Sunday gatherings for the first time. Several just had their public launches, and I was just having so much fun – one week I was up in New Jersey, then down in Virginia, over in Baltimore, then near D.C. In one of those first gatherings, seven people indicated interest in wanting to follow Jesus.
TELL US HOW YOU’VE SEEN GOD AT WORK IN ONE OF THOSE CHURCHES. Mark: Peace City Church came out of The Well Community Church (an existing SENT Network plant) in Silver Spring. Pastor Eric So was one of the first three guys The Well’s pastor, Matt, ever met when he moved to Silver Spring, he was in his first life group, he was part of the initial core group that started The Well, and now he’s planted Peace City. They’re targeting the refugee population in Riverdale. That’s a great example of Eric being discipled, then developed in a church planting residency, then multiplying out and birthing a new church plant. We want to see that happen – planting churches that plant churches.
ARE THERE ANY RECENT TESTIMONIES OR STORIES OF LIFE CHANGE THAT YOU CAN SHARE FROM A SENT CHURCH? Mark: In the roughest part of downtown Wilmington, Delaware, where church planter Derrick Parks just launched a church, we’ve seen guys coming out of prison who have gotten involved in their work. Two weeks after Derrick moved in, there was a murder on his street. Wilmington was written up in the news – they called it Murdertown, USA – but Derrick said, “No, it’s Mercytown,
USA. We’re bringing the gospel and we’re going to see change.” Here’s an example – a young guy was murdered, and there was a lot of anger on Facebook about it. Derrick went on Facebook and invited three of the friends who were really angry, got together with them, started a relationship with them, and is showing them the love and mercy of Christ. He also talked about a guy who came out of jail who connected with them, gave his life to Christ, and is now walking with Christ, connected with their church community.
WHAT’S NEXT ON THE HORIZON FOR SENT? Mark: One of the things we’re praying about right now is in the next several years we want to see a total of 30 church plants in our region, 33 percent in under-resourced areas. And we have a vision to see three regions where SENT is planting. Right now we’re just in the Mid-Atlantic region, so we’d like to see God open doors in two other regions. As of now, we’ve got 17 of those 30 churches planted and active, and one-third are in under-resourced areas. We have several more that are preparing to plant, and we’ve got other people in the pipeline.
HOW CAN OUR CHURCH FAMILY AT BAY AREA SUPPORT THE WORK OF SENT? Mark: We have prayer meetings on the first, third and fourth Tuesdays at 7:30 a.m. in the prayer room for SENT and Bay Area. If anyone knows somebody who’s aspiring to be a church planting pastor, we’d love to talk with them.
To learn more about the SENT Network, its churches and opportunities to get involved, go to sentnetwork.org. J U LY GO&MAKE 15
Having completed Bay Area’s pastoral residency program, Jorge Solorzano is preparing to plant a bilingual church in Annapolis through the SENT Network. As God continues to build his team and go before them, Jorge shares about the vision and mission of Axis Church.
WHAT IS THE VISION OF AXIS CHURCH? Jorge: The vision is to become a bilingual community centering on Jesus, transforming our world. It’s an inclusive, multi-ethnic approach. The mission statement is to inspire people to make Jesus the center of their life. Why bilingual? The demographic picture of the United States has been dramatically changing over the last 20 years. God is bringing all nations to this nation, which is a great opportunity for the church to reach the nations for Jesus. The Hispanic community has become 17.4 percent of the population. In the City of Annapolis, 20.3 percent of the population is Hispanic. Why Axis? Axis by definition means the central line about which an object revolves. For us, that central line is Jesus and that central object is everything else, including us. Our lives should revolve around the person of Jesus. There’s a difference between making Jesus a priority in your life and making Jesus the center of your life.
WHAT’S YOUR TIMELINE LEADING UP TO YOUR LAUNCH? Jorge: Our first church service is going to be January 27, 2019. Between now and that date, our focus is developing what we call Axis Communities, which are basically Missional Communities – a Bible study during the week – and what we call Axis Circles, which is like a Life Group – three to four people meeting during the week for discipleship. The prayer is to have three Axis Communities and 12 Axis Circles by the end of 2018. We’re also praying for 12 families or individuals to join our core team.
HOW HAS GOD BEEN MOVING IN AXIS CHURCH ALREADY? Jorge: God is going before us, and it is His plan, His vision, His church. We weren’t even looking for a place to have our Sunday gatherings because it’s so far down the road. I did research, drove around Annapolis, and talked to a couple pastors that have churches in Annapolis, and after doing that and trying to discern what would be the best spot to plant a church, I came to the conclusion that the intersection of Bestgate Road and Admiral Drive was pretty good because Admiral Drive is primarily Hispanic and Bestgate Road is more American, and the mall is a meeting point where both worlds come together. Someone said to me, “Did you know there’s a school there?” They were talking about Annapolis Area Christian School. Long story short, I got together with AACS, and they said there was another church using their facility on Sunday morning that just stopped renting, and they’d been praying for a new church that God would have steward their facility on Sunday morning. I told them, “We’re not launching it right now,” and they said, “No problem, we’ll block that whole year for you.” It was a cool way of God saying, “Hey I’ve got this, I’m going before you, it is my Kingdom and my church, and I’m taking care of it.” 16 GO&MAKE J U LY
To learn more about Jorge’s church plant, download their vision booklet at sentnetwork.org or email him at jorge.solorzano@axisbilingual.org.
Discipleship. Multiplication. Leadership development of the head, heart and hands. Coaching. Encouragement. Resources. Vision... just a few of the things SENT Network brings to church planters and churches. SENT is the church planting arm for Bay Area Community Church. Through SENT, Bay Area church planters have been equipped in residency and are being coached on the field.
- Greg St. Cyr, Lead Pastor, Bay Area Community Church
sentnetwork.org
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A GLIMMER OF HOPE
By Sam Logan
Just before dawn on November 28, 2017, a group of bandits attacked the small village of Duk Payuel in South Sudan, located 110 miles north of Bor, in Jonglei state. Retreating back into the bush as the sun rose on that day, they carried with them 56 abducted children, leaving behind smoldering ruins of the village and dozens dead. A local official, Commissioner Deng, was sleeping only 11 kilometers away that night. He received a call from a humanitarian worker at 6:30 a.m. and arrived shortly after the bandits had escaped. “We found bodies lying down. Women were running around trying to find children that were not there. There was wailing. It was a horrible scene,” the Commissioner recalled during a recent trip to Annapolis. The villagers looked to him for leadership and strength. He worked 18 GO&MAKE J U LY
hard not to cry and did his best to attend to the living and dead. “It was one of the worst experiences I have ever gone through,” he said, sighing heavily at the memory. One man, who had lost his entire family and all earthly belongings, was inconsolable. He wandered around the village in shock. A child, only 8 years old, had watched the bandits steal away her siblings after gunmen had killed both of her parents. She had been shot in the leg, so the bandits didn’t take her, or kill her. “She was asking questions we couldn’t answer,” the Commissioner said, “and said she couldn’t understand why they didn’t just kill her.” In that moment, the Commissioner again struggled not to cry. “It was terrible.”
In total, there were 19 wounded, 56 children abducted, and 44 dead. As word spread, Bishop Daniel, who oversees the Diocese that encompasses the village, received a call and immediately set out for Duk. He found village elders and others sitting around wondering what to do. Everyone was looking at him, expecting him to say something. “I was helpless,” he confessed. “An old woman came to hug me and warned me not to cry,” the Bishop said as re-lived those moments. As soon as he heard the words “do not cry,” he felt the power of the Holy Spirit come over him to give him strength and courage.
“ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”
Romans 8:35-38 came to the Bishop’s mind: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” He read Scripture to those gathered. “God is still God,” he told them. After sharing more scripture with them, he walked over to the mass grave to pray. When the Commissioner’s brother, Deng Chol, received news of the massacre, he immediately moved to have his employer, Samaritan’s Purse, respond with two planes to evacuate the wounded to Juba where they could receive definitive care. Even as pain and sorrow overwhelmed, God’s hand was at work through the Commissioner, his brother, and the Bishop. Together, they had the wounded evacuated to the hospital. “Not one was lost,” the Bishop said. But the Lord wasn’t finished. In early December, Bay Area got involved through longtime member Jim Hiskey,
who asked what he could do on a conference call organized to discuss the massacre. “The best thing you can do is pray,” one of the local pastors on the call told Jim. “Okay, I’ll do that, but is there anything else we can do?” Jim pressed on the phone. They told Jim about a container of supplies that had been organized and shipped to South Sudan by a local organization. The supplies were stuck in Juba. Because of the rains and the cost of transport, funds were required to load the container on a flatbed trailer and securely transport it to Duk Payuel, including armed guards. Jim asked them, “If we can raise the funds, can you get the container out there [to Duk]?” The answer was yes. Jim called Lead Pastor Greg St. Cyr to ask for help, then met several times with Global Missions Pastor Casely Essamuah to discuss what could be done. Bay Area was able to provide the funds to have the container loaded and moved to Duk. It arrived safely on Christmas Eve, less than a month after the massacre had happened. Survivors received new clothes in time to worship God at the Christmas service. “[That container of supplies] brought hope back to the people of Duk,” the Bishop said. It was a moment when the survivors saw that God was still with them. “The people were dancing and rejoicing in the Lord,” the Bishop shared. Recognizing the small but important role Bay Area played, the Bishop said the container’s arrival was a moment of brotherhood and mutual identity in Christ. “I pray that God continues to strengthen our unity,” he said as he shared Matthew 25:35: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me…”
On July 8 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., you can join the Bishop, the Commissioner, Deng Chol, Jim, Casely and others in a time of fasting and prayer for the abducted children of Duk. J U LY GO&MAKE 19
UNRIVALED UPDATE
Unrivaled = having no equal, better than any others, incomparable, second to none, unsurpassed. That’s Jesus. He is unrivaled. Colossians 1:18 concludes “that in everything he might be preeminent.”
By Greg St. Cyr
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More than anything else, we want Jesus to have first place at Bay Area Community Church. That’s the heart behind the Unrivaled initiative that we launched after Easter. As the song “What A Beautiful Name” declares:
You have no rival, You have no equal Now and forever our God reigns. The vision for Unrivaled is to elevate Jesus, calling each of us to enter the ring of surrender, faith and generosity. The ultimate goal is for each of us to come to the place where we make Jesus Lord. In reality, Unrivaled was a “Lordship” series. Flowing out of Christ’s supremacy, we set before the church family a God-sized vision to multiply ministry, invest in students and children, and expand His kingdom through sending out laborers, starting new campuses, and resourcing ministry around the world. The goal we
believed God was asking us trust Him for was $16.5 million over two years. Unrivaled is a different approach to funding ministry. We moved away from challenging the church family to give “over and above” normal giving. Instead, we introduced the concept of One Fund. We asked you to pray about your total giving to the vision of your home church over the next two years, and make a commitment that reflects surrender, faith and the next step of generosity. Hundreds of households embraced the challenge and turned in faith-stretching commitments. At the same time, more than a few voiced concerns and confusion. Some of that confusion was probably the combination of introducing the new concept of One Fund, as well as my need to communicate more clearly. If you still have questions or concerns about Unrivaled, please email unrivaled@bayareacc.org and I will have someone reach out to you. Some were troubled about what they believed to be an over-emphasis on money during Unrivaled. I understand that concern. My hope is to normalize talking about giving and make it as
natural as talking about prayer or missions. I have the personal conviction that until a person surrenders their finances to the Lord, they are missing out on the joy and adventure of being all in for Jesus. Thus, my motivation is to help each of us become all Jesus wants us to be. And for many, the last thing to be placed on the altar is the wallet. Admittedly, that message is a difficult one to communicate and can be easily misunderstood. For me, one discouraging result of Unrivaled is the drop in attendance during the Unrivaled series. As I write, attendance is still down significantly on Sundays. If you are troubled or unsettled about the recent emphasis on generosity, know that I’d be happy to meet with you. Please email or call me at the church office and we will set up an appointment. Now for the overwhelming good news! Having been involved in helping lead four previous stewardship initiatives at Bay Area (Faithful to the Call, One and Only Life, Beyond884 and The Descendants Project), I can say that we’ve never experienced the kind of response we received with Unrivaled! God has moved mightily as:
156 households who had no giving record stepped out in faith and made a commitment!
The average increase from what participants had given over the last two years to what has been committed is a staggering 44 percent!
Through commitments and expected giving, we anticipate the Lord providing $16,649,205!
Since our primary goal was 100 percent engagement, this is tremendous as so many new people are stepping into the ring. Thank you to all those who are newly locking arms with us!
This kind of increase reflects serious faith stretching. For all those who stretched in their generosity, know that God is able and promises to meet all of your needs. Welcome to experiencing the jetstream of God’s grace!
Never before in the history of our stewardship initiatives has anticipated giving exceeded our goal! This is absolutely incredible and cause for celebration. All glory to God!
God is showering His blessing on us as a church. He is confirming the work of His hands. Jesus is saying that He has more for us to do as He makes us into a 10-mina church. In the words of Psalm 67, God is blessing us for the sake of the nations:
God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us; that Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations. Psalm 67:1-2
If you would like more information about Unrivaled, or desire to make a commitment to this great work of God, you can do so at baccunrivaled.org. If you are a part of the Bay Area family, I encourage you to lock arms with us as together we fight for surrender, faith and generosity in making Jesus preeminent! J U LY GO&MAKE 21
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DOOR PRIZES • OUTDOOR GAMES LOTS OF GRILLED FOOD
BAYAREACC.ORG/REGISTER
SUPPORT GROUP Through September 17 6:45-9 PM Are you separated, in the process of divorce or already divorced? Don’t walk through this difficult time alone. DivorceCare at Bay Area is a support group that features practical information, biblical teaching and encouragement to help you move forward.
Register online at bayareacc.org/register
DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP EVERY SECOND SUNDAY S TA R T I N G
July 8 2-3 PM
Alzheimer’s disease is life-changing for our loved ones and those who are caregivers. Bay Area’s Dementia Caregivers Support Group desires to provide a place to connect with others who truly understand what you are going through. We aim to be a safe place for caregivers, family and friends to meet and develop a mutual support system.
Please register at bayareacc.org/register. J U LY GO&MAKE 23
CARE NETWORK
HAPPENINGS OUR MISSION Making passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations
OUR VISION There are five things we desire for every follower of Jesus who calls Bay Area home to do:
CONNECT IN COMMUNITY SERVE LIKE JESUS GO ON A MISSION TRIP SHARE THE GOSPEL WORSHIP TOGETHER
YOUR FIRST STEP New to Bay Area or want to get involved? Join us at First Step, a fun, one-hour gathering where you’ll learn about who we are, what we believe, and what your next steps are to get plugged into community and serving at Bay Area. Coffee, snacks and KidCare are provided. Take your first step at Bay Area by signing up today to attend one of the gatherings: Sunday, July 8 at 9:20 a.m., Sunday, July 8 at 11:20 a.m., or Tuesday, July 10 at 7 p.m. in the Bay Café classroom. Register: bayareacc.org/firststep
Sometimes life hands us struggles: loss of a loved one, serious illness, parenting difficulties, divorce, addiction and other challenges. These difficult circumstances can cause us to isolate, yet Jesus never intended that we walk through them alone. The Care Network is a free, confidential, Jesus-centered ministry for those seeking assistance. We provide hope and healing through a variety of resources both inside and outside the walls of Bay Area. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org
DIVORCECARE SUPPORT GROUP Mondays through 9/17, 6:45-9 p.m. Are you separated, in the process of divorce or already divorced? Don’t walk through this difficult time alone. DivorceCare is a support group led by trained facilitators who have experienced divorce and rebuilt their lives. Each week the group features practical information, biblical teaching and encouragement to help you move forward. Register: bayareacc.org/register Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org
DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS SUPPORT Begins Sunday 7/8, 2-3 p.m. Alzheimer’s disease is life-changing for our loved ones and those who are caregivers. The Dementia Caregivers Support Group provides a place to connect with others who truly understand what you are going through. This will be a place to talk through challenges and learn about resources. This group will meet on the second Sunday of each month from 2-3 p.m. Register: bayareacc.org/register
For those who have already completed First Step, our next Second Step gathering is Sunday, August 26 from 12:30-4 p.m. Register: bayareacc.org/ membership
PREMARITAL MENTORING
BAPTISM
MARRIAGE MINISTRY TEAM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE BAPTIZED? For more information, contact: K-5th: gail.wiles@bayareacc.org 6-12th: brent.squires@bayareacc.org Adults: kayleigh.vaughn@bayareacc.org 24 GO&MAKE J U LY
The premarital mentoring team is looking for couples to come alongside engaged couples. If you are married 10+ years and have a passion for helping couples start their marriages in a Jesus-honoring way email premarital.ministry@bayareacc.org.
Our Marriage Ministry events team seeks to encourage and equip couples through a variety of events and activities. These include Learning Communities, The Great Date Night, Date Nights OUT and conferences.
If you have a passion to help strengthen marriages and have been married for 10+ years, come be a part of this ministry. Learn more at bayareacc.org/marriageministry.
TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR PREMARITAL COUPLES We believe strongly that the best way to honor God before marriage is to remain pure and live separately. We’re looking for folks who have temporary space in their homes that could be used in order to fulfill this desire. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org
ENGAGED? We want to partner with you as you establish a strong, Jesus-centered life. Through premarital mentoring you’ll be paired with trained marriage mentors who will equip you with the tools and resources you’ll need to succeed in marriage. Info: premarital.ministry@ bayareacc.org
EMPLOYMENT EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT This person primarily will serve as executive assistant to the executive pastor at Bay Area. Administrative support will include maintaining the EP’s calendar; preparing meeting agendas and taking meeting minutes; corresponding via email and phone on behalf of the EP; coordinating Learning Communities and various events; and working on special projects as needed.
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR 24 hours per week. The Communications Coordinator will serve on the Communications Team with the Communications Director. Their primary responsibilities will include facilitating and executing weekly communication requests; coordinating the development, writing and editing of GO&MAKE content; and assisting with communication elements of weekend gatherings, event marketing and special projects.
KIDCARE TEAM MEMBERS Our KidCare team has a need for adults who have a heart for kids. We provide KidCare for all ministries and various events year-round. Currently, we have an urgent need for KC workers on Wednesday mornings during the
women’s Well Bible studies. Want to join our team of paid workers? Email KidCare Coordinator Dianna at dianna. jeglum@bayareacc.org.
ASSOCIATE WORSHIP LEADER 40 hours per week. The role of the Associate Worship Leader is to contribute to building a worship culture at BACC by leading worship at multiple venues, assisting the leadership of a campus, ensuring all worship experiences are executed with excellence, developing leaders and recruiting volunteers.
PRESCHOOL ASSISTANT 29 hours per week. Assists with the implementation of our vision and strategy in Children’s Ministry as it pertains to parents, volunteers, potential volunteers and children of our Preschool environments at Bay Area. This person will work with the Preschool Coordinator to ensure all details are covered for Sunday mornings and other events. For more info and to apply: bayareacc.org/jobs
WOMEN’S MINISTRY Register for studies and events at bayareacc.org/annapolis/women.
Fully Surrendered study and workout class Tuesdays and Thursdays, through 8/7, 7-8:30 p.m. Join us for an in-depth look at God’s calling for us to be a living sacrifice for His glory using Lysa Terkeurst’s “Made to Crave” video and discussion series. We will follow this with a workout each week. All fitness levels and eating styles are welcome. Cost $25. In addition, please order Made to Crave Participants Guide at christianbook.com. Info: kaycee.rump@gmail.com
Study of Galatians Thursdays, 7/19 - 8/30, 7-8:30 p.m. We will study verse by verse through this book to see how the churches in Galatia struggled to maintain a clear gospel, how legalism affected them, and their joy of discovering their freedom in Christ apart from the law. Bring a Bible to class, which will meet in the Bay Cafe Classroom. Info: horaciosharon@gmail.com
LIFECRAFT: SIGN PAINTING Wednesday, 7/11, 7-9 p.m. Make your own wood painted sign at this workshop taught by Drea May. You will choose from one of three stencil designs and follow instructions to create something beautiful for your home. Cost: $20. For design options, email Drea: dreamay3@gmail.com.
ON THE GO: PADDLEBOARDING Thursday, 7/26, 5:45-9 p.m. Enjoy a paddle around Spa Creek and the waters of DTA. Reserve your rented paddle board at capitalsup. com. Cost $20/hour (lessons not included). Arrive at 5:45 for 6-7 p.m. paddleboarding. Afterward, we will meet for dinner at a local restaurant. Info: wiles.christie@gmail.com
FELLOWSHIP CRUISE TO BERMUDA August 25, 2018 Don’t miss this five-night cruise from Baltimore to Bermuda on Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas. Special guest Easton Worship Leader Rachel Pletts will perform a concert for us on the ship. Excursions and other group activities available. Invite your spouse or make it a girls trip. Info: Lynn at lriley1137@comcast.net
ABUNDANCE WOMEN’S CONFERENCE Saturday, 9/29, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Join us as we head to Richmond for this one-day women’s conference. Group tickets are available now but we need to see how many women would like to carpool to attend this event. Go to lifeway.com/abundance to learn more about the speakers and other event details. Cost: $59. Email janet.graves@bayareacc.org to purchase your ticket.
QUILTS FOR KIDS Saturday, 7/21, 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in The Docks Join us as we make quilts for kids together. Bring your sewing machine and we will provide the quilting fabrics. Bring your lunch to eat together. Info: annapolisqfk@gmail.com
MISSIONAL COMMUNITY Being connected with others helps us grow in our love for God, for each other, and for our neighbor. You can find out more about Missional Communities at bayareacc.org/ missionalcommunities.
MEN’S FELLOWSHIP MEN’S MORNING BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays, 6-7:30 a.m. in room 236 Info: jlradcliffe@hotmail.com
MEN’S EVENING BIBLE STUDIES Sundays, 6-8 p.m. in room 235 This study is geared toward helping men draw closer to Jesus while discussing and discovering God’s answers for the challenges men face at home, work and in society. Info: bob.gregory@bayareacc.org
Thursdays, 7-9 p.m. in room 235 Join Bay Area men to spend time in the Word and prayer, for fellowship and discussion, and for discipleship. Info: sam.logan@gmail.com
PRAYER MINISTRY Our Prayer Ministry comprises individuals dedicated to praying for all aspects of Bay Area: gatherings, pastors, missions and more. Individuals are also available to pray after each gathering (front-right of Chapel stage). Info: bayareacc.org/prayer
GLOBAL MISSIONS GO Take the next step in your walk with Jesus and share God’s love in one of 10 locations worldwide. Fill out the GO Form: bayareacc.org/stm
SEND Whether you can travel on mission this year or not, there’s still a way for you to be a part of what God is doing among the nations through Bay Area. Give: bayareacc.org/stmgive
PRAY We’re looking for committed people to pray for our missionaries and global partners. This team meets second and fourth Sundays at 10 a.m. in the Prayer Room. Info: ccback@verizon.net Pray for short term missionaries: michele.rollins@bayareacc.org
G&M ON THE GO Read GO&MAKE online at bayareacc.org/goandmake.
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SERVE LIKE JESUS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT SERVING AT BAY AREA? Below, you’ll see a list of some of our most immediate serving needs. For a complete list of serving opportunities, and to sign up, go to bayareacc.org/serve. AMBASSADOR TEAM GREETER TEAM AUDIO/VIDEO TEAM CHAIR MINISTRY ESPRESSO BAR TEAM CHILDREN’S WELCOME TEAM CHILDREN’S SET DESIGN TEAM PARKING TEAM PRESCHOOL TEAM SAFETY TEAM WOMEN’S MINISTRY USHER TEAM
STUDENT MINISTRY BASM SUMMER GATHERINGS Sundays, June-August, 11:20 a.m. in the Chapel BASM Summer Gatherings will be held in the Chapel for the months of June, July, and August. We will have our Student Ministry worship team, live Biblical teaching on our student summer series, and the opportunity to connect with other students and student ministry leaders. Info: lauren.gibeault@bayareacc.org
MIDDLE SCHOOL SUMMER CINEMA 7/13 & 8/10, 6-9 p.m.
GUPPY GULCH DAY TRIP Thursday, July 19 Middle and high school students are invited to join us for a day trip to Guppy Gulch, a water adventure park on a water-filled quarry with zip lines, water inflatables, a blob, kayaks and more! The cost is $50, which includes transportation, admission to the park and lunch. The deadline to register is Sunday, July 8. Info: tim.agnolutto@bayareacc.org
MIDDLE SCHOOL FAMILY PICNIC Sunday, 9/9, 1-3 p.m. Middle school students and their families are invited to join the Student Ministry staff for a family picnic. The picnic will be held at Camp Barrett (approx. 1 mile from Bay Area) directly after the 11:20 a.m. gathering. This free picnic lunch will have optional swimming, ga-ga ball, kickball and more. You can also meet your student’s leader for the upcoming year. Info: tim.agnolutto@bayareacc.org
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY WAVE RIDERS PLAY GROUP Tuesday, 7/10, 10 a.m. ice cream at Downtown Annapolis playground Monday, 7/23, 10 a.m. at Broadneck Park Come check out this family play and support group with fun activities, book clubs and socials that offers a space for parents to share knowledge, resources and experiences. Info: facebook.com/ waveriderplaygroup
DIVE 45 INFLATED Friday, 8/17, 7-9 p.m.
Summer Cinema is our monthly middle school movie and hangout night during the summer. It’s a free, high-energy evening full of activities, games, and a featured movie. Info: tim.agnolutto@bayareacc.org
Children entering fourth- or fifthgrade this fall won’t want to miss Dive 45 Inflated. From 7-9 p.m., kids will enjoy playing on inflatables, games and pizza for dinner. The cost is $15 per child, and inviting fourth- or fifthgrade friends is encouraged. Register: bayareacc.org/register
BIG BEACH WEEKEND 2018 August 3-6
MOVE UP SUNDAY
High school students are invited to join us for one of the region’s finest high school retreats! Big Beach Weekend will be held at Harvey Cedars Bible Conference. Cost is $325 and the deadline to register is July 15. Info: tim.agnolutto@bayareacc.org
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Sunday, July 8, our rising sixthgraders will join Student Ministry at 11:20 a.m. in the Chapel. Move Up Sunday for all children entering kindergarten through fifth grade is September 2. This is the day they will move up to their next school grade in The Deep Blue.
COLLEGE MINISTRY YOUNG ADULT MISSIONAL COMMUNITY (AGES 18-25) Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. Missional Communities are a great opportunity for people to connect in community where they are loving God, serving others and growing spiritually together. Info: bryan.mcfarland@bayareacc.org
FINANCIALS On June 1, 2018, Bay Area began a two-year generosity initiative called Unrivaled that will fund our ongoing ministry at all campuses, construction of our new student center and children’s addition, and expansion of Christ’s reach from here to the nations. Our two-year giving goal is $16,500,000.
MAKE A COMMITMENT
Our primary goal in Unrivaled is 100 percent engagement - that every person at Bay Area would ask what it means to put God first in their finances. To make a commitment, pick up a commitment card at an information counter or go to baccunrivaled.org/commitment.
GIVING METHODS
You can give toward your Unrivaled commitment through the offering during the gatherings, online at bayareacc.org/give, or by texting BACC + amount to 30131 (ex: “BACC 50” to give $50). Info: baccunrivaled.org Questions: finance@bayareacc.org
LEARNING COMMUNITIES HERMENEUTICS - THE ART & SCIENCE OF INTERPRETATION 7/15-29, 9:20 a.m. in Dock B This class is a seminary level class dedicated to the art and science of interpretation of scripture. Hermeneutics affects so many things when it comes to getting the most out of the Bible. Pastor Ed Kelley and Bible expert Horacio Tablada will team-teach this LC, which will change the way you look at every passage of the Bible. Register at bayareacc.org/ learningcommunities.
every one a missionary bayareacc.org
You shop. Amazon gives. Shopping online? Consider using Amazon Smile. When you do, they will donate a portion of your purchase to the charity of your choice. Select Bay Area Community Church and support our ministry with every purchase you make.
smile.amazon.com J U LY GO&MAKE 27
THANK YOU
to everyone who made a commitment and stepped into the ring to fight for greater surrender, faith and generosity!
UNRIVALED baccunr ivaled.org 28 GO&MAKE J U LY