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IN THIS ISSUE 6 ED’S EDITORIAL: WE ARE A TABLE Executive Pastor Ed Kelley explains how, just as a table with four legs equal in length is balanced, we too need to find balance in the four key areas of our existence: the physical, the emotional (social), the mental, and the spiritual.
12 GIFTS FOR CHILDREN Bay Area is again partnering with the Walk the Walk Foundation to host Gifts For Children, an annual effort to bless local children in need with Christmas presents.
14 SENT NETWORK UPDATE: CHARLIE MITCHELL Church planter Charlie Mitchell shares about his plans to launch a church in Baltimore through the SENT Network, casting a vision for what he hopes God will do in the inner city.
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18 COVER STORY: EVERY ONE A MISSIONARY At the chance invitation of a friend, Stephanie Mabrey first came to Bay Area over three years ago. Soon after, she came to faith in Jesus, and now lives life in light of Bay Area’s vision, Every One A Missionary. Pictured: Bay Area’s Jim David teaching students while on a short term mission trip to Ghana. Read about their experience on page 22.
We appreciate your comments and questions. Please email us at feedback@bayareacc.org and a staff member or elder will respond within 48 hours.
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 Alex Ray Andy Smith Harriet Petrocelli Michele Rollins Sam Logan
On the cover: Stephanie Mabrey Photo by Josh Shirlen
Gathering Times: 8, 9:30, 11:15am
ELDERS Bill Smith Chris Heacock David McPeak Don Wiley Greg St. Cyr J. Upton John Taylor Keith Riniker Ken Gilmore Roger Ishii Tim Grossman Tom Dalpini 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, Missional Community Pastor – brian.hopper@bayareacc.org Casely Essamuah, Global Missions Pastor – casely.essamuah@bayareacc.org Craig Fadel, Easton Campus Pastor – craig.fadel@bayareacc.org Ed Kelley, Executive Pastor – ed.kelley@bayareacc.org Gail Wiles, Children’s Ministry 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 Josh Shirlen, arts – josh.shirlen@bayareacc.org Leanne Lane, Care Network Director – leanne.lane@bayareacc.org Lynn Dutton, H.R. Administrator – lynn.dutton@bayareacc.org Meredith Thompson, Communications Director – meredith.thompson@bayareacc.org Pat Linnell, Teaching Pastor – pat.linnell@bayareacc.org Rachel Perry, Connecting Director – rachel.perry@bayareacc.org Ron Dutton, Operations Director – ron.dutton@bayareacc.org Tres Cozad, Technical Director – tres.cozad@bayareacc.org
For a comprehensive list of all BACC staff, elders and deacons, please visit bayareacc.org/leadership N OV E M B E R GO&MAKE 3
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Dear Bay Area family, October was an encouraging month for us as we recommitted ourselves to the next generations through The Descendants Project. On that star-filled night 4,000 years ago when God promised Abraham that his descendants would be like the stars of the heavens, the Lord had us in mind. Blessed to be a blessing, we’ve embraced our responsibility to raise up future descendants. Thank you for sacrificially giving to The Descendants Project. God is going to use your gifts to reach tens of thousands of children and students in the days ahead! Fundraising efforts like The Descendants Project not only result in impacting countless lives, but also change us. There are several verses that I cling to when it comes to trusting God with finances. Claiming these verses has revolutionized my life. I pray you would experience God doing supernatural things in your life as you give, and it all begins with the faith to take God at His Word. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 This simple verse is a statement of fact flowing from the lips of Jesus. Like Abraham, we have been blessed to be a blessing. When we commit ourselves to living as “givers” instead of “getters,” God showers us with more and more blessing (Psalm 67:7). “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 The jet stream of God’s grace is based on the principle of sowing and reaping. As we sow with abundance, we step into the jet stream of His grace and He showers us with “an abundance for every good deed.” My wife Mary Kaye and I can say with conviction that after 35 years of growing in the grace of giving, God has overwhelmed us with His abundant provision for every good deed. “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38 Jesus gives us a very a simple promise: You cannot outgive God! I’m certainly not advocating “prosperity theology.” Yet the truth is that nobody ever has or ever will outgive Jehovah
Jireh. This is a basic principle of life that cannot be changed. It all boils down to this: “Do we believe it or not?” “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 This is a promise but it comes with conditions. You cannot break God’s financial laws, and then claim this verse. Paul makes this promise to the poverty-stricken Macedonians who were giving sacrificially to his ministry. In light of their generosity, he promises that God will provide for their every need. When we are faithful to honor the Lord financially, God takes full responsibility to meet our needs. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 Every believer will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account. This judgment has nothing to do with salvation but rather eternal rewards. We are not to store up treasures on earth by gripping them tightly. Rather, Jesus tells us to store up treasure in heaven. As Randy Alcorn puts it in his book, “The Treasure Principle,” “You can’t take it with you, but you can send it on ahead.” Fundraising efforts like The Descendants Project not only fund God’s work, but also radically transform us. Our faith is stretched. We learn to deny self and wait on God’s timing for His provision. We experience the truth that we cannot outgive God. We step into the jet stream of His grace and see His supernatural provision. We store up treasures in heaven. And we become more generous and more like Jesus. For these reasons, and many more, I love fundraisers like The Descendants Project. And I hope you will learn to view giving opportunities like this with the same kind of joy and expectancy. From here to the nations,
Greg St. Cyr Lead Pastor
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WE ÄRE A TABLE
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M
ost people know that a typical table has four legs. Pretty much everyone has experienced a table that is out of balance where one leg or another is “off” and the silly table rocks back and forth and won’t stay steady (which drives me nuts). Well, a table, allegorically, is just like life itself. In life, the four legs of a table represent the four key areas of our existence: the physical, the emotional (social), the mental, and the spiritual. Each important area needs strength and to be balanced to the other areas. In fact, a normal table has to have good strength of the four legs in order to handle any significant “weight” that is sat upon it. If one of the legs is weak, then the table can come crashing down depending on what is put on it. Life is exactly the same: each of life’s legs needs attention and strength in order to handle stress that is placed upon it. One can’t ignore issues in one’s mental or physical life and think that the others will do well. Normally, they’re interconnected. I tell our staff this all the time - don’t ignore life’s four important legs. This means pay some attention to each. Consider: The human life needs physical, emotional, mental and spiritual balance and strength so when life’s stresses (weights) land in our life, and they always do, our lives can handle the stress. Stress can really feel heavy. Anyone who has lived any amount of time has a ton of stress come their way often, and sometimes at the most inopportune time. It can come from all sorts of sources: the department in which one works, society’s expectations, our spouse/family, or even within ourselves as many of us tend to hold our actions and behaviors to very high standards. Sometimes we are under constant stress from our situation, circumstances or the position we hold. Other times, a single event can happen in our life that causes us to carry more weight or stress for a season of time. Either way, a prepared, strong and balanced life can handle it.
I have worked with thousands of people over the last 35 years. I have seen outof-balance lives. I have seen events happen to people that have crashed their personal worlds - major stress coming out of the blue and lives crumbling many times, taking years to recover and repair. Why do those lives crash so hard, and quite often, quickly? It’s been my experience that the life was out of balance for a long time before the big stressors hit. There is an old proverb that is so true: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Bottom line: We don’t wait to “get it together,” we proactively balance and strengthen our tables so that life doesn’t crush them. I have found that almost all folks who come to me to share their frustrations, challenges and hurts that life throws at them find some sort of solace in focusing on their spiritual life. For those who have no spiritual foundation, investigating faith usually draws them out of the malaise of the norm of their daily drumbeat, giving them hope and purpose they never had. For those who have a moderate understanding and practice of faith, then normally just reminding them of what is really important in the grand scheme of life is enough to jumpstart a renewed focus on the Spiritual leg of their table. For those who are strong in faith, reiterating together what is true in Scripture and divinity usually helps those folks strengthen their life’s Spiritual journey.
a Christian worldview, I believe that stress can be lessened as one understands the purposes of life and the mechanics of what God asks us to do. (Philippians 4:4-9). Often this centers on our mind and our thinking. Read Philippians 4. It has some things to say about all this. Actually, when one really thinks about the value of things, there aren’t too many things that can completely distract us to the point of fear or a lack of joy. Granted, things that occur to our friends and/or family certainly can throw us all for a loop, but ultimately we can only control ourselves, and circumstances can affect others without asking us permission. Faith is a good refuge in those times of trouble. Faith helps us all rebound from the tragedies that are all around us - the big and small ones. Take a look at your own table. How’s the balance? Is it ready for the next stress to land, or would it have a hard time? What leg needs some attention? Be balanced, my friends, and life becomes more joyful. Perhaps you can at some divine moment help someone with their table. It’s amazing what a squashed up napkin put under the right leg can do. Be a napkin to someone today.
i
My point is that people spend enormous time and money on physical, mental and social engagements while giving lip service to their spiritual leg. That’s not always true; sometimes the out-ofbalance area is elsewhere, but often I’ve found the spiritual leg is the wobbly leg. Folks, stress is a killer. It destroys the fun of life and can eat at someone from the inside out. My job is to help people think through what is right and what is important so that stress doesn’t get a hold of one of their “legs.” I might even suggest that the fiery darts of Satan come in the form of “fear, worry and stress” (see Ephesians 6). As someone who has
If you have questions about life, “legs,” or the Christian worldview, feel free to contact Ed Kelley at ed.kelley@bayareacc.org.
Ed Kelley is the executive pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE. N OV E M B E R GO&MAKE 7
By Pat Linnell
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here is a picture ingrained in my mind from when I was a kid playing outside in the summertime. It was looking up from the field seeing my grandfather, who we called “Pop,” sitting inside a screened porch reading his Bible. Pop and I had many great adventures at that country summer home: construction, cleaning out septic tanks (by hand for some reason), painting boat bottoms, fixing tractors, falling off roofs, even getting struck by lighting. But when I think back on those good old days, it’s Pop reading his Bible that I see first. Something about that picture warmed my heart. As a kid I thought, “That’s what’s up.” The Bible is the craziest and most helpful book ever written. Crazy because it was written by some 40 authors, on three continents, in three different languages, spanning a period of 1,500 years, yet it tells one cohesive and unified story of God and His creation. It is a collection of 66 books that contain historical narratives, poetry, wisdom literature, and even predictive prophecies of future events, many of which have already come true. It is the most helpful book ever written because it tells us human beings who we are, where we come from, and where we are going. The Bible answers all of life’s greatest questions, and gives us instructions from God about how to have the very best kind of life today. If all of this is true, then why is it so hard to read the Bible on a regular basis, or at all? Why do so many people leave the Bible stuff up to the pastors or weirdo church people? It is my belief that the Bible is uniquely hard to read today because it requires that we engage both our minds and our hearts – the words that God inspired the authors to write dig into us as much as we dig into them. We have to cross mental hurdles to sometimes really “get” what the author was communicating to us. Lots of people get hung up because they have a hard-to-read translation. If you have an old Bible but you don’t read it much, you likely have a translation that was developed for people who lived 400 years ago. They spoke differently then – which makes the Bible sound more dated than it really is. The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek, and our tools for translating directly from these manuscripts have increased greatly over the years. This means that we have more accurate translations from the oldest manuscripts today than ever before, which are written in plain English. Look for the ESV (English Standard Version), NIV (New International Version) or NASB (New American Standard) for your own personal reading.
Pat Linnell is the teaching pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE.
If you have a Bible that is accurate to the Greek and Hebrew and is reader-friendly, the next biggest mental challenge is the context. Many of us are jumping into the Bible not totally sure of the context of what we are reading. Imagine opening up one of your favorite books for the first time and reading it from the middle, like starting “The Giving Tree” when the little boy cuts off all her branches. You might be thinking, “Who is this little tree killer?” Or starting Harry Potter when Harry is an old man? (Does he ever become an old man by the way? My generation missed all those wizard sagas, and reading in general.) Well it’s kind of like that with the Bible; every verse sits in a context of others, and letters and books of the Bible have contexts also. This is not a cause to panic, as many newer Bibles have study notes, and a section that helps set the context. In addition, there are a number of great commentaries that help us understand some of the hard-to-understand parts of the Bible. If you stick with it, your misunderstanding will melt away. People who know the Bible a little better than you are also really helpful; ask them for help when you don’t understand something. In time the Bible becomes easier to read and understand. And then comes the hardest part of all. The Bible says that it is the inspired word of God Himself and that it is helpful to reprove us, correct us, and instruct us. Most of us don’t want to be corrected, instructed or reproved. But Jesus himself says that it is not just enough to know the Bible – we have to do what the Bible says. It is not like TV, where we plop down and passively receive content. The Bible calls us to action. Luckily for us, the Bible is not a book of rules to follow to be better people. It is a book about what God has done on our behalf so we can become forgiven people. And as forgiven people, we are able to become godly, finding more joy, more peace, more love – every day. The Bible points us to the true and living God, and instructs us to put our faith and hope in Him alone. It calls us to a God-centered life, and this is very difficult when we are only used to being self-centered people.
Maybe this is why I think about Pop with such fondness, and I can still see him on the porch, head down in the Bible. He was a man who lived a God-centered life, and it shaped my life greatly. He was a guy who was living out the Bible, looking to God first, and generously sharing all that he had with his family – particularly me. We all have the chance of doing life the way God intends. It is ours for the taking and sharing. It has lovingly been written down for us. That’s what’s up.
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NOVEMBER
BOOK: The Bible Exposition Commentary AUTHOR: Warren Wiersbe
E very
modern Christian needs to think about a few key books for their theological library. If I started over, I know this: I would make sure John MacArthur’s New Testament commentaries were in my library. I know I’d find Norman Geisler’s “Systematic Theology” set. Then I would probably put Wayne Grudem’s “Politics According To The Bible” volume in as well. But trumping them all as the best overall resource for interpreting the Bible would be Warren Wiersbe’s “Bible Exposition Commentary.” It comes in a single volume or the six-volume set I have. Here are its best features:
a ton of excess to find out what he is saying. Nice format. Mr. Wiersbe mixes great scholarship with common-sense explanations and exhortations. The commentary is an actual exposition of every text. That means it’s outlined in linear, understandable form, giving the reader a great understanding of each and every text. If you ever teach a Bible passage, these commentaries help immensely. He’s a conservative evangelical scholar/professor who can be completely trusted.
certain texts. He doesn’t avoid any tough interpretation. Love that.
...the best overall resource for interpreting the Bible... Anyway, I could go on and on, but if you’re willing to build a good library of books that can help you study the Bible and drive you further in your spiritual walk, get your hands on these commentaries. They’re small and effective. Good reading.
Mr. Wiersbe writes in paragraph form. That means each idea is separate and one doesn’t have to wade through 10 GO&MAKE N OV E M B E R
He was a lead pastor for 10 years and has a layman’s understanding of the questions that people have about
Ed Kelley Executive Pastor
holy land WALK IN THE
FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS
11-DAY BIBLICAL TOUR OF ISRAEL Hosted by Pastor Ed Kelley APRIL 24 - MAY 4, 2017 | $4,200
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By Harriet Petrocelli
he Christmas season is fast approaching. Buying gifts, baking, entertaining and keeping the focus on the birth of our Savior can seem overwhelming. Perhaps Bay Area’s Local Outreach Partner Walk the Walk Foundation, which orchestrates the purchase and distribution of gifts to more than 1,000 children in Anne Arundel County and West Virginia each year, will help put it all in perspective. Bay Area is again partnering with Walk the Walk Foundation (WTWF) to support Gifts for Children with a goal to sponsor at least 500 children in need and purchase 200 new bikes. In 2015 more than 400 Bay Area families bought and wrapped 5,000 gifts, assembled 150 bikes, and helped staff six distribution events. Since 2005, WTWF has served the local area and has grown from serving 60 kids to over 1,000 at Christmas. In addition to gifts, Bibles and faith-based children’s books are given to every family. Volunteers make gift distribution personal by helping families load their cars and distracting children who may be in tow. The joy of giving is evident during the holiday season, but each year, it is the coldest, darkest weeks in January when the ripple effect of sharing God’s love and the Gospel with others begins to take hold. Heartfelt thank you notes from parents touched by the kindness of strangers, encouraging news of parents and children coming to know the Lord or beginning to attend church, and dozens of photos of children enchanted by a new toy or outfit served as poignant reminders that Jesus is the light and God is on the move.
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One such story came full circle this past May when WTWF held a fundraiser walk and carnival at the Waugh Chapel Towne Centre to raise community awareness and help fund the foundation’s outreach programs throughout the year. Many of the teams registered to walk sported catchy names and raised impressive sums. However, it was Team Returning the Favor that brought David and Kim Mitchell, who run WTWF, to their knees in awe of the Lord. Team Returning the Favor’s captain was a young, single mother of three girls. After making a donation to kick off her team’s fundraising, she shared her story: “A few years ago this group of wonderful people gave the girls the Christmas I could not afford. I am forever grateful for foundations like these and would like to raise money to return the favor!” She still works harder than most to make ends meet, and yet she is determined to share her blessings and encourage others to do the same. Soon Gifts for Children will be in full swing as WTWF and Bay Area volunteers prepare to bless hundreds of local children who otherwise would go without gifts on Christmas day. In Isaiah 58:10, God commands, “Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.” How will you break free from the holiday hustle and bustle and share the Gospel with others? Are you ready to return the favor?
HOW TO
Participate IN GIFTS FOR CHILDREN
ach year, WTWF receives children’s names and contact information from the Department of Social Services, E Bay Area’s deacons and We Care & Friends, one of Bay Area’s Local Outreach Partners in downtown Annapolis. Beginning in mid-November, there will be a Gifts for Children kiosk where people can sign up to sponsor children on Sundays. A card complete with the child’s first name, clothing size and gift ideas will be provided for each child sponsored. All gifts must be wrapped and clearly marked with the child’s name and designated number (on the card). I n addition to purchasing gifts for a child, there are other ways to serve. WTWF needs volunteers to staff signup and gift drop-off Sundays, prepare gifts for distribution, make phone calls to families, assemble bikes and staff distribution events. If you are interested in serving, email giftsforchildren@bayareacc.org. You can also sign up to volunteer at bayareacc.org/giftsforchildren.
Important Dates
November 13: Gifts for Children Begins- sign up between gatherings to sponsor a child November 20, 27: sign up to sponsor a child, turn in gifts purchased December 4: sign up to sponsor a child, turn in gifts purchased December 11: last day to turn in gifts
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Church planter Charlie Mitchell is preparing to launch a church in Baltimore through the SENT Network, Bay Area’s church planting organization. Born and raised in Florida, Charlie, his wife and their three young kids have spent nearly the last two years in a pastoral residency at a church in New Jersey. They plan to move to Baltimore in December to continue raising financial support, build a leadership team, and start forming relationships with the residents of the neighborhoods they hope to reach. In October, the GO&MAKE editorial team had a chance to sit down with Charlie and learn more about SENT’s newest church planter. Here’s what he had to say:
HOW DID YOU COME TO FAITH? My mother wasn’t a Christian when I was young, but she would send me to church. She got radically saved at a crazy Pentecostal church and I was dragged to church all the time from that point forward. My father died when I was 13, which affected me deeply. My mom switched churches because there was no place for me to get discipled. I went to my first youth group, where I heard the gospel in a way that I could understand it – I needed a Savior even though I was a “good guy,” and Christ can deal with my emotional pain of not having a father. Those two things together in a gospel presentation really affected me. I was 15. From that point forward, the Lord has really been after me.
HOW DID YOU RECEIVE THE CALL TO BE A CHURCH PLANTER? I thought I was going to be in international missions. I love Western Europe, and I was doing a lot of ministry there, but the Lord called me back home. I had people in the neighborhood I was discipling who were having a hard time going into traditional churches in our community. They would come to me and say, “Charlie, we’re down with Jesus, and we’re down with you, but they’re telling us we gotta cut our hair, gotta wear certain clothes – what are we supposed to do?”
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I thought I was just going to share the gospel, make disciples and that was it. They were like, “Can we just do what we do at your house – Bible study, worship, you talk?” I thought, “That’s like a church, but I’m not a church.” I met a guy who was a church planter, and he was like, “Charlie, you’re a planter, dude. You love seeing people come to faith and making disciples, and it just makes sense.” When he introduced me to that, the Lord make it so clear: “You need to be planting churches.”
HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO PLANT IN BALTIMORE? When we were moving to New Jersey for a residency, we had no idea where the Lord would send us. I knew I wanted to be in an inner city somewhere. As we were driving up I-95, the uprising was going on [in Baltimore] – we were listening to the news, drove through Baltimore, and went on and started the residency. As we began to pray, I brought my family down last fall to drive through Baltimore. As we were leaving, I said to my wife, “What are you thinking? The city’s pretty jacked up. It’s got a nice little Inner Harbor thing…” She was like, “It just makes perfect sense.” To me, that was too easy. A couple months later, I was asking the Lord, “Where would you have me go?”
He said to me, “I’ll go with you wherever you go.” I’m like, “Lord, listen, that’s not the answer I’m looking for. I need a direction so if it fails, I got you to blame.” I got home at 11 p.m. that night, and I said, “Babe, I don’t know what the heck we’re doing. Where do you think we should go?” She was like, “I thought we decided – Baltimore.”
IS THERE A SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH YOU’RE GOING TO DO MINISTRY? Along North Avenue, neighborhoods like Greenmount West, Barclay, Oliver, into Charles Village and Charles North. I felt the Lord leading us to go in that direction because there’s not a lot of places in the city where the worlds collide culturally – it’s got that deep, impoverished inner city that I know and love, and it’s also an artsy historic district, kinda gentrifying. There’s just that pocket right in the middle of the city almost … where white, black, rich, poor, artist, hobo, wino, wine connoisseur – all those mixing together – where I’m like, “Man, it would be dope to see the Lord create a new community in the midst of that.”
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO SEE GOD DO IN THAT COMMUNITY THROUGH YOUR CHURCH? I want God to show off His power, love and transforming work in the lives of people that no one anticipates. In my own life I should have been a statistic – growing up in a singleparent home, my father dying at young age, brothers and sisters being in the drug trade – but God’s grace in the midst of my crazy life pulled me out and transformed me for His work. I want to
see that at scale. I read the book of Acts, and see what happened at the inception of the church – all these conversions, whole cities being transformed. I’m like, “I want to see that happen now!” If that’s what the gospel really is, I don’t want to take it to a safe place … I want to see how far this gospel can go. Having a city that’s so divided, people who are hostile toward one another – I want to see them unified under the banner of Christ.
HOW CAN THE BAY AREA CHURCH FAMILY BE PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM AS YOU PREPARE TO PLANT? Pray for spiritual and physical protection for us and our family. Pray for us to get partners that love what we’re doing and want to be a part of it for a long time. We really want to be a blessing not only to our community but to the kingdom of God. Lastly, pray that we would proclaim the gospel without any pretense – that we would go in and be bold and lay our lives down for the sake of the gospel.
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LEADERSHIP PROFILE
By Sam Logan
n Ensign and a musical led Kurt Scarbro to Christ in 1975. The junior officer was his wife Pam. “Godspell” was the musical. “Some stories are sour, some are sweet,” Kurt said over the phone on a beautiful Fall day. “Mine, I think, is sweet.” Kurt was one of seven children and grew up in Pontiac, Michigan, before heading to the University of Michigan where he studied cartography. Soon after school, he enlisted in the Navy and served with an aircraft squadron over three years before moving to Key West, where he met Pam and soon thereafter, Jesus. The couple transferred to California where they had their first child. “Nathan was born with medical problems, so we moved back to the D.C. area primarily because of his condition,” Kurt said, before sharing that his son died at the age of 2. In the wake of their son’s death, Kurt and Pam encountered an outpouring of God’s love. “We were with Grace Brethren Church, and the people there supported us amazingly. Not only our peers, but what was really special [were] the older people who had been there for generations; [they] were like parents to us,” Kurt said. He counts this time in the early ‘80s at Grace Brethren as a milestone in his walk with Christ. The couple started their family over again and brought up three boys. In 1983, they moved to Annapolis, which was Kurt’s last duty station in the Navy. God again impacted him deeply in 1986, when during an ecumenical weekend gathering Kurt said he came to know the power of the Holy Spirit. During the gathering, called “Cursillo,” was part of a larger “Fourth-day” min16 GO&MAKE N OV E M B E R
istry. During a “cursillo,” which means short course or period of training in Spanish, participants from a variety of churches receive three days of teaching, and have a time of reflection and renewal. On the fourth day participants go back into the world with a refreshed spirit. Reflecting on his Cursillo weekend, Kurt shared that in a moment the power of the Holy Spirit was for the first time “real, tangible; it moved more from my head completely to my heart.”
of their need, on their feet and walking with the Lord. It is very satisfying.”
This was the weekend that led Kurt and Pam to Bay Area Community Church in 1988.
Matthew 8:5ff, the story of the Centurion of great faith, came to mind while thinking about his service as a deacon. Kurt recounted that the Centurion told Jesus that he was a man under authority, with soldiers under him. “I’m under the authority of God, who has given me authority to do His work on earth,” Kurt said. “This is what people in the Church believers - are supposed to do: follow the authority of God and use the authority He has given them to further His kingdom.”
Since joining Bay Area, Kurt has been an usher. He has served in Children’s Ministry, where he taught 4-year-olds or fourth-grade kids. He’s not sure (it’s been a while). He facilitated a Missional Community for over 15 years, too. Kurt was installed as a deacon in late 2012. “I felt like I could be of service,” Kurt said, reflecting on when he was called. “After you raise a family and manage to come through life in the black, you feel like you have some skill, so I [felt like I could] help other people guide their life with Christ and common sense. “[We are] helping a lot of people who are hurting. For some people, it’s not for any fault of their own. For others, you just want to say ‘stop it’ when they’re having self-inflicted problems, but they can’t. [As deacons] we try to get people to change their ways and do things in a more Godly manner.” Kurt enjoys the deacon meetings where as a group they process things together. “It’s done with a lot of grace and humor,” Kurt reflected, adding, “it’s fulfilling to see someone progress where they’re out
On balance, there are frustrations, Kurt admits, but God has taught him that everyone comes to faith on a different approach. “And even when you have that faith, you still go through different doors,” Kurt said. “God has taught me that people constantly need a nudge, or accountability, to keep on the straight and narrow path.”
Kurt admits he probably steals most of his Bible life verses from his wife Pam, but did share 2 Peter 3:18, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” “That’s what you’re supposed to do,” Kurt explained. “You’re not supposed to just come to faith. You’re supposed to grow.” Kurt doesn’t think of himself as someone who dispenses wisdom, but as a servant of the Lord. “I’m blessed with a good marriage, wonderful children, and the ability to do ministry for God,” Kurt said, reflecting on his life and time of service. “In the end, that’s all I care about.”
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STEPHANIE MABREY LIVES OUT
EVERY ONE A MISSIONARY TWO
months after coming to faith in Jesus in part through the loving pursuit of her mentor and Missional Community, Colleen Forsythe declared her decision to follow Christ before her whole Bay Area church family. On April 6, 2013, she shared her testimony and was baptized with nearly 40 of her closest friends and family in attendance to witness her profession of faith. In the weeks leading up to her baptism, Colleen sent personal invitations to dozens of family members and friends, new and old, believer and nonbeliever. She wanted everyone in her life to know what Jesus had done for her. Most of those whom she invited filed into Bay Area that Sunday morning, including an old friend from high school. Colleen’s bold invitation would forever alter the trajectory of Stephanie Mabrey’s life.
Stephanie was raised in an Episcopal home in Crownsville, not far from Bay Area, and attended Catholic school with Colleen. She studied science education at North Carolina State University, where her faith foundation crumbled. “Brent Squires always
BY MEREDITH THOMPSON says we want to prepare students so that when they graduate from high school they won’t graduate from their faith,” Stephanie, who today serves in Bay Area’s Student Ministry, said of the church’s mission in discipling students. “I graduated from my faith when I graduated from high school. I was completely unprepared going into college to defend my faith.” She earned her degree and moved back to Anne Arundel County to be close to family. A couple years later, she received Colleen’s invitation to come to a nearby church and see her be baptized. She decided to go, husband Justin in tow, unsure of what to expect. When they left, her mind was blown, she said. It was the first time in her 25 years that she had heard a relatable sermon. Stephanie remembers it clearly: Pat Linnell was wrapping up a series titled “He Is,” and he taught about Thomas doubting Jesus’ resurrection, explaining that we don’t have to see Jesus in front of us to know He’s there. Stephanie and Justin had never talked about faith or God, but they went home and discussed the sermon, vowing to go back to church. Colleen extended a second invitation to her friend, to check out her Missional Community that comprised women in their 20s, and Stephanie began attending. She and N OV E M B E R GO&MAKE 19
Justin came to church again on a Sunday as Bay Area launched Beyond884. They talked about it, and decided to participate in giving toward that stewardship effort even though they were new to the church and to faith. Stephanie had a lot of questions about following Jesus, and the women in her Missional Community and beginners’ Bible Study led by Janet Graves were there to help answer them. A few months after she began attending Bay Area, Stephanie read the book “More Than a Carpenter,” and all the pieces fit together. That summer, she placed her faith in Jesus. She went forward to be baptized two years later, on Easter Sunday 2015.
Christians who are praying for you, who know life and it’s struggles,” Stephanie shared. Her daughter, Eleanor, was born this year, the day before Easter. She and Justin plan to dedicate her this month at Bay Area’s fall Parent Dedication. They are committed to making sure she grows up in an environment where she knows Jesus. Stephanie shared this desire for Eleanor with a group of friends from high school on a camping trip recently.
“I DON’T BELIEVE
MYSELF TO
Today, Stephanie lives life as a missionary. “I’m not a super Christian,” she’ll tell you. “I’m just a normal person--” a normal person who recognizes that as a follower of Jesus, she is sent on mission with Him wherever she goes. Transformed by the gospel, her life now reflects Bay Area’s vision, Every One A Missionary: she serves in Student Ministry, is growing in her faith in a Missional Community, and is committed to sharing the gospel with her friends and those whom God has placed in her life. She desires to go on a mission trip soon, too.
B E R E A L LY RELIGIOUS AT ALL. I JUST FOLLOW
“I said a quick little prayer in my head – ‘God, let whatever I say be glorifying to you. Give me the Holy Spirit to say the right words.’ Then I went and joined the conversation,” Stephanie recalled. One of her peers cautioned the others, “Careful, Stephanie is really religious.”
She responded, “Actually, I don’t believe myself to be really religious at all. I just follow Jesus.” She shared the gospel with them, explaining why we need Jesus as Savior, that no one is perfect and everyone sins. She shared about why she wants Eleanor to grow up as a follower of Jesus. “I’ve been praying for them for years as my people of peace,” Stephanie said of her friends with a smile.
J E S U S .”
As a high school teacher in Howard County, Stephanie has a heart for students. She felt a nudge to disciple high-schoolers in her church family a year after she came to faith, but doubt and feelings of unworthiness clouded her calling. Brent, Janet and others helped dispel her fears. “Those thoughts are not from God, but from Satan, that you’re not worthy,” she asserted in retrospect. “God has made me worthy, and all these [high school] girls want is someone who is there to listen to them and pray for them.” The senior girls she now leads in a Community Group were sophomores when Stephanie began serving in Student Ministry. She has loved watching them grow in their faith and building relationships with them over the years – not unlike how she has grown in her faith and formed deep friendships in her Missional Community. She and Justin have been part of the group for three years. “I love our MC – myself and five other girls all had babies within five months. It’s great to have other
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Not long after attending the Share the Gospel training hosted at Bay Area over the summer, Stephanie packed up and headed to Western Maryland to go camping with a group of girls she’s known since grade school at Deep Creek. While there, she overheard some of them talking about religion, and her ears perked up.
A few weeks ago, she and her fellow Student Ministry leaders talked with some of their students about sharing their faith. They asked them how their friends would feel if they found out they had been keeping great news from them for a long time and never shared it. “I feel that way about the gospel,” Stephanie explained, which is why she continually prays for more opportunities to share. The recipient of a simple but bold invitation to see a friend’s life transformed, Stephanie is now living as a missionary who extends the invitation to come to know Jesus to others.
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BY A L E X R A Y
MY FIRST DAY BACK TO WORK someone asked how my trip went. I responded, “It was an incredible time. I want to go back! It was hard to come home.” He was glad to hear I had such a good time and departed saying, “Welcome back to reality.” This isn’t back to reality; this is my first time in reality. I had never been outside the country before August 4, 2016, when I and 13 others from Bay Area made the trade and hopped on a plain for Ghana, Africa. My first reaction when arriving in the country was honestly, “What have I done? Why on earth would I leave the comfort of the U.S.?” Everything was so different right off the bat. In the bus from the airport to our hotel we saw the streets lined with stands. At every traffic light we were surrounded by people trying to sell everything from plantain chips to Mentos to paper products to sunglasses. The city was buzzing with people and no one was idle. Our simple daily routines changed. For instance, we could not flush toilet paper in most places. Their septic systems cannot handle it. Everything was so different at first. After a couple days of adjustment, I found myself settled in and loving this beautiful country. Our team bonded 22 GO&MAKE N OV E M B E R
very quickly. We knew each other fairly well since we had a few monthly meetings before the trip. A nine-hour flight and a few long bus rides quickly resulted in close friendships. During our time in Ghana, we worked with Scripture Union. S.U. is a Christian program that is in schools across the country and hosts camps when school is out. Our group was there to serve as guest speakers at three of the camps. We shared our testimonies with a couple thousand kids. The first camp alone was over 1,000 high school students. The other two camps were slightly smaller, but still had a few hundred elementary through high school-age kids. At each camp we had a time when everyone would gather for praise and worship. Then one or two of us would share our testimonies. Next we broke up into groups for Bible lessons followed by a discussion and one-on-one sessions. Each of the Bay Area short-term missionaries was assigned to a group that we co-led with a local leader. We all agreed that while we helped the kids to learn and understand the passages better, we ourselves grew immensely. The one-on-one sessions proved to be very impactful. Each of us had connections clearly ordained by God. Many of the stories these kids have were painful to hear. We heard many stories of neglectful parents, abusive relationships and assault. Though we all felt inadequate at times to answer
many of these kids’ questions, we felt the Holy Spirit lead each of our discussions. Many kids also came for advice with more familiar struggles such as attitude problems and bad friends. It was evident from each discussion that they are truly wrestling with convictions from the Holy Spirit. One discussion stood out in particular: A little girl sat at Rob’s table in silence. He tried to ask her what she came for counseling on, but she did not want to speak. In the awkward silence, Rob felt a nudge to tell this girl that he sometimes struggles with anger and cursing. He asked, “Lord, why would I tell a young girl this? Is this even appropriate for me to bring up?” But Rob followed the Spirit’s leading. The girl responded, “That’s my issue too! I want to do ministry work, but my friends tell me I can’t because I get angry and curse.” Rob was shocked! They ended up having a very fruitful conversation about anger. It is incredible how Jesus can use us when we just follow. It was an honor to partner with S.U. in Ghana. God used us to grow these kids. And in using us, He also grew us. Just being outside the country was a wakeup call for me. So much of the media portrays Africa as a place where people have nothing, no food, no water, no happiness. I’m sure there are places that truly do have no food or water, but they certainly do not lack joy. The reality in Ghana is most people do not have a fancy house. They do not have
a nice yard. And many of the kids can’t go to school. They do however, have family. Family is reliable and they spend purposeful time together. Ghanaians also live in the moment. While in Ghana I found that I was enjoying each day, and each moment of the day. I did not spend my time worrying about tomorrow or the next day. After returning to the U.S. I have realized even more that we rush time. I constantly get caught up looking forward to tomorrow, next week, next year! Then I look back and realize I have been missing out on right now. Living more in the present felt so much better. It is also how Jesus commands us to live in Matthew 6:34: “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Spending time in Ghana changed my perspectives. This is why I say, “This isn’t back to reality; this is my first time in reality.” Ghana taught me so much about the world, and about God. Leaving the comfort of home helped me open up more to my relationship with Jesus. We all traveled to Ghana to serve, but we in turn were served. Living in Ghana for just a week and a half led me to a few key questions. What is my ideal picture of life costing me? Where am I spending my time? Will I choose to make the trade for an opportunity of greater joy?
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BY MICHELE ROLLINS
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“ E V E RY O N E A M I SS I O N A RY. ” If you’ve been at Bay Area for any length of time, you’ve heard this vision. Based on John 20:21, we are all sent ones, called to share the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15) with those around us, whether in Annapolis or halfway around the world. One way I grew in my own understanding of my role in God’s church was to take Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, a 15week discipleship course organized by churches all over the world that looks at the Biblical, historical, cultural and strategic basis for global missions. For many in our church family, participating in the course has radically changed their perspective on global missions and burdened their hearts for the global church. A few of them have shared their stories below.
Scott & Erin Levitt took the Perspectives course in 2015, soon after they joined Bay Area. “I think it really exposed how little I know not just of the world but how the Word of God spreads and how we (successfully and unsuccessfully) try to teach people about Jesus,” Scott shared. “It never occurred to me that the way the gospel was presented to me was an American version of the gospel and – not that that was wrong or right, but that it was through a very specific lens – that blew my mind.” Erin added, “For me, I saw how God has been challenging me and shaping my life prior to a deeper understanding of Gospel-centered living. I was able to see the way in which my former international service in the U.S. Peace Corps was really a training for future ministry opportunities. “Many of the principles and scriptures that are covered in Perspectives are at the root of Bay Area teaching and implementation. The reinforcement of God’s plan to use us as disciples to the nations here and abroad helps me continue to seek the Kingdom in my daily life and at work. Scott and I are
continuing to grow deeper in community here at Bay Area. Since the course ended we have both become more involved in missions and student ministry, and have joined a Missional Community. Blessed to be a blessing!”
a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6) The people of Philippi were actively pursuing what God had for them. The Great Commission is given to every disciple. But where did I fit in? I found my niche in prayer.
Diederick VanDillen took the Perspectives course in 2010. Since then he and his wife Nylca have traveled to El Salvador on a short term mission team and recently led their first STM team back to San Salvador.
“I love tracking the work of people on the field, praying as they send specific requests and then seeing the amazing work God does in such creative ways! I meet with a small group of women a couple times a month to pray over requests sent by Bay Area’s mission partners. It is so exciting to see God working, not just locally, but all over the globe.”
“I was really impressed by the early Christian movement and the pioneers taking the gospel to other cultures – most often without expectation of even returning, kind of the same mindset as the Apostle Paul on his missionary journeys. Great speakers each week brought me greater insight into the Bible and its mission story. “I stepped out in faith last year on my first mission trip. I’ve taken a renewed interest in the unfolding of God’s complete story and the linking of Old and New Testaments. I know that God has a grand plan and that He’s enabled us to participate in that plan.”
Chris Prado took the Perspectives course in 2015, and found the content and community so impactful that she now serves as a member of the Annapolis coordinating team. She also serves on Bay Area’s missions prayer team and maintains close relationships with several of Bay Area’s global partners. “Understanding the truth about God’s Word and His plan from eternity past to eternity future as presented in this class changed the way I read the Bible. Now I see that every book, every chapter in the Bible (Old and New Testaments) is an important and unified unfolding of God’s plan and that everything fits, like a puzzle piece into an incredibly powerful, hopeful and beautiful picture. “This course helped me see that everyone’s participation in this Kingdom work is critical for God’s glory to be maximized in this physical world. Paul says of the believers in Philippi, I am “confident of this, that he who began
Lulu Hickey took Perspectives in 2010, and since has participated on several short term mission trips. If you’re reading this between November 12-20, 2016, she’s on the mission field right now in El Salvador! “Being an ex-military wife of 18 years, my heart revolves around serving and protecting those who currently serve and have once served, so with that, I had a real negative attitude toward Muslims. By taking this course, it helped me realize that God created and loves Muslims, too, which really helped me see them through God’s eyes. I now go out of my way to smile and be extra friendly when I see anyone of Muslim faith. “Perspectives has also broadened my prayer life from just praying for who I know to a more global aspect. This has caused me to have a heart for those around the world and a ‘send me’ desire where I have gone to Haiti and El Salvador to be His hands and feet. Since 2010, I feel that God has been molding my heart to long to serve around the world, help those in need, and most importantly, share the Gospel and lead people into a relationship with the Creator of heaven and earth!”
Bay Area is preparing to host Perspectives in early 2017. To learn more about the course, check out the Happenings section of GO&MAKE.
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CARE NETWORK
HAPPENINGS
Sometimes life hands us struggles: loss of a loved one, serious illness, parenting difficulties, divorce, addiction and many other challenges. These struggles can feel isolating, yet God never intended that we walk through them alone. He is in the business of comforting, restoring and renewing all things for His glory. Your circumstances are not beyond that; He longs to reach you with His redemption and grace. We want to walk with you through this season of life. The Care Network is a free, confidential, Jesus-centered ministry that assists those seeking help. We provide hope and healing through a variety of resources both inside and outside the walls of Bay Area. Let’s partner through these struggles together. Get started by emailing leanne.lane@bayareacc.org.
BAPTISM Wo u l d y o u l i ke t o b e b a p t i z e d ? For more information... • K-5th: contact gail.wiles@bayareacc.org • 6-12th: contact brent.squires@bayareacc.org • Adults: contact debbie.klimczyk@bayareacc.org CELEBRATE RECOVERY Celebrate Recovery (CR) is for anyone seeking a richer life through worshipping God and being in community with others. Don’t let your hurts, habits or hangups keep you isolated. Join us on Monday nights at 7 p.m. for community, worship and teaching. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org HOSPITAL/HOMEBOUND INVITATION If you or a loved one is in the hospital or homebound we would love to serve you. Contact us so that we can learn how to be of assistance. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org or 443-837-3718 NEW GRIEFSHARE PROGRAM AT BAY AREA Have you benefited by attending a GriefShare program after the loss of a loved one? Perhaps you have a heart for those who are in the grief process. We are in the process of starting a GriefShare ministry at Bay Area in 2017 and are looking for those interested in being a part of this ministry. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org
CONNECT WITH BAY AREA If you’re new or just have a question, we’d love to meet you and help you get plugged in. Look for a member of our connect team in a blue shirt in the lobby after each Sunday gathering or visit us online at bayareacc.org/new.
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CAREER ASSISTANCE Are you unemployed, just starting a career, or trying to discover what God has uniquely wired you for? Partner with expert Jacques Fox and identify a career path that’s right for you. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org. MARRIAGE MINISTRY UPDATE The Bay Area Marriage Ministry recently partnered with marriedpeople.org, an organization that has developed a marriage strategy for churches. We are implementing this
marriage strategy by inspiring EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES large group experiences, empowering small groups, and equipping individual couples. KIDCARE TEAM MEMBERS Our Marriage Ministry will host Our KidCare team has an immediate need three to four large-group events for individuals who have a heart for kids. per year, such as the Great Date We provide KidCare for all ministries and Night in February; three to four small-group events such as various events throughout the year. If you marriage-focused Learning Communities or weekend retreats; are interested in joining our team of paid and three to four events for individual couples, such as date workers, contact KidCare Coordinator Dax nights that include KidCare. We will also provide a monthly at dax.clinkscale@bayareacc.org or visit email to help married couples stay focused on the marriage the Children’s Welcome counter on Sundays for more info. strategy all year long. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org PRESCHOOL ASSISTANT 29 hours per week. For a detailed job description or to apply with PREMARITAL MENTORING Are you newly engaged? We want to partner with you a resume email gail.wiles@bayareacc.org. as you establish a strong, Jesus-centered life with your future spouse. Through Premarital Mentoring you’ll be DIGITAL & COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT paired with marriage mentors (couples who have been Part-time position. For a detailed job description or to submit married for 10 or more years) who will equip you with a resume and cover letter, email Communications Director tools and resources you’ll need to succeed in marriage. Meredith at meredith.thompson@bayareacc.org. Info: premarital.ministry@bayareacc.org.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
MARRIAGE MINISTRY TEAM - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Our marriage ministry team seeks to encourage and equip DIVE 45 couples to start and stay strong in their marriages. If you All fourth- and fifth-graders are invited to join have a passion to help strengthen marriages and have been us Friday, November 18, from 7-9 p.m. for Dive married for 10 or more years, come be a part of this ministry. 45. This month theme is “movie night” so bring Read more at bayareacc.org/marriageministry or email leanne. a blanket, pillow and dress in your pajamas for lane@bayareacc.org to get involved. a cozy night watching “Finding Dori” on the big screens in the auditorium. We will have a snack bar with pizza, popcorn and TEMPORARY HOUSING NEEDED FOR PREMARITAL other yummy concession snacks for kids to purchase, smaller COUPLES bills appreciated. Info: bayareacc.org/dive45 Occasionally, couples who are living together enter our Premarital Ministry. We believe strongly that the best way WAVE RIDERS to honor God before marriage is to remain pure and live Be sure to write these Wave Rider Play separately. We’re looking for folks who have space in their Dates on your calendar! On Monday, homes that could be used on a temporary basis in order to November 7, at 10 a.m. at Bay Area fulfill this desire. Connect with us: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org Community Church, we will have
MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES
special guest and author Kelly Johnson share her books, the “Mr. How Do You Do” series, with us. Preschool Storytime will follow at the Broadneck Library on Tuesday, November 15, at 9:30 a.m. For more information, go to facebook.com/waveriderplaygroup. Info: courtney.gregory@bayareacc.org NURSING MOTHERS Children’s Ministry offers two locations for nursing mothers during Sunday gatherings. If you would like a quiet place to nurse, please come to our Tidal Pool area and you will be directed to a room equipped with glider rockers. If you would like a place to nurse and hear the gathering during the 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. gatherings only, visit our Children’s Welcome desk and you will be directed to our Director of Children’s Ministry’s office.
MEN’S BIBLE STUDIES
MISSIONAL COMMUNITY TASTER Are you new to Bay Area or looking to get connected in community? Join us for our Missional Community Taster on December 11 at 12:45 p.m. We will introduce you to our version of mid-sized groups that will help you continually grow spiritually, relationally and missionally. Lunch and KidCare are provided. RSVP at bayareacc.org/mctasterrsvp. Info: mc@bayareacc.org
MEN’S MORNING BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays from 6-7:30 a.m. in room 236 at Bay Area. Info: Dennis at dbradylaw@aol.com MEN’S EVENING BIBLE STUDY Sundays from 6-7:30 p.m. in room 235 at Bay Area. 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 N OV E M B E R GO&MAKE 31
GLOBAL MISSIONS PERSPECTIVES COURSE There is an upcoming opportunity to learn about God’s heart for the nations by taking the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course. This class helps believers from all walks of life see how they can get threaded into God’s story of redeeming people from every tribe, tongue and nation to Himself. It isn’t a class about missions, but a course on how every believer can be intimately woven into the story of God using His people to be a blessing to all the peoples of the earth. The course will run Jan. 10 - May 2. Info: michele.rollins@bayareacc.org SHORT TERM MISSIONS Are you interested in global missions or thinking about participating in a short term mission trip in 2017? Learn more: bayareacc.org/globalmissionsemail. To support any of Bay Area’s short term global mission trips, go to bayareacc.org/stmgive.
El Salvador • children’s ministry & home visits • November 12-20
LEARNING COMMUNITIES Learning Communities are intended to strengthen your Biblical knowledge, character and/or practical ministry skills. They are also an opportunity to get to know others at Bay Area on Sunday mornings in an environment of learning and interaction. Sign up at bayareacc.org/learningcommunities. NEW TESTAMENT PUZZLE OCT. 23 - DEC. 11 AT 11:15 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM B Do you want to have a better grasp of Jesus’ life? Do you know how the church got its start and began to expand? This class will give you a deeper understanding of how the New Testament fits together in a way that makes you fall more in love with Jesus. RESPONDING TO ISLAM: BUILDING BRIDGES WITH MUSLIMS NOV. 6 - DEC. 11 at 9:30 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM B This six-week Learning Community provides biblical teaching about Islam and what Muslims believe, opening the door for better relationships with Muslims in our own backyard. MARRIAGE OCT. 23 - NOV 27. AT 11:15 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM A Every married couple is unique. They are an “US.” Whether they are loving their US, wondering if their US is going to make it, or somewhere in between, every couple at some level wants to become their best US. Over the course of this series, couples will discover what habits they currently have, and what habits they can start to develop to become their best US. THEOLOGY OF WORK OCT. 23 - DEC. 11 AT 9:30 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM A Does your work matter to God? Explore this topic using Timothy Keller’s book, “Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work.” Often, we find the workplace competitive and frustrating. Come and learn how the Biblical view of work can provide a basis for a thriving professional life, and a balanced personal life. 32 GO&MAKE N OV E M B E R
FINANCIALS Annapolis Campus Operating Budget Financial Update As of October 16, 2016 New Fiscal Year Began September 1, 2016 Fiscal Year Giving Goal
$ 4,792,000
YTD Received YTD Goal YTD Actual vs. Goal SEPT To Date Received SEPT To Date Giving Goal
$ $ $ $ $
Outstanding Building Debt (as of 9-30-16)
$ 3,584,735.85
579,968 564,240 15,728 2.8% Ahead 224,552 217,755
For weekly financial updates, go to bayareacc.org/ financials. Please indicate any designated gifts on the memo line of your check or use the drop-down box online to select your desired giving fund. Note: You will need to donate via check if the fund to which you wish to give is not listed online. All undesignated checks will go toward the general operating fund.
How Can I Participate In The Descendants Project? Pledge cards are available on Sundays at the connect kiosk and online at bayareacc.org. For gifts other than cash, contact our finance team at finance@bayareacc.org. How Can I Continue To Support BAY AREA’s Building Funds? Giving Methods eCheck: Go to bayareacc.org/give to give online through your checking account through a one-time or recurring donation on My Bay Area. Personal Check: Write “Building Fund” on the memo line and drop it in the offering basket on Sunday or mail the check to Bay Area (884 Chesterfield Road, Annapolis, MD 21401). Bank Check: Process through your bank’s Bill Pay service online for a bank check to be sent to Bay Area. Be sure to note “Building Fund” on the memo line.
WOMEN’S MINISTRY QUILTS FOR KIDS Join us to make quilts using donated fabrics for kids in shelters and hospitals. We usually meet the third Saturday of the month from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in room 235. This month we will meet on November 19. Come and learn to sew or learn to sew a new pattern. Kits will be available. Please bring your sewing machine, sewing supplies and your lunch. If you would like a quilt kit, have a quilt that you would like to donate, or have questions, contact Janet Hogan at annapolisQFK@quiltsforkids.org.
WOMEN OF LEGACY (55+) This group of women meets on the second and fourth Mondays of the month for a time of encouragement, prayer and serving from 10:30 - noon in The Warehouse. On November 14 we will hear special guest Robert Brooks speak about “Medicare and How to Navigate the Process.” Then on November 28 we will discuss the topic of “How to Simplify for the Holidays.” For more information, contact Cedulie Sanchez at luisandcedulie@gmail.com. CHRISTMAS WOMEN’S OUTREACH “Winter Wonderland: How God meets us in the winter season of our lives.” On December 11 from 1-5 p.m. we will serve a dinner with a Christmas program for over 100 women at Curtis Bay Community Center. Join us to help bake and prepare the dinner menu ahead of time, serve the meal at the event, and prepare details for the crafts and program. For this outreach, we will partner with Drink at the Well, a nonprofit that serves women through mentoring, job skills, Bible studies and more. Info: Missi Smith walshm01@gmail.com or janet.graves@bayareacc.org WOMEN’S QUIET RETREAT - SAVE THE DATE Women you are invited to come away for a quiet retreat with the Lord to “Behold His Glory” on Saturday, January 21 from 8 a.m. 12 p.m. noon at BACC. During our morning together we will learn about spiritual practices you can use and practice in your time alone with God and have an opportunity for creative expression through collage. Registration starts in December. Info: Jocelyn at jocelyn_mathews@yahoo.com
LOCAL OUTREACH LOCAL OUTREACH SERVING OPPORTUNITIES Missional Communities often don’t know how to get involved with serving locally. We’re here to help. There are many organizations in the Annapolis area that will be blessed by your involvement; we’d love to connect you with them. Go to bayareacc.org/localoutreach to fill out an involvement form. GIFTS FOR CHILDREN Want to join us for Gifts for Children, our annual effort to bless local children with Christmas presents, this year? Fill out our short form at bayareacc.org/giftsforchildren. NOV 13: Gifts for Children Begins- sign up between services to sponsor a child. NOV. 20, 27: Sign up to sponsor a child, turn in gifts purchased. DEC. 4: Sign up to sponsor a child, turn in gifts purchased DEC. 11: Last day to turn in gifts.
CONNECTING MINISTRY
DISCOVER BAY AREA - NEWCOMER LUNCH New to Bay Area? We’re glad you’re here. You may have questions about who we are or what we believe so join us on October 30 at 12:45 p.m. in the Bay Cafe for Discover Bay Area. Enjoy a free lunch and hear from a few of our pastors and staff about our mission, values and how you can get plugged in. No RSVP necessary, and kids are welcome. Hope to see you there. Our next date is December 4. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE AMBASSADOR TEAM: Serve as an ambassador by helping newcomers get connected. If you have a passion for people and Jesus, and have been attending Bay Area for at least six months, the ambassador role is for you. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org AUDIO/VIDEO TEAM: We’re looking for a few more passionate, committed people to partner with our Sunday production team. Info: tres.cozad@bayareacc.org CHAIR MINISTRY: Serve on the chair set-up/tear-down team. Info: chairs@bayareacc.org BAY CAFÉ & ESPRESSO BAR: Do you love coffee? Enjoy hospitality? Join our team in the Bay Cafe and/or espresso bar. Info: sherri.raimondo@bayareacc.org COMMUNION TEAM: Opportunities to serve our church family include baking allergen-free communion bread once a month or assisting with preparation or cleanup during one of the three gatherings on communion Sunday. Info: sherri.raimondo@bayareacc.org DEEP BLUE BUDDIES: Have a heart to serve children with special needs? We’re looking for dedicated volunteers to partner with children on Sunday mornings in the Deep Blue. Info: chyloe.cheetham@bayareacc.org ELEMENTARY SET DESIGN TEAM: Do you have a gift with design and decor? Serve through design and set up of our Elementary Large Group spaces with new themes once a month. Info: aimee.coyle@bayareacc.org GOLF CART DRIVERS: Looking for friendly folks to pick people up in the back of the West parking lot before gatherings to ease their walk into the building. Those interested must be 21 or older and have a clean driving record. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org HOSPITAL/HOMEBOUND VISITATION: Interested in being part of a team reaching those hospitalized or homebound? Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org PARKING MINISTRY: Serve by directing traffic and greeting people as they arrive at church. Info: parking@ bayareacc.org SAFETY TEAM: Are you passionate about safety or have experience in security, law enforcement, EMS or First Responders and want to serve in this area? Info: safety@Bayareacc.org USHERS: Be a part of creating a welcoming environment by serving during Sunday morning gatherings. Info: Michael at mtabramo1@comcast.net WOMEN’S MINISTRY: Serve on one of our event planning teams or in discipling other women. We would love to get to know you and see how your gifts can be used. Info: janet.graves@bayareacc.org
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STUDENT MINISTRY CLUB 678 Club 678 is our once-a-month hangout for middle schoolers. Middle school students are welcome to join us Friday, November 11 from 7-9 p.m. for Turkey Olympics! The night will include turkey themed games, and students are encouraged to invite their friends and can bring money for snacks. Info: lydia.macbride@bayareacc.org BLACK AND WHITE DINNER All high school students are invited to our annual Black and White Dinner on November 16 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Bay Cafe. Students are encouraged to dress in formal wear. There will be dancing lessons and a Thanksgiving dinner provided. All are welcome and we hope you can make it out. Info: brent.squires@bayareacc.org
COLLEGE MINISTRY YOUNG ADULT MISSIONAL COMMUNITY Our desire is to see our young adults connect in community where they are loving God, serving others and growing spiritually together. Missional Communities are a great opportunity for young adults ages 18-25 to do this on a weekly basis. If you would like to get plugged into community, email bryan.mcfarland@bayareacc.org LEARNING COMMUNITIES Learning communities are opportunities to grow in your Biblical knowledge, character and/or practical ministry skills. There will be learning communities exclusively for young adults ages 18-25 this fall. Info: bryan.mcfarland@bayareacc.org
ISRAEL TRIP Join Executive Pastor Ed Kelley and his wife Susan as they host an 11-day Biblical tour of the Holy Land in Israel April 24 - May 4, 2017. With a tour guide, the group will walk in the footsteps of Jesus and re-live Old and New Testament events. The cost for the trip is $4,200 all inclusive, and includes a first-century boat ride over the Sea of Galilee and a snorkeling adventure in the Red Sea. Email ed.kelley@bayareacc.org or attend an info session on Sunday, October 30 at 9:30 a.m. in the Loft for more information.
PRAYER MINISTRY Jesus lived a life of unceasing prayer that connected Him to the Father. We too long to be devoted to prayer. Our Prayer Ministry is comprised of individuals dedicated to gathering in prayer for all aspects of Bay Area life: our gatherings, communities, pastors, missions and so much more. Some of these individuals are also available to pray with you on Sunday mornings after each gathering (front and right of the auditorium stage). Read more at bayareacc.org/prayer. Info: pat.linnell@bayareacc.org 34 GO&MAKE N OV EM B ER
EASTON CAMPUS HAPPENINGS DISCOVER BAY AREA New to Bay Area Easton? We’re glad you’re here. You may have questions about who we are or what we believe so join us on the first Sunday of the month following the 10 a.m. gathering for Discover Bay Area. Hear Campus Pastor Craig Fadel share about who we are as a church, our story, our vision for making disciples, and how you can get plugged in. No RSVP necessary, and kids are welcome. MINISTRY PARTNER ORIENTATION Ministry Partnership is a commitment to live out our faith together under the mission of “making passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations.” It is an invitation to pursue Christ personally, for our community, and for the nations. It’s a commitment to be a disciple and to make disciples. If you call Bay Area your church home, then this is a great next step! Come join us on Saturday, November, 19 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Kidcare and lunch provided.
INTRODUCING A NEW WAY TO GIVE AT BAY AREA
TEXT TO GIVE We want to make it simple for people to develop the habit of financial giving, and now, you can use your phone to give simply by sending a text message! Text BACC + the monetary amount to 30131 to give to our General Offering fund. For example: Text “BACC 50” to give $50.
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