GO&MAKE #79

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IN THIS ISSUE EYES WIDE OPEN 14 In continuing the conversation on racism, justice and faith, we are learning more about God’s heart for His people. When we seek God, we will start to see others the way He sees them; with eyes wide open.

THE LONG ROUTE 8 When we started this COVID journey, we envisioned it as a short trip. Instead it turns out to be the long route. But God knew that, and He knows that the long route is indeed the route of unexpected blessings.

SERVE YOUR NEIGHBOR CHALLENGE 20 What if God has placed you right where you are, in this season, to be a blessing to someone you live next door to? Join us this October for a Serve Your Neighbor Challenge.

TAKING NEW GROUND 22 Alex Williams shares the story of how God wove together a network of people in two low-income communities that led her to the right ways for Bay Area to get involved.

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MAGAZINE

ELDERS

BAY AREA LEADERSHIP

EDITOR Abbie Hoekstra

Barry Willhite Bill Plenge Bill Smith Chris Heacock Greg St. Cyr Horacio Tablada John Taylor Ken Gilmore Kyle Sponaugle Merrill Hoekstra Peter Godfrey Rich Heath Steve Youtsey Stu Cooper Tim Grossman Tom Dalpini

Allen Smith, Missional Communities Pastor – allen.smith@bayareacc.org Brent Squires, Student Ministry Pastor – brent.squires@bayareacc.org Brian Hopper, Annapolis Campus Pastor – brian.hopper@bayareacc.org Greg St. Cyr, Lead Pastor – greg.stcyr@bayareacc.org Jason Barthelemy, Odenton Campus Pastor – jason.barthelemy@bayareacc.org Jeff Supp, Executive Pastor of Operations – jeff.supp@bayareacc.org Jerry Shirlen, Financial Administrator – jerry.shirlen@bayareacc.org Jocelyn Sacks, Serving Director – jocelyn.sacks@bayareacc.org Jonathan Madrid, Worship Leader – jonathan.madrid@bayareacc.org Josh (Burgi) Burgin, Creative Director – josh.burgin@bayareacc.org Kristin Collins, Annapolis Children’s Ministry Director – kristin.collins@bayareacc.org Leanne Lane, Care Network Director – leanne.lane@bayareacc.org Megan Heath, Women’s Ministry Director – megan.heath@bayareacc.org Michele Rollins, Short Term Missions Director – michele.rollins@bayareacc.org

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Josh (Burgi) Burgin PHOTO EDITOR Arianne Teeple LEAD DESIGNER Jake Williams CONTRIBUTORS Kayleigh Vaughn Jocelyn Sacks

ON THE COVER Greg Dixon Alex Williams Kyle Sponaugle PHOTO BY Arianne Teeple

For a comprehensive list of all Bay Area staff, elders and deacons, please visit bayareacc.org/ourteam.

We appreciate your comments and questions. Please email us at feedback@bayareacc.org and a staff member or elder will respond within 48 hours.

GIVING AT BAY AREA

GIVING METHODS

PHILOSOPHY OF GENEROSITY

The financial generosity of our church family helps fuel our mission of making passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations. Every gift is used to resource our ongoing ministries at our three campuses, and support dozens of local and global missions partners who are reaching people with the gospel around the world.

If you would like to give, you can do so at bayareacc.org/give, through our app, or by mailing a check to our Annapolis Campus (884 Chesterfield Road, Annapolis, MD 21401). Please be sure to include your campus designation on all gifts.

Want to learn how to manage your finances God’s way? Read our Philosophy of Generosity at bayareacc.org/give to discover what the Bible says about how we can steward our finances in a way that honors God.

FISCAL YEAR, SEPTEMBER 2019 - AUGUST 2020

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIVING!

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

EASTON CAMPUS

ODENTON CAMPUS

Questions: finance@bayareacc.org

Goal: $7,608,528 Received: $6,865,445

Goal: $300,000 Received: $342,755

Goal: $300,000 Received: $426,289

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LETTER FROM THE LEAD

God’s SolutioN for Uncertain Times 4 GO&MAKE FA L L 2 02 0

ow’s your motivation these days? Are you experiencing more of the lifechanging work of the Spirit in your life? Is there more or less freedom lately in your relationship with God and others?

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 The solution to every difficulty and sorrow is, “Christ who lives in me.” The Gospel of Jesus Christ, his death on the cross, has set us free from the curse of the Law so that we are no longer slaves of sin. He loved us and gave himself for us so that we would be free over sin and a works-based acceptance before God (Galatians 5:1).

For many, the pandemic has become a thief.

The uncertainty of COVID, the loss of income, racial justice issues, the challenges of work, or homeschooling children, has stolen something from each of us. We’ve allowed these things to rob us of our freedom and power in Christ.

In times like this, it is all too easy to fall into a performance trap, thinking “if I only do the right things,” “if I manage these challenges right,” or “if I push through,” then things will work out. This thinking often fails us.

As we grasp the Gospel more deeply, our lives and motivation will be transformed, and we will experience true freedom in Christ. That’s why I’m inviting you into a deep dive of the Epistle to the Galatians this fall. From now until mid-November, we’ll see the power of the Gospel over sin, the selflife, and every effort to find acceptance before God based on good works. And we’ll learn of the power and freedom of our new birth and the fruit of the Spirit.

But here is some good news: God has supernatural motivation, power and freedom for us that overcomes any of life’s circumstances!

Yes, since March our world has been rocked. But that is not a problem for our Lord Jesus. And what is the solution He offers us? Read this verse slowly:

Start meditating on Galatians and get ready to be changed by the power of the Gospel in your life!

From here to the nations, Greg St. Cyr is the lead pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a regular contributor to GO&MAKE.

Greg St. Cyr Lead Pastor

PREACHING SCHEDULE FOR THE FALL FOR GALATIANS: SEPTEMBER 6

1:1-10

OCTOBER 4

3:1-14

NOVEMBER 1

5:1-15

SEPTEMBER 13

1:11-24

OCTOBER 11

3:15-29

NOVEMBER 8

5:16-26

SEPTEMBER 20

2:1-14

OCTOBER 18

4:1-18

NOVEMBER 15

6:1-10

SEPTEMBER 27

2:15-21

OCTOBER 25

4:19-31

NOVEMBER 22

6:11-18

Experiencing the Fullness of Jesus at Bay Area

By Abbie Hoekstra

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he vision of Bay Area is that every follower of Jesus who considers Bay Area their church home would do five things: connect in community, serve like Jesus, go on a mission trip, share the gospel, and worship together.

It’s through those things that we are able to make passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations. But think of these things as a way of life and not a checklist, because it’s also through these things that we experience the fullness of Jesus in our own lives. The woman you see on this page is a picture of what it looks like to actively pursue the fullness of Jesus through all that Bay Area has to offer.

In 2015 after graduating from Messiah College, Megan Crout moved to Maryland.

Her college boyfriend, David, and his family were from the Annapolis area and so she decided to take a job in D.C. to be closer to him. In 2016 they were married and started attending Bay Area.

After searching for a church home for a while, they were excited to find Bay Area and knew immediately that this was the type of church family and connection they were looking for. They dove right in their first weekend with a Missional Community taster. Right away they were plugged into an MC and met their group for the first time at a Christmas party.

In spring of 2017, Bay Area was going through a series called Serve Like Jesus.

In conjunction with a Gathering Card, attenders received a card with a list of available serving opportunities. David plays guitar and so she urged him to get involved with the worship team, while she had the opportunity to use her vocational event planning skills for Bay Area Women’s Ministry. In the summer of 2018 Megan and David went on their first short term mission trip to Belize.

The friendships they made on this first trip have only grown deeper and led to more missions opportunities. They returned to Belize in 2019, and were set to lead a trip to The Dominican Republic in the summer of 2020 before COVID hit.

Megan and David were planning on coleading a trip with Kayleigh and Rob Vaughn whom they had met on their first trip to Belize.

In every aspect of her involvement Megan shared how they could always clearly see how God was working behind the scenes, whether it be through using Megan’s gifting in event planning to serve the women of Bay Area, or through David’s boss who was integral in making it possible for them to go on multiple short term mission trips.

These experiences have shaped their individual relationships with the Lord, and how they plan to raise their family.

Through all the ways Megan has been involved, she has felt particularly passionate about working with Women’s Ministry. She started getting involved in 2017 when Janet Graves was the Women’s Ministry Director. Janet used to use Megan as kind of a sounding board and to vet new ideas. As a now 27 year old reflecting on her first encounters with Wo m e n ’s Ministry, she is aware of the age gap between her and a majority of the women involved in the ministry. Something she is now working with Megan Heath, our current Women’s Ministry Director, to create is a bridge between generations. She started by creating a newsletter with a list of upcoming events, some interesting articles for women, and updates about the mission and vision of the ministry.

Megan just wants this ministry to be something that everyone can join and feel connected in, recognizing: “there’s women around my age where, you know, life is hard and you want to be able to find someone who you can talk to, trust and be real with, but also someone who might not be a peer or a coworker; someone you can ask questions you might not be able to ask anyone else.”

connection. I derailed our interview for a minute to talk with her more about this.

We agreed that the younger generation especially is willing to be open and honest in admitting that we don’t know what we’re doing half the time. And we recognize that there are women a generation or two ahead of us who have had these experiences, felt these feelings, and dealt with their fair share of hard decisions at this age. Hearing that the Megans (Heath and Crout) have some new things in store to help create this bridge between generations got me really excited about what’s to come, as you can tell by the amount of time I’ve spent writing about this.

I asked Megan for some advice she might give to people who aren’t sure how to get involved. She put it perfectly:

“ People need to not discount what they can bring to the table.”

As a young twenty-something myself I was really encouraged hearing how there were in fact other women my age at Bay Area who were longing for that kind of

“It doesn’t matter your skill. You could be the best pottery maker in the world and you can do that and be a part of any ministry. People need to not discount what they can bring to the table.”

God can use anything to further His kingdom, and we can be prayerful that He will show us just how He intends to use us to bless others and change lives.

This is how we experience the fullness of His blessing! And Megan left me with an important reminder to always redirect the praise back to God. Our gifts are first blessings from Him before they are blessings to others.

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The Long Route

By Greg St. Cyr

2,200 miles behind me and another 650 still to go. As I write, I’m with Mary Kaye at a Hilton in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We’re driving to San Diego. That’s right: driving.

It’s the long route for sure. While a plane would take six hours, driving is a four-day commitment. But it’s worth it. Mary Kaye and I have enjoyed the Tennessee and West Texas scenery, picnicked at rest areas, listened to books and sermons, eaten at Chickfil-A and Canes, and enjoyed family visits along the way. We’re taking the long route in order to drop off a car for our youngest daughter, Krysia, and it’s been an unexpected blessing.

The long route. That’s the way COVID now feels. In my naïveté I assumed that when the “stay at home” order came, surely by September things would be back to “normal.” The fall is now upon us and it’s obvious that ministry at Bay Area needs to embrace this long route.

But could it actually prove to be, like our long route across the country, an unexpected blessing?

The answer, of course, is YES! What does this unexpected blessing look like for us as a church? It should come as no surprise that our mission is unchanged: making passionate maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations.

The way we plan on accomplishing God’s mission and navigating the unexpected blessings during this season can be summed up in three words: Connect, Grow, Serve.

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CONNECT We hope you will connect in more meaningful ways with your Bay Area family. Perhaps you are new or have been at the church for years. Regardless, in light of the isolation brought about by this pandemic, now is the time to build

GROW When it comes to spiritual growth, each of us must take personal responsibility. That’s why I remind myself daily that my highest priority in life is cultivating a personal intimate relationship with the Lord. That means daily time with Jesus. We recommend a helpful tool we’ve developed called “A Chapter A Day” guide and journal.

You can download it on our website at bayareacc.org/chapteraday.

Besides your personal time with God, each of us need to connect relationally with others around God’s Word. That’s why we are so committed to Missional Communities, as well as women’s and men’s groups. I hope you grow this fall through one of these opportunities for deeper intimacy with Jesus. Each group is unique in its dynamic, as well as how they are meeting in this season. You can be involved virtually or in appropriate socially distanced environments. In addition, our Children’s Ministry is focusing on how to better equip parents

SERVE I have a saying: “I am never more like Jesus than when I’m serving.” Believers are never exempt from serving. Many serving opportunities exist within the church family. You can learn all about open opportunities online at

spiritual friendships that help you grow.

You are welcome in any of Bay Area’s ministries, but the place we suggest you start is a Connect Group (CG).

Connect Groups are temporary communities that connect unconnected people at Bay Area into long-term discipleship communities, whether a

Missional Community, a Life Group, or Men’s or Women’s Bible Study. CGs last eight weeks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some groups will meet virtually over Zoom while others will meet in person.

For more information about a CG, head to bayareacc.org/connectgroup

at home to disciple their children.

Resources and practical tips are on the way! And our Student Ministry has put forth tremendous effort and creativity to engage and disciple students in the days ahead. Your teen won’t want to miss out.

reading guide. LGs are the perfect place for those who would like to become a multiplier of disciples.

One other new initiate I want to highlight is Life Groups (LG). Life Groups are the discipleship environment at Bay Area

As always, we are committed to providing Christ-exalting gatherings on Sunday that are physically safe and usher us into life-

If you would like to start your own Life Group, check out bayareacc.org/lifegroup to find out how.

“ ...He knows that the long route is indeed the route of unexpected blessings.” that most closely follows Jesus’ method of making disciples of a few. LGs are led by a lead disciple-maker who invites three to four people on a nine month journey of deeper life transformation of our head, heart and hands. The curriculum is “A Chapter A Day“ Bible

changing encounters with God and His Word. Gatherings will continue to be both online and in person at Annapolis, Easton, and soon in Odenton (we are actively looking for a venue). Our social media and web presence will keep you up to date and encouraged.

bayareacc.org/serve. Our teams and leaders will provide all the tools you’ll need to easily step into a serving role.

are facing financial or health challenges, others are struggling with relational challenges. God is opening doors for unique opportunities to serve those around us. In the days ahead, we’ll be providing ideas and resources to help you serve with your neighbors with the love of Jesus.

However, our focus during this season has shifted to a larger focus of serving our neighbors. All of us have neighbors who need Jesus. Opportunities abound, especially during COVID, to serve. Some

When we started this COVID journey, perhaps you, like me, envisioned it as a short trip. Instead it turns out to be the long route. But God knew that, and He knows that the long route is indeed the route of unexpected blessings. Blessings for each of us to become more like Jesus as we connect, grow and serve. Blessings to serve others around us with the hope that they will also experience the ultimate blessing of knowing Jesus. His route, whether short or long, is always the route of blessing.

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n Greg’s article titled The Long Route, he reflects on how sometimes the long route is difficult, and certainly not the way we always imagined we’d go, but how it is often filled with unexpected blessings. God knew we would be on this path long before we ever did. And as Greg said, “His route, whether short or long, is always the route of blessing.” That’s what the last six months have been for BASM and Kids At Bay Area. In the midst of chaos, Jesus’ name has risen from the noise to the youngest generations at Bay Area. He has shown up in awesome ways and is continuing to work through the fall. Check it out!

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CELEBRATING JESUS@HOME We called all 900+ of our Bay Area families during quarantine and heard feedback on how much they love the weekend Children’s Ministry resources with Jesus@home. A big highlight for the kids was Jeremiah.

On Sundays when the Annapolis Campus started meeting in person again, Kristin Collins, Bay Area Children’s Ministry Director, had so many adults come up to her and say, “hey are you the Jeremiah girl? I don’t have kids, but I love watching!” Turns out it was a hit for the adults as well.

COMING THIS FALL Kids At Bay Area is excited to present a NEW Sunday Special with a weekly parent encouragement email that includes prompts to continue the conversation of what they’ve been learning each Sunday. Families will also be provided with prayer journals, a faith folder with resources on how to bless and pray with your kids, a monthly global mission focus, and so much more. If you are interested in signing up your family for this fall’s new content, email Kristin at kristin.collins@bayareacc.org.

A LO O K AT STAYCATION BIBLE SCHOOL Kids At Bay Area developed 15 preschool and 15 elementary activities for Staycation Bible School (SBS).

Families were also set to receive two activities and a prayer guide per day. The heart behind SBS was to make things as easy as possible for families, and include everything needed to successfully disciple their kids at home.

When time for the SBS kit drive-thru pickup came, Children’s Ministry staff and volunteers were beyond excited to be reunited with all the Bay Area families. It had been four months since they had all seen each other, so getting to physically see each other briefly, even from a distance, was such a blessing.

Kristin said that getting to see families worship together and do activities that led them to get in the word as a family was the most special thing that happened with SBS. “We received emails from families that this was the first time they had sat around as a family and done ‘church’ together,” she shared. For many families, this was a launching pad for good conversation.

CHRISTMAS Families, get excited for a Christmas Advent kit that will launch just before Thanksgiving. Keep checking back at the Kids At Bay Area page on our website for more details coming soon.

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A LO O K AT SUMMER HANGOUTS Bay Area Student Ministry hosted Summer Hangouts across all three campuses. These were small, 10-15 person hangouts where students got to have fun together once a week throughout the summer. Whether it was a s’mores night or kickball game, Student Ministry Director Lauren Gibeault shared how “the smaller groups allowed BASM staff and volunteers to spend some one on one time with a number of different students during a confusing and difficult time.” BASM is celebrating having had 23 Summer Hangouts in total across all three campuses!

SUMMER GATHERINGS In June, July and August, all three campuses were able to partner together to create outdoor summer gatherings for students. They gathered together on Sunday evenings for a time of worship, teaching and prayer, followed by a time of hanging out with each other. While practicing social distancing, these nights became a time for students to experience some normalcy in their summer social calendar, and also created space for fellowship with one another.

AMPLIFY OUTDOORS BASM has resumed Amplify this month in an all outdoor format. Middle and high school students are invited to join us every Wednesday night in September and October. This will be a special time for each grade and gender to gather together in smaller groups to discuss Sunday’s message in more depth. Students are also welcome to join this group via zoom, and can get the link by emailing lauren.gibeault@bayareacc.org.

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You can find Kids At Bay Area and Bay Area Student Ministry on our website and on social media.

BASM AFTERNOONS This summer student ministry hosted their first ever BASM Afternoons, a day camp at the Annapolis Campus for middle and high school students. Staff, volunteers and students spent the week playing group games, doing crafts, hearing about the life of Moses, and discussing in small group settings.

NEW BASM FALL GATHERINGS Coming up this month and next, BASM Gatherings will kick back off each Sunday night outside The Warehouse.

Middle and high school students will experience live worship, practical teaching, and a time of hanging out and fellowship. Head to BASM’s Instagram or YouTube channel to worship virtually on Sunday nights.

@kidsatbayarea bayareacc.org/children

@basmannapolis @basmeaston @basmodenton bayareacc.org/students

Keep checking back to see what new events they are lining up for this fall!

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RACISM, JUSTICE AND FAITH:

EYES WIDE OPEN

By Abbie Hoekstra yle Sponaugle, an elder at Bay Area, and Greg Dixon, a Ministry Partner and supporter of the Odenton Campus, have brought the conversation of the intersection of racism, justice and faith to Bay Area through a series of Monday night forums. If you missed the first two forums, allow me to give you a little recap. At the first, Kyle and Greg opened up the floor for anyone interested in sharing their own personal experiences in the church.

It was an incredible evening of vulnerability and honesty that left the door open for continued discussion about Bay Area’s response. At the second, attendees shared the things they have been learning since the first forum and how they are continuing the learning. At the end, Alex Williams and Sandra Johnson shared about what is going on in Eastport Terrace

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(see Taking New Ground for more information on this) and future local outreach opportunities. But just before that, a representative from the mayor’s office came to talk with us about the history of racism, injustice and faith in our own backyard and the way some of this history has been glossed over.

These two forums took me down a path of investigation of what I might have missed in school, what I needed to learn still, and what my responsibility is as a follower of Jesus. I think you’ll be interested in where this path led me.

My family moved to Severna Park from New Jersey when I was halfway through the fourth grade. If you remember from your elementary school days, fourth grade is when you learn about your state’s history.

Needless to say, I only got half the story. Come to find out, I don’t think

I got really any of the story about Anne Arundel County. I realized this as I sat through the second forum and listened to Adetola Ajayai, the African American Community Services Specialist from the Annapolis mayor’s office.

He confirmed some of my assumptions: that early settlers included Virginian Puritans who brought enslaved Africans with them, that they colonized land that had been occupied by the Indigenous Susquehanna Tribe, and that property taxes from enslaved Africans paid the bills at some of Maryland’s first churches. I think that was about all I understood from history class in elementary school.

But then he reminded me that Maryland has a well-documented history of African American upward mobility because of people like Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass

has systemically created hurdles for the African American community since its inception. Home ownership plays a key role in community building, and African Americans have been left out of that.

and Thurgood Marshall. And further, he talked about how Maryland is known globally for being a pivotal area in the history of Black peoples’ struggle for selfidentification in the United States.

I sent Adetola an email after the forum to further the conversation, in hopes that by sharing what he said here we might be able to join together in learning about our county’s history in a new way. Here is a glimpse of what he shared that stood out to me.

The vast “providence” of Anne Arundel County helped to develop the tobacco industry of Maryland, which was the catalyst to our state’s prosperity. This wealth was built with the hands of enslaved African people. Their identity and culture were taken from them and replaced with White Christian culture, names and faith. But what he also shared that I didn’t recall learning in school was that by an 1840 census, free Blacks outnumbered slaves in Annapolis for the first time, and these free Blacks were business owners using the skills they learned from being slaves.

While there were many free Blacks, most were still enslaved in AACO. In a lot of ways, the unpaid labor of enslaved Africans led to the creation of White community wealth in Anne Arundel County. Africans in Annapolis commonly worked in maritime jobs, but as tourism increased so did the property value on the water. They were forced to move out of the flourishing parts of the city to the outskirts. Public housing

On the other hand, he told me about how famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass and his son both had purchased pieces of land that were turned into a beach resort for the wealthy and elite of Baltimore and Washington’s Black society in the late 1800s, who would otherwise be turned away at white beach resorts on the Chesapeake. And then from the 1920s-70s there was Carr and Sparrow’s Beach that became a spot for anyone who was famous, hot and popular in the Black community at the time. Annapolis had one of the only beaches from here to the Midwest that African Americans could patronize, and it became an economy driver for the city not only because of the tourism, but because of the amount of people it employed.

this: “I would love to see Bay Area take what we have developed from short term missions to find a way to reach out and learn more about the people here. Let’s start to understand where they came from - let’s understand their heritage - and love on them as fellow image bearers.”

In a time where international travel isn’t really an option, and when crossing state lines can even seem dangerous, why not take on the mission field that is in our own backyard? Further, Greg says he wants us to “see, not with our eyes, but with our hearts and our minds, you know, be able to use the eyes as a window, but not to use what you see to characterize and profile a person that could affect how you respond to them.”

The past two forums have been an awesome start, but we are not finished.

The next forum on racism, justice and faith is on Monday, September 21. Kyle and Greg encourage anyone to come and be a part of the discussion as we develop some recommendations to bring to the leadership of Bay Area. Even after this forum, there is still work to be done.

Some of us might have habits we need to break, or new lessons to be learned.

Others of us might have heavy hearts

“ Let’s start to understand where they came from - let’s understand their heritage - and love them as fellow image bearers.”

In sharing this brief bit of history, I hope you are intrigued and excited to continue the conversation about what we can do in our own county. Or maybe you’re still wondering, “why should I care?”

Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him.” As followers of Jesus we are all image bearers - we have His likeness inside of us, governing our ethics, calling us to see every person as valuable, and treating them with respect and honor.

It is because of God’s perfect grace that we are all free, redeemed and restored to our true identity in Him. Racism, like all sin, will not be fully eradicated until Jesus returns. While we wait for that day, we can be agents of reconciliation and represent Jesus’ heart by being His hands and feet in our neighborhood today.

So, what does that look like for me? For you? For Bay Area? When talking with Greg Dixon about his decision to facilitate this conversation with Kyle, he shared

wondering what to do. And some of us might still not understand why this is such a deep-rooted issue.

Whoever you are, I want to encourage you to start asking God the hard questions. Ask Him what your eyes might be closed to. Ask Him what first step you should take. Ask Him how you can be a good steward of all He has provided for you. Ask Him how you can be an agent of reconciliation. I want to be able to see people through the heart of God, the way Jesus sees them, with my eyes wide open. That’s my prayer. What is yours? Go ahead, ask Him! Because the truth is, when we seek God - when we ask Him to show us His heart - we will start to see others the way He sees them; with eyes wide open.

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By Abbie Hoekstra

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You know the story: the pandemic hits and meeting in person becomes impossible.

People who were not plugged into a Missional Community, Bible study, or another form of community were feeling the weight of being disconnected and alone more than ever. Even those who were connected in some capacity lost the physical aspect to community when COVID hit. In an effort to allow people to still connect with one another, Bay Area launched Virtual Connect Groups (VCGs) with the hope that lasting relationships would be built that would extend beyond the lengths of this pandemic.

In a time of desperation for fellowship, two Virtual Connect Groups grew to be much more than just a way to fight off the pandemic blues. In Easton, Donna Roser took a group of about 25 women through a study on the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5. In Odenton Bryan Patrick started a VCG that transformed into intentional time with other followers of Jesus in the form of a Missional Community.

Through Beth Moore’s study, Living Beyond Yourself, close to 25 women from Bay Area and other churches in the Easton area met on Zoom to take a deeper dive into the fruit of the Spirit for three months. With the breakout room feature on Zoom, women were also able to meet in smaller groups to discuss what they were learning in a more intimate setting. Donna expressed what a blessing it was to have Worship Leader Sarah Wieduwilt, and Cara Miller, a Ministry Partner who had just completed Bay Area’s School of Biblical Leadership, step up to lead those breakout groups.

This group met once a week for an hour and a half in the evening. Donna talked with me about how she would stay on

the Zoom call for 30 minutes beyond the scheduled end time for anyone who needed more personal, one-on-one time to reflect on what life looked like for them. “That was a really fruitful time,” Donna shared, “it allowed women to put their walls down a little bit more. Instead of having seven or eight women in your group, we were a group of less than three to five.” The smaller group setting allowed for deeper relationships to be built, and as a result, they were able to encourage one another with a text or a call throughout the week. When reflecting on the importance of community, Donna said: “I think a lot of people think that salvation is the end all be all and they don’t know about sanctification where you’re growing to become more like Christ. When you grow in community, you start surrounding yourself with mentors that are actually walking the walk and it challenges us all to grow a little more.” As the summer approached, Donna’s group was refined to a solid, committed group of women who were able to meet consistently; prayerful and excited about what the fall has for them.

Around the time quarantine started, Missional Community leader training was finishing up, and Bryan Patrick and his wife were excited to see their calling to start an MC in the Odenton area come to fruition. A small group of about six people expressed interest in joining his group, and they started meeting as a VCG. In May, Bryan met with Odenton Campus Pastor Jason Barthelemy to discuss next steps for their group since COVID created a bit of a stand-still, and decided to be prayerful about next steps. Seeing how easily vulnerability and intentionality came to the group, it was clear that God was at work in forming lasting relationships within the group. “It was a nice quarantine grace,” Bryan said. As time went on, it became clear to both Jason and Bryan that their VCG was ready to become an MC, deciding as a group to fully commit to living life together on mission for Jesus.

In July they had their first meeting as an MC. “It’s a group of good folks who want to love their neighbors and be agents

of The Great Commission, even while being physically distant from people,” Bryan said, “we’re just trying to be Jesus in our neighborhoods.”

Romans 12:4-5 says, “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” We were always intended to be in community with one another as members of God’s family. We are powerful in advancing the kingdom of God when we combine

“ What would it look like for you to take a step toward being in intentional community with other followers of Jesus?” all our gifts and talents - we are better together than we are alone. So as we move into the next 6 months, what would it look like for you to take a step toward being in intentional community with other followers of Jesus? Consider starting your own Life Group with two or three other people, or a Connect Group for the next eight weeks to get a taste of what it’s like meet regularly and do life with others. What starts as a small step with people who are all uniquely gifted from the Lord, could turn into the exact environment you need for spiritual growth, and for God to equip and use you in the advancement of His kingdom.

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JUMPING IN WITH REID AND GINGER NORRIS

By Kayleigh Vaughn

f you’ve been around Bay Area for any length of time, chances are you have talked to Reid and Ginger Norris. You can usually find Ginger welcoming and chatting with newcomers at First Step, and you have likely seen Reid on stage singing on Sunday mornings with the worship team. For those who know them, you know that they are passionate about two things: Jesus and people.

After moving here two years ago from Wisconsin, Reid & Ginger immediately knew they needed to find a church home. After visiting Bay Area for a few months, they jumped right in and decided to get connected. They attended First Step, where they had the chance to meet other newcomers as well as some of the leadership at Bay Area. From there, they joined a Missional Community and started serving on the First Step team in order to help other new people like themselves get connected at Bay Area.

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I asked Ginger a little bit more about their experience with looking for the right church and coming to know how Bay Area was the one for them, as well as what their experience has been here. In her own words, here’s what she had to say: How did you come to know that Bay Area was the church for you?

Finding the right church is a little more complicated than just picking your favorite restaurant – but getting “fed” is so critical! We prayed a lot before trying some churches in the area. For us it was clear that Bay Area was focused on making maturing followers of Christ from here to the nations. For us this meant growing, helping others (including our son) grow, and it meant going: to our neighbors and to the far reaches of places like Africa. It didn’t take long for us to have confirmation from God, through prayer, scripture and people, that Bay Area was where He would continue to work in and through us!

What was your experience with the assimilation process (First/Next Step)?

What has been your experience with serving at Bay Area?

We found assimilation into Bay Area to be one of the easiest transitions into a new church home that we have ever experienced in 20+ years of moving around the country! It literally just took us taking that first step to attend one of the First Step sessions after a gathering, and from there the Bay Area team was available to guide us and make it as easy on us as possible!

One of the qualities of Bay Area that we have cherished since moving here and becoming Ministry Partners has been the focus on others – chiefly through some form of serving. To us, serving is like going to the gym. You can’t grow in Christ without exercising your selflessness and gratefulness muscles, and Bay Area gives us so many ways to find the right ways to do that!

Bay Area has been blessed by the Norris’ and their involvement with our church family for the last two years. Even though we are in this new season of navigating life during COVID-19 and trying to figure out new ways to do church and ministry, the goal is still the same: to help people connect with Jesus and to connect with one another.

In July, we hosted a Get to Know You BBQ, where we had about 20 new people come out for a fun time of food and fellowship. Despite the near 100-degree temperature, everyone had a blast getting to know each other in a socially-distanced setting. It has never been more evident than now how much people need community. For that reason, we are excited to introduce Bay Area Picnics! The purpose of these picnics will be to provide a friendly, face-to-face opportunity to get to know people in the town or area that you live, and begin the process of getting connected in community. Head to the Happenings section in the back of this magazine for more information on a Bay Area Picnic near you!

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SERVE YOUR NEIGHBOR CHALLENGE

By Jocelyn Sacks

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y husband and I moved into our first house two years ago. We bought a small rancher on a quiet cul-de-sac in Annapolis. Our home backs up to the woods and it is so peaceful there. Our neighbors are really diverse - from a single woman in her 30s, to a multi-generational family running from ages 85 down to 2, to a couple who grows vegetables in their yard and has chickens out back, essentially living off the land. It’s quaint and quirky, exactly the kind of place that God knew we’d love to live.

Anyone who has been house hunting knows that it is stressful. You find a home you love, then someone outbids you, and it’s like your dreams are dashed upon the rocks. But then you move on, find another one, and the process begins again. This is what we had experienced, too. But by the end, when we saw our house for the first time, we just knew it was the house that God had for us and we deemed the whole process worth it.

Two years in our home has really flown by. Life just takes over! There have been walls we’ve wanted to paint but haven’t. Pictures we’ve wanted to hang, but they’re still sitting in our basement. Projects we’ve wanted to make progress on that are halted seemingly forever.

And our desire to meet our neighbors and integrate ourselves into our small cul-de-sac… well, we lost our momentum on that really quickly, too.

I know that God has my husband and I on this street for a reason - so we might be a blessing to our neighbors.

Scripture invites us into this way of thinking - that God blesses us so we might be a blessing.

Genesis 12:1-2 says, “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.’”

way. We hope these prompts will take out some of those question marks on what to do, what to say, and what your next step might be. We hope that we’ll each follow the prompting of the Spirit to move toward someone who God wants us to bless. We can walk through this together; cheering each other on and celebrating stories of relationships built.

And what better time to love our neighbor than when we are all at home more often and in desperate need of community and love? What if God has placed you right where you are, in this

“ What if God has placed you right where you are, in this season, to be a blessing to someone you live next door to?”

You see, when we knew that this house was ours, we prayed that we’d be a blessing to our neighbors. In the first days and weeks, we saw people milling outside and we made our introductions.

What a win to know our neighbors’ names! Then as more time went on, we’d wave as we drove by or saw folks outside walking their dog. We’d do nice things occasionally, like pull in our neighbor’s trash can or leave a small gift on their doorstep, but over time, it seemed to just get harder and harder to be a blessing and to be honest, our energy to want to step out of our comfort zone has been zapped altogether.

Do you see that play from “I will bless you” to “you will be a blessing?” We see God say or imply this throughout all of scripture.

If you’re anything like me, you want to love your neighbors well but don’t know how or can’t find the right way to move a friendship forward. Or sometimes, like me, you’re tired from a long day of work and would rather put your feet up. It’s like we’re stuck.

That’s why this fall marks something special for us to participate in: a serve challenge that helps us love our neighbor better. We’ll provide weekly prompts for you and your family to do together, from learning the names of your neighbors if you don’t, to prayer walking in your neighborhood, to serving them in some

season, to be a blessing to someone you live next door to? How might we be obedient to the Spirit’s promptings as we take notice of and grow to know those God has placed near to us? And, how might this step of obedience not just change us but change our neighborhoods, our communities, and our county at large for the glory of God? This October we will be joining together for a Serve Your Neighbor Challenge across the whole church. Check back on our website as we get closer for weekly prompts that will guide you in ways to best serve the people closest in proximity to you - your neighbors!

God will use your step of faith. We can’t wait to see how!

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TAKING NEW GROUND

By Abbie Hoekstra

“ Let me start by saying I don’t want this to be about me. This is a God story.”

There are two communities called Safe Harbor and Eastport Terrace that meet at a community center right off the corner of President Street. Alex Williams, Bay Area’s Community Outreach Coordinator, lives in a community in Eastport nearby. She used to avoid driving on President Street when she would come to and from work, but about two years ago she started intentionally turning down that street everywhere she was going and would pray: “Lord, just give me your eyes to see what’s going on here.” As she did, she noticed that her heart was abounding with passion and compassion in seeing a multitude of people and cultures. She continued to prayerfully ask God if this was an area where she could get involved.

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Alex started reaching out, asking questions about the Housing Authority of The City of Annapolis (HACA) and making phone calls to the mayor’s office, saying “I’m a neighbor, a member of Bay Area, and I want to see communities thrive. How can we love and serve you?”

As the backstory if these communities unfolded, she felt that God was weaving her into this huge network of people that would guide her to the right ways to get involved. Around this time, Assimilation Coordinator Kayleigh Vaughn and Greg St. Cyr were telling Alex she needed to meet a woman named Sandra Johnson who lives in Eastport Terrace and could help her get connected there. Soon Alex started showing up at community events and hanging out on the outskirts.

She was probably the only one there

not a part of this community. One day this woman walks up to Alex and says, “Hi, I’m Sandra Johnson; you’ve been looking for me.” Alex told her she had been praying for her and wanted to get involved. Sandra shared how she runs the community center, attends Bay Area, and has been praying that the church would get involved somehow. Sandra

perspective on people, our communities and our neighborhoods, and really compelling us to live this very missional life, just going where the Father leads and following His way,” Alex shared. This first team ended up turning into a Missional Community - a missionary family who is committed to loving God back, loving each other, and loving their neighbors.

“ This is now family, these are people that we love and serve.” has a heart for children and families and has been mentoring and loving children her whole life. Alex was excited about the immediate connection with a person of peace and the new open door to invest in the community.

Through mentorship from another church leader in the area involved in low-income communities, Alex developed as a leader and learned how to show up intentionally - not infiltrating without developing relationships. As she started thinking strategically about building a team to start this relationship, a group who lived right by Eastport Terrace began to show interest. Initially, they didn’t have an agenda. Their mission was to show up, and to do it consistently, going to see Sandra and waiting to be used. Soon the team started getting together outside of their time in Eastport Terrace. “Amazing conversations came up about the Lord doing a work in us, giving us a new

As the relationship started to grow, Alex started getting phone calls about events that would come up for the kids in the community.

She would go with a mix of people who were familiar with the neighborhood and some who didn’t know the community at all. Afterward, they would debrief about their time and many would talk about having a wake-up call from a new experience that happened just two or three blocks away from where they live, realizing they were living a very different life. Now there is another team of core people who have been committed to investing in this mutual relationship for the last six months. They have been spending time in after-school programs and had anticipated being more heavily involved this summer if it were not for COVID putting a halt to things. Regardless, the same things are happening with

this group that happened with the first: there is a mutual relationship. This team is in community together and starting to do life with some of the people in Eastport Terrace. “This is now family,” Alex said, “these are people that we love and serve.”

It’s really about loving people and being committed to a call, and Alex has a long-term vision: for us to be able to serve and love the community because we have missionaries on the ground, and as needs bubble up, Bay Area can be an extension of that with love and generosity. What if the young people we are investing in these communities now become believers, and then want to go and create their own team and serve in another neighborhood? “At the end of the day, we are on this journey learning about racism, deep rooted issues, and there really needs to be reconciliation,” Alex shared. “We are a predominately white church, a lot of us are really naïve or unaware to the realities and so this is a journey for us also to learn, and for God to soften our hearts so that we may be vessels of love, and the hands and feet of Jesus.”

WHAT CAN YOU DO? There are openings for a handful of people to join a team right now. If you are interested in applying or checking it out, send Alex an email at alex.williams@bayareacc.org. Since this is a long-term, mutual relationship, spend some time in prayer over whether or not this is where God is calling you to serve and to what capacity. Not sure this is the right spot for you to serve and love your neighbor? You can still pray!

“Spiritually, we are taking new ground. When you go into places like this you can face a lot of spiritual warfare just like any other team,” Alex said. She would love to see how God leads us to different spaces of underprivileged or overlooked people all over Anne Arundel County - with smaller teams like this intentionally serving in word and deed so we can see Jesus transform lives.

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HAPPENINGS ASSIMILATION Are you looking to take your next step at Bay Area? Whether you’re new or you’ve been here for years, we’d love to help you get connected. Head to our website for more information.

Info and register: bayareacc.org/nextsteps

BAY AREA PICNICS ALL CAMPUSES September 26 and October 3 5-6:30 p.m. at various locations (see website) This fall, we will be hosting a series of picnics all around Anne Arundel County and Easton.

We want to get back to basics and bring fellowship and community to our neighborhoods.

Head to our website to find the closest picnic to you!

Register: bayareacc.org/bayareapicnics

VIRTUAL MINISTRY PARTNER ORIENTATION ALL CAMPUSES Sunday, October 11 1:30 p.m. via Zoom If you’re interested in making Bay Area your church home, join us for Ministry Partner Orientation where you’ll get to hear from Pastor Greg St. Cyr about what it means to be a Ministry Partner, and what next steps look like.

BAY AREA STUDENT MINISTRY Our goal is to empower students, 6th grade through 12th grade, to become disciples of Jesus who take their faith beyond our church walls and beyond their high school graduation.

Annapolis info: bayareacc.org/annapolis/students Odenton info: bayareacc.org/odenton/students Easton info: bayareacc.org/easton/students

AMPLIFY OUTDOORS Amplify is a mid-week gathering for middle and high school where students will connect with friends through worship, teaching and community group time. Groups will be socially distant and masks will be required. Students are also welcome to join this group via zoom, and can get the link by emailing lauren.gibeault@bayareacc.org.

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

ODENTON CAMPUS

Wednesdays through October 6:30-8 p.m. outside The Warehouse

Wednesdays through October 6:30-8 p.m. at the Hendrix’s (address on website)

EASTON CAMPUS Wednesdays through October 6-8 p.m. at the Easton Family YMCA 24 GO&MAKE FA L L 2 02 0

BASM SUNDAY GATHERING ANNAPOLIS + ODENTON CAMPUSES Sundays through October 6:30-8 p.m. outside The Warehouse Students will experience live worship, practical teaching, and a time of hanging out and fellowship. Masks are required and we will head inside to meet if the weather does not permit us to meet outside. Head to BASM’s Instagram or YouTube channel to worship virtually on Sunday nights.

CARE NETWORK The Care Network provides a variety of resources, trained volunteers and referrals to professional counselors who can help you navigate the difficult parts of life. Below are a list of support groups launching this fall that you can join at any time. You can find more information about the Care Network and all they offer on our website.

Info: bayareacc.org/annapolis/care Register: bayareacc.org/register

DIVORCECARE SUPPORT GROUP ALL CAMPUSES Mondays, September 14 - December 14 7:30–9 p.m. via Zoom Separated or in the midst of a divorce? 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 through the help of this group.

GRIEFSHARE SUPPORT GROUP ALL CAMPUSES Thursdays, September 17 - December 17 7-9 p.m. via Zoom If you’ve lost a spouse, child, family member or friend, this can be a very confusing time.

GriefShare is designed to help you face these unknowns and challenges and take steps moving forward.

CAREGIVERS’ SUPPORT GROUP ALL CAMPUSES 2nd Sunday of every month, beginning October 11 1-2:30 p.m. via Zoom Being effective in providing care requires support, encouragement and practical advice. This group will provide you with helpful resources that can equip you to better care for yourself and your loved ones. No registration is necessary.

**To receive Zoom link email: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org

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HAPPENINGS MARRIAGE MINISTRY Many fun things are being planned to encourage and enrich marriages this ministry year. Head to the Marriage Ministry page of Bay Area’s website to learn about more activities and resources that will be made available for all couples.

Info: bayareacc.org/annapolis/marriage Register: bayareacc.org/register

MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT CLASS: WHAT DID YOU EXPECT? BY PAUL DAVID TRIPP ALL CAMPUSES Sundays, October 4 - November 8 9:30-10:45 a.m. in room 237 at the Annapolis Campus (Socially Distanced) Everyone’s marriage has the potential to turn into something they didn’t intend it to be.

Come join us as we hear from Dr. Paul David Tripp about building a marriage of unity, understanding and love. Space will be limited!

MISSIONS We aim to reflect God’s heart for the nations, and we partner with those who are serving Jesus around the world.

Above all, we reach out by living a lifestyle that demonstrates we are members of the global family of followers of Jesus Christ.

Info: bayareacc.org/missions Register: bayareacc.org/register

TASTE OF GLOBAL MISSIONS ALL CAMPUSES Dates + times vary by STM location (see website) Location for all: Annapolis Campus Join us for a Taste of Global Missions to learn more about what joining a team might look like in 2021. Here you will get a taste of serving in some of our partner locations through food, music and experiences of those who have been before. Register for one of these events today!

Interested in joining our staff team?

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WOMEN’S MINISTRY In Women’s Ministry, women disciple women so together we can learn to live and love like Jesus did. When women commit themselves to meeting weekly, lives are changed. They learn to love God back, love each other, and love those who don’t know Jesus. Women’s Ministry is taking advantage of the flexibility of virtual gatherings and offering a great variety of fall Bible Studies. Head to our website to keep up to date with those studies.

Info: bayareacc.org/annapolis/women

YOUNG SINGLES BIBLE STUDY ALL CAMPUSES Wednesdays, September 23 - November 4 7-8:30 p.m. via Zoom We will be looking at Jude - Contending for the Faith in Today’s Culture by Jackie Hill Perry where we will dive into themes of being called, loved and kept, and learn how to point others to Jesus in grace and truth.

SOCIAL MEDIA Are you interested in becoming part of our Social Media team? We are looking to expand our social media and online presence and are in need of contributors. If you have a knack for social media and creativity, enjoy writing and video presentation, we would love to hear from you!

Please email megan.heath@bayareacc.org

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION ODENTON CAMPUS Saturday, September 19 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Annapolis Campus Join us in celebrating our ONE year anniversary for the Odenton Campus! We will be sharing stories and celebrating all that God has done in our community, with a look forward into this next ministry year.

Keep checking back to see what new events we’re lining up for this fall! bayareacc.org/events FA L L 2 02 0 GO&MAKE 27

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BALTIMORE, MD PERMIT NO. 1040

DISCIPLES ARE PEOPLE WHO: CONNECT WITH OTHER FOLLOWERS OF JESUS GROW IN THEIR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS SERVE THEIR NEIGHBOR

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