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IN THIS ISSUE 10 JANET’S EDITORIAL: WHEN INTERRUPTIONS KNOCK In May, snarled traffic and an unplanned trip to the movie theater opened the door for God to work in Women’s Ministry Director Janet Graves’s life in a unique way during what seemed like a simple disruption of her daily routine.
14 LEADERSHIP PROFILE: DEBBIE KLIMCZYK A year into her job as executive assistant, Debbie shares her story of coming to faith in Jesus and learning to fully surrender all of life to Him.
22 FROM HERE TO THE NATIONS: GHANA Ever wonder what a day in the life of a shortterm missionary is like? During her trip to Ghana, Rebecca Meekins chronicled her team’s agenda for a day of ministry, as well as the food and activities they enjoyed while serving in the coastal west-African nation.
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16 COVER STORY: GRACE BOMB Gearing up for a seven-week summer series that bears the title, Teaching Pastor Pat Linnell shares how Jesus has grace-bombed him throughout life and encourages the Bay Area family to take up grace-bombing others.
21 SUMMER READING PICKS As many in the Bay Area church family pack up and hit the road for summer vacation, the staff have shared their picks for great books to bring along on a road trip this summer.
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 Brendan MacBride Janet Graves Rebecca Meekins
On the cover: Charles Gallagher Photo by Arianne Teeple
Gathering Times: 8, 9:30, 11:15 a.m.
ELDERS Bill Smith Chris Heacock 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 Jonathan Madrid, Worship Leader – jonathan.madrid@bayareacc.org Josh Shirlen, arts – josh.shirlen@bayareacc.org Leanne Lane, Care Network Director – leanne.lane@bayareacc.org Meredith Thompson, Communications Director – meredith.thompson@bayareacc.org Pat Linnell, Teaching Pastor – pat.linnell@bayareacc.org 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 J ULY GO&MAKE 3
Parents, Bay Area Student Ministry wants to encourage and come alongside you as you raise and disciple your teens. Check out our resource page for our monthly Parenting 101 videos.
bayareacc.org/basmresources
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Dear Bay Area family, As you read this, one third of my sabbatical is behind me. It’s already been tremendous. As I write, I’m at Deep Creek Lake enjoying a week of time alone by myself with the Lord. Today, Mary Kaye and our oldest daughter, Susan, will join me with two of our grandchildren, Billy and Jack, as together we’ll spend five memorable days. While here I’ve been focusing on the supremacy of Jesus, reading through the Gospels and other accounts of the life of Christ. There has never been in all of human history anyone who could compare with Jesus of Nazareth. He is unique among all human beings. One writer described Christ’s influence in this way: “Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today He is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of the column of progress. I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched and all the navies that ever were built, and all of the parliaments that ever have sat, and all the kings that ever reigned put together have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life, Jesus of Nazareth.” Forty years ago this month I placed my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The words of Pascal were true of me: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God
the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.” My life was radically changed that day on the beaches of Panama City, Florida. Four years later, God led me to join the staff of Cru. Shortly thereafter I married the love of my life, Mary Kaye, and together we headed to Dallas Seminary, then off to Poland for eight years. The Lord knows that my heart is that of a global missionary, thus I never anticipated serving as a pastor in the states. Much to my surprise, Jesus called me and Mary Kaye, with our four young children – Susan, Kathy, David, and Krysia – to join the staff of Bay Area on June 21, 1994. Thinking we would only be here for a few years and then return overseas, I was as surprised as anyone to find myself named senior pastor in June of 1997. What an amazing adventure it has been. He has given me and Mary Kaye a front-row seat for over 23 years to see His mighty power and grace at work through the Bay Area family. He is a great, mighty, and awesome God who has and continues to do great things through Bay Area. Today I can say with the utmost conviction, there is no life like the one Jesus offers to us. In Colossians 3:4, Paul says that “Christ is your life.” Jesus didn’t come to fix our problems and make us better, He came to be our very life. He alone gives us pardon from sin, peace, purpose and power for living.
Jesus wants you to experience His very life, a supernatural life filled with fruitfulness. God is great, awesome and mighty, and He has a marvelous plan for your life. To experience life in its fullness, the key in one word is “surrender.” Every day, several times a day, I pause and pray, “Reign Lord Jesus. Reign in my life. Take control of the throne of my life. Fill me with Your Spirit. Help me to think Your thoughts, feel with Your compassion, and do what You want me to do.” Reflecting on the wonder of Jesus these last days, I’m thankful that He is my life, and I pray that you will be a person of surrender who experiences the abundant life He offers you. From here to the nations,
Greg St. Cyr Lead Pastor
Greg St. Cyr is the Lead Pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE.
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BY PAT LINNELL
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want to briefly address some good questions that people have about faith in God, His Son Jesus and His inspired revelation, the Bible. But first let me preface this by saying that you don’t need to have all the answers to people’s questions about Jesus, the Bible or Christianity – in fact, you might still be finding answers to tough questions yourself. But one thing that we are called to be ready for is to tell people why you have a personal hope in Jesus.
in the Bible really are the teachings of Jesus, and I believe that Jesus was telling the truth about Himself, who He is, and the way to heaven. Jesus was just too cool, too loving, too on point, too thoughtful, too understanding, too compassionate, too wise and too straight-up awesome to be a liar. If Jesus was a liar, then He was the world’s biggest liar, ever.
Have you thought about that recently? Why do you have a hope in Jesus? Is it because church life is a good routine for your family? Is it because you want to instill good moral values in your home? Is it because that’s what other “good” people seem to be doing? Is it because of tradition – it’s what your family does? Did you inherit this faith in Jesus and now you just have to maintain it? Why do you have a hope in Jesus?
My faith also rests upon the truthfulness of the biblical record of the literal, physical, historical resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Christianity exploded onto the world scene when it was most conducive for the news to spread. Roman peace and Roman roads allowed the message to go viral. The gospel movement spread by love and kindness, not force, and the message was simple: Jesus is the promised Christ, validated by His bodily resurrection. I just don’t think that simpleton fishermen can change the world with a message like that unless the power of God was behind it.
My personal faith was fostered by some of those things listed above, but my hope rests in the truthfulness of Jesus’ teachings and the unique reliability of the Bible. I believe that the words of Jesus recorded
These are a couple of the main answers that I’d give in explaining to someone why my hope is in Jesus. I encourage you to be prepared to share yours when the opportunity presents itself.
Here are a few other answers that I’d give to common questions that people have. The point of this next section is to give to the basic idea to help equip you, but these aren’t exhaustive answers. You’ll have to do some digging on your own for that.
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Q: D oesn’t science disprove God’s existence?
Q: H ow can Jesus be the only way?
Q: W hy do bad things happen to good people?
Q: H asn’t the Bible changed a lot and become unreliable?
A: Actually the latest science
A:
A: This is not a one-size fits
A:
of our era points to God’s existence. We know that the universe is expanding. Scientific models point to a beginning of this expanding universe. If something has a beginning it is not eternal. And since something cannot come from nothing, the starting of the universe must have had an immaterial cause – a spiritual one, if you will. Science points to an eternal spiritual being that created the material universe defined by space and time. In a similar way, the finely tuned physical properties of the universe (like atoms) and those factors that make the earth habitable for life (like water and cells) are basically mathematically impossible to have just randomly happened without intelligence.
Jesus speaks directly to this, that He is the way, the truth and the life – and that no one comes to God the Father apart from faith in God the Son. Simply put: the only way to God is through God. All other religious options are counterfeit and don’t lead to God, but rather self-sufficiency, because they don’t lead people to the saving work of Jesus applied by faith in Him. This will naturally lead compassionate people to new questions of “fairness.” But God, being a just judge, gives people equal opportunity to reach out to Him, and when they do, God has a billion ways to get the message of Jesus to them.
all answer. Bad things come from many causes, but it’s important to know that while God may allow evil, He does not design evil, and in the middle of the mess He wants us to know that He really is there, and that He does really care. Those questions typically follow a tragedy – God are you even there? God do you even care? Both of these are answered in Jesus. Jesus took on flesh and lived on earth to show us without a doubt that God is there. Then He carried out His mission to die on a cross to atone for sin, showing that God cares deeply about the evil in the world, enough for Jesus to die for sin, the source of all death and problems.
I encourage you this summer to be ready to give a defense for the hope that is in you! I hope some of these brief answers prompt you to go deeper in your own quest for truth.
Pat Linnell is the teaching pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE.
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The “telephone game” of the transmission and translation of the Bible is a huge cultural myth. In fact, the more we excavate from the earth (archeology) and the better our Greek and Hebrew language translation tools become, the closer and more accurate we get to the what the original authors wrote. The amount of manuscript evidence (early copies of the originals) of the Bible, which back up its reliable content, have no peer in all of antiquity.
ROMANS learning community This eight-week Learning Community is broken into sections so you can join any of them and miss one or two. Each week will be self-contained, focusing only on the two chapters of the book of Romans as listed. Here’s the schedule:
JULY 9 • ROMANS 1-2 JULY 16 • ROMANS 3-4 JULY 23 • ROMANS 5-6 AUGUST 6 • ROMANS 7-8 AUGUST 20 • ROMANS 9-10 AUGUST 27 • ROMANS 11-12 SEPT 3 • ROMANS 13-14 SEPT 10 • ROMANS 15-16 Topics in this LC taught by Executive Pastor Ed Kelley will include salvation, pre-destination, sexuality, Israel’s salvation, dealing with perpetual sin, politics and a whole lot more.
Register at bayareacc.org/learningcommunities.
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When
Interruptions
Knock BY JANET GRAVES
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Detours. Interruptions. I find these come when I least want them in my already packed life and schedule. Everything within me wants to resist, rebel and loudly complain about the interruptions. But I’m learning that’s when God often breaks in… if I will let Him. That’s what happened a few weeks ago, when I learned about a traffic accident on Route 50. Before leaving for my half-hour commute home to Kent Island, word started to spread throughout the office that we could expect hours of delay since they had closed Rt. 50E. Tragically, a young woman had entered the highway going the wrong way and fatalities had resulted. I had no desire to sit in traffic for hours, so impulsively I decided to catch a movie instead. Winding my way through the snarled Annapolis-area traffic, I was disappointed to find I arrived too late to see the movie I wanted. But a woman in line in front of me spoke up enthusiastically about a motherdaughter comedy she planned to see. Although I wasn’t a fan of one of the actresses in the movie, I had a sense that there might be a bigger agenda at play in why I felt compelled to come to this theater in the first place. We had about an hour to wait for the movie, so I started a conversation with the woman in line since she was also there by herself. It didn’t take long before she told me a lot about her life. We found many things to talk about that we had in common. That’s when I remembered the story about how Jesus interrupted the Samaritan woman’s daily routine at the well by asking her for a drink of water. He was able to turn their shared need for water into a personal and spiritual conversation that changed her life (John 4). If Jesus could break into her
ordinary day with His extraordinary love, perhaps He wanted to do that for my new friend too. When interruptions knock at your door, do you welcome them as opportunities from God? What if we made room in our lives to look for God in the detours that He allows? Paul said in Colossians 4:5 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” Several hours later, when I was on the road home again, I prayed for Kim. I thanked Him for the last few hours of laughing together with a new friend. Since she told me she was brand new to the area, it provided a perfect way to ask if she had found a church to attend. As far as I know, she hasn’t yet made it to Bay Area but we are meeting up again soon for coffee. Without an end yet to this story, I am reminded to pay attention to the detours and make the most of every interruption. Expect God to break into every ordinary day, in every ordinary life in unexpected ways. His love compels us to engage others in conversations that lead from our humanity to authentic relationship with God’s story. Watch out… there’s a detour ahead! Are you willing to take it?
Janet Graves is the Women’s Ministry Director at Bay Area Community Church and a contributer to GO&MAKE.
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SAVE THE DATE JULY 8 & 9 Register at bayareacc.org/sharethegospel
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS VINCE AND JO VITALE FROM RAVI ZACHARIAS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES JOIN US FOR THIS 2 DAY EVENT.
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GENEROUS GIVING A B AC C B U D G E T U P DAT E BY ED KELLEY
enerous is a word I often hear used to describe Bay Area in my position as Executive Pastor. It truly is amazing how many ministries and organizations we support through our operations budget. Just consider this list:
LOCAL OUTREACH: We are more
dedicated than ever to interacting with the world around us as a church family, but we also financially support nearly 20 local organizations ranging from prison ministries to gospel-centered campus ministries at the Naval Academy; from Christian adoption agencies to homeless shelters and more.
GLOBAL MISSIONS SUPPORT:
We support missionaries in 10 major geographic areas including South Sudan, India, El Salvador, Poland, SE Asia, Russia, Uganda and Ghana with their personal and ministry needs (from surgeries to transportation; from furloughs to special projects). There are dozens of churches in these areas that depend on Bay Area to maintain their presence.
CHURCH PLANTING:
Through the SENT Network, we support many churches up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Bay Area is a main support source for churches in Richmond, Silver Spring, Baltimore and around Anne
Arundel County. In fact, Downtown Hope on West Street can credit Bay Area for its inception and obtaining their building at 255. Bay Area Community Church is affecting people. From benevolence to Women’s Ministry; from Children’s Ministry to Celebrate Recovery; from Student Ministry to Men’s Fellowship, God is using us in many ways. Why do I bring this up? Mainly to educate everyone that our budget is a “set-aside” driven budget. Let me explain. We have major drivers in our budget that get funded right off the top line by our operational budget. We give 5.25 percent of our offerings to global missions for example. We give 3.1 percent to local missions. We give 5 percent to church planting through the SENT Network. We give 1.4 percent to the benevolence fund to help people who are financially in a crisis. We put many more dollars into reaching the community through community outreach. When we hit our offering budget projections, then we automatically give more to ministries such as the ones I’ve mentioned. When we don’t meet our numbers, we give less. In every church there are five major types of folks when it comes to giving. I would encourage each type in this way:
1
The person who gives little or nothing. If you haven’t started giving, begin growing in the area of generosity by giving something. Every week a little something. As it has been written, the longest part of a 1,000-mile journey is the first step. Start. Give. Watch what God does.
2
The person who gives occasionally – give something regularly. The Bible clearly asks all people to give to the local church. Pick a number or a percentage and make it consistent.
3
The person who gives 1, 2 or 3 percent regularly. Consider what the Lord wants to do with your giving life. Perhaps this season it’ll be 4, 5 or 6 percent? God clearly challenges the giver to test Him in this arena.
4
The person who gives 10 percent out of discipline. That’s great! Perhaps the Lord is calling you to grow even further in this arena and bless folks here and around the world to do even more.
5
People who wait until there is a specific need and give to projects. We have numerous planned projects on hold just waiting for funds. Excess funds at the end of every fiscal year are either invested in our infrastructure or given to one of our mission partners. Even though we may not announce everything we’d like to do, there are many projects that need funding here and abroad. Well, there you have it. If you have any questions about our budget (a new fiscal year will begin September 1) or our strategies with missions, local outreach, future campuses, etc. just give me a holler at ed.kelley@bayareacc.org. Thanks for reading, and let’s continue to support the Kingdom work God is doing through Bay Area.
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DEBBIE KLIMCZYK LEADERSHIP
PROFILE
BY MEREDITH THOMPSON orn and raised Lutheran, Debbie Klimczyk attended church before she could walk and was baptized at 6 weeks old. Her mom ensured their family was at church each week and the kids were in Sunday school; belief in God was instilled in Debbie at a young age, but a true relationship with Jesus didn’t come until a little later in life. As she grew up, life began to throw challenges Debbie’s way, and she learned that surrendering them to God was easier than trying to navigate them herself. She reaffirmed her faith in Christ in college, and surrendered total lordship of her life to Him then. That’s also when she met her friend’s brother and his roommate, Tom. They dated for a couple years – Debbie was a graphic design student at the University of Maryland and Tom attended the Naval Academy – before marrying shortly after Tom’s commissioning. His career with the Navy took them all over the country for nearly a decade; they found a new home church everywhere they went, adding three kids to their family along the way. Debbie shared that life’s tragedies and struggles brought her to a point of complete and utter surrender, when she learned to trust the Lord completely and abandon worrying. In hindsight, she realizes that what God taught her during those challenging seasons prepared her for the massive strokes Tom had five years ago. “We didn’t know if he was going to live or not; [the doctors] said ‘You have to take him home and take care of him,’” Debbie said, recalling the uncertainty of her husband’s future. “He wasn’t supposed to live. They said he would never walk, that he lost his brain, but it all came back. God is so good to me in every way.” She gave another example of God’s faithfulness during Tom’s recovery: Because what he had suffered was so rare, Johns Hopkins took Tom in as a sponsor patient and made him a case study. Through treatment, therapy and specialists, the Klimczyks didn’t have to pay a cent in medical expenses. “I never got a bill for anything,” Debbie said. When Debbie and her family began attending Bay Area a couple years ago, she was doing quite well in a successful career in the banking industry, where she worked as an executive assistant. She loved her boss, but longed to work in an industry that focused more on loving people and began to feel God leading her in a different direction. Active in The Well women’s studies at Bay Area, it was a no-brainer to check out the annual women’s conference two years ago. She went online to register, and three times the form submission failed and redirected her to a random page on Bay Area’s website – the employment listings. The third time, Debbie thought, “Well maybe I should actually read what’s on this page since it keeps happening.” 14 GO&MAKE JULY
The only employment opportunity available at the time was for an executive assistant to support the lead and executive pastors. It described exactly what she had been doing for years, so she applied. Debbie started in her new role on staff at Bay Area nearly a year ago, in August 2016 – the same month that she, Tom and their daughter all publicly declared their faith in Jesus through baptism. “I always wanted to do that – commit as an adult and let [my life] be a testimony to God,” she noted. Debbie explained that her job as executive assistant is primarily to take distractions away from Lead Pastor Greg St. Cyr so he can focus on bigger things, and help Executive Pastor Ed Kelley stay organized and moving forward. “It’s fun to be around the young staff because they’re crazy,” she joked, highlighting that she loves the family atmosphere on staff and the entertainment her co-workers of all ages supply. On a more serious note, she added, “I enjoy the focus and purpose … it’s not about growing this church, it’s not about adding numbers; it’s about growing God’s Kingdom. “If I’m a little, tiny grain of sand in a mechanism that makes God’s Kingdom grow, then it’s all for good and it’s a blessing to even be that piece of sand.” Today, she serves as a small group leader in The Well, and she describes the women in her group as friends she’ll have for the rest of her life. At home, she loves to play with her two German Shepherds now that her kids are grown. Winter is a downer for Debbie because she thrives outdoors in the sun, where she can dig in the dirt and plant things that grow. Painting and projects are among her hobbies, too – particularly home-improvement projects, which she learned to do as a child working alongside her father. “I would much rather put flooring down in a room than make dinner any day. I hate to cook, but you tell me to go paint or knock a wall down, I’ll do it in a heartbeat,” she said. “Cooking is not my thing, and I hate shopping too – it’s just a waste of time. I shop online. I love Amazon and Amazon loves me.” She’s currently preparing to knock out a wall in her house and build a kitchen island – still with dad at her side – with wood she reclaimed from a project at church. Reflecting on her story, Debbie emphasized God’s goodness through every turn. “The contentment that I have in my soul with reliance on God completely – there’s just no way to describe it,” she said with a smile. “It’s not that tragedies and hard times don’t come. They do, but I don’t have to worry.”
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A grace bomb is designed to bless someone with no strings attached. It is a picture of God’s grace for us – and the opportunities are everywhere
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By Pat Linnell I married my high school sweetheart, but the path to get there was not a straight one. I like to think that our relationship is “grace-built.” I met Kristen at Old Mill High School. We graduated 20 years ago, which means we are now putting the “old” in Old Mill. We had a couple of classes together, which was a miracle, since she was in the classes for the smart kids. I felt like she was super nice and a hottie, but out of my league. Smart and cool, with lots of friends. I was socially awkward and street smart (but since have learned to embrace my inner introvert, and eventually read some books).
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We started dating at the end of senior year and really hit it off. Kristen had plans to go off to college three hours away from where I would attend. It was actually a little like “The Notebook,” a summer fling where the two young people end up smitten and doomed for failure as one would go off to a fancy college and be wooed away by her new and exciting experiences. But we got to the business of making the distance work. For the better part of those college years, we wrote lots of letters, made great memories, logged lots of miles for visits, made the most of every holiday and break, and just loved hanging out together. In full disclosure, our relationship was not always honoring to Jesus, as I was straight–up disobeying Him by fornicating (ask your parents about that one kids). Although Kristen grew up in a religious home, she did not personally know Jesus yet, so we lived like your typical spiritually lost college students. This made college a very hypocritical time for me. I knew Jesus, but wanted what the world had to offer more than what He wanted for my life. I’d go to church and pray to “walk in the newness of life,” but not fully mean it. Kristen also juggled studying and partying, and the long distance took a toll the further we got into college. At the end of college our relationship was confusingly open to other quasi-dating relationships. Let’s just say all this created a recipe for heartache the longer college went on. You might be thinking, “Hey this was college, it’s not like you guys were married.” True, marriage is another level, but pain is pain people, and drama is drama, and our fairytale romance hit hard times. Kristen moved back to Maryland in the fifth year of her master’s program, and it seemed like The Notebook gang was back together again, only now, there was hidden junk between us – namely other relationships, dishonesty and a foggy understanding of our commitment to one another by the end of our college days. With all of that looming and unaddressed, we bumped into old Old Mill friends, who had recently met Jesus and were following Him wholeheartedly.
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Lori and Sarah were good friends with Kristen growing up – they were the cool kids I mentioned earlier. Sarah invited both of us to go hang out in a bar in downtown Baltimore. No brainer. There, she told us that we should come check out her small-group Bible study that Lori was helping lead on Wednesday nights. This was a harder sell, not knowing what kind of weirdo stuff would be going on there, but we went. And right off the bat, it was refreshing. The people were our age, the Bible was being taught – and it was surprisingly helpful and relevant. I knew that this was something missing in my life – this community and the desire to take Jesus seriously. Kristen realized the second time we attended that the religion that she had grown up with was not Jesus Himself, and after hearing about His no-strings-attached love for her, His grace and unmerited forgiveness, it was like God just melted her heart with His love for her. It wasn’t long after that God led the two us to a night where in front of Kristen’s house, sitting on the hood of my dad’s Volvo, all the college junk came out. It was a time of confession and repentance, bringing truth into the light, because that is what Jesus calls us to – to be honest, own our sin and turn from it. The stuff that came out would send most couples packing. But instead of bitterness there was forgiveness; instead of anger there was grace, because Jesus was doing something new. He had dropped the ultimate Grace Bomb of His gospel on Kristen, and He dropped real community and a new desire to follow His will on me. We were so caught up in God’s grace toward us that it was easy to extend grace in the form of forgiveness to one another. From there on out, we would be a couple built on grace. Thirteen years of marriage and four kids later, grace still abounds. I tell our story because every follower of Jesus is grace-built. We are all swept up into a heavenly hope, an eternally secure future, an overwhelming love, a new personal identity, with a new family of faith and all of God’s promises to His children – through an amazing, graceful gift. None of us deserve any of this. We have been saved from the holy and just wrath of God as sinners who completely deserved it. God took it upon Himself to forgive us, to buy us back from an epically disastrous future. Very clearly
the Apostle Paul writes: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Now let me summarize a good chunk of the New Testament for you in this next phrase: Grace-built people grace bomb people. Jesus didn’t use these exact words, but they are an application of when He tells us to love our neighbor. Love is practical and love gets worked out; it doesn’t just stay in the realm of ideas or die in the twilight zone of the mind. In fact, Paul adds this next verse to the one above: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Followers of Jesus have good works to carry out in the world, which have been divinely prepared. This summer, in conjunction with learning about God’s grace on Sunday mornings, we, the grace-built ones, will be commissioned to carry out the grace bombing we were made for. A grace bomb is a surprising and undeserved gift, which can come in many shapes and sizes – material or relational, planned or spontaneous. A grace bomb is designed to bless someone with no strings attached. It is a picture of God’s grace for us – and the opportunities are everywhere, occurring within the plans you’ve already made today. Picture a movement of putting grace on display for people who might not even be looking for it: paying for a meal, changing a tire, fostering a child, leaving a huge tip, forgiving a family member, giving someone a car, cutting someone’s grass, visiting the lonely old guy – the sky is the limit. Picture love being spread around to brighten someone’s day. Picture the grace-built people carrying out their calling to grace bomb people, and picture the name of Jesus being lifted up in the world when His workmanship gets to dropping their bombs.
We’ve created a simple way to foster this movement, and we’re going to dive into a seven-week series titled Grace Bomb on July 23. Then, we’ll unpack how you can drop a grace bomb, in person or anonymously, and leave behind a card. Since there are no strings attached to your gift, the person will only find out why they were grace bombed if they so choose. The card will direct folks to a website that explains what a grace bomb is, and gives them the opportunity to get their own cards and pass it along, joining a movement of grace that ultimately points people to Jesus, the one who builds us by His grace. Don’t want to wait until July 23? You can start grace bombing people today.
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BAYAREACC.ORG/MISSIONALCOMMUNITIES
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FROM THE STAFF AT BAY AREA
SUMMER READING PICKS
The Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva A lot of the background of the Mossad (Israel’s CIA) is included, which was interesting to me having just come back from Israel. The books also include great character development. Pick any of his books (there have to be a least a dozen) and you will enjoy the humor, political statements, mystery and action. Most are quite clean and very believable; you will be transported to that world. Enjoy! ED KELLEY // EXECUTIVE PASTOR
“Too Busy Not to Pray” by Bill Hybels Bill Hybels’ book enlightens the reader of the enormous blessing it is to pray to our Lord, not in times of need, or when convenient for your schedule or even at a purposefully planned segment of your day, but often and in everything. What better way of making your relationship with God more intimate and personal than giving praise and prayer? Put aside the societal demands in your life and refocus your purpose and direction through prayer. DEBBIE KLIMCZYK // EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
The Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions Sip your morning brew and let your heart gaze on our Lord through these words. Let their prayers ignite prayers of your own and give you permission to be intimate with our God in ways you never thought possible. Take it to the beach and steal a few moments of solitude. Rekindle the shear delight of Him, seeing Him afresh, with words ascribing honor, requesting aid, confessing error and seeking Jesus our King. RACHEL PLETTS // WORSHIP LEADER, EASTON CAMPUS
“Gospel Fluency” by Jeff Vanderstelt “Gospel Fluency” by Jeff Vanderstelt is an applicable book for any believer who wants to see the gospel in their everyday life. Jeff illustrates the importance of the gospel using a practical, relatable writing style. His view of the gospel has changed my understanding of how freeing it can be every single day. This read is easy to follow and will bring a fresh and new interpretation of the gospel. I highly recommend it. BRYAN MCFARLAND // COLLEGE MINISTRY COORDINATOR
“The Art of Neighboring” by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon If you’re supposed to “love your neighbor as yourself,” what does that look like? This quick, thought-provoking read offers practical steps and Biblical examples of what it means to be a good neighbor. The authors argue that we have lost the concept of loving our actual neighbors, and they offer ideas for building real community. Enjoy this book with your spouse, roommate or friend, then give “neighboring” a try this summer! MICHELE ROLLINS // COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR
“She Reads Truth” by Amanda Bible Williams and Raechel Myers As an avid user of the “She Reads Truth” app and reader of “She Reads Truth” devotionals, I didn’t hesitate to preorder the creators’ book detailing personal life stories. Amanda Bible Williams (yes, that’s her name) and Raechel Myers have beautifully weaved together two very different stories to tell one story of an unchanging, ever-loving God. This book doesn’t skimp on honest, heart-impacting truth. Infused with Scripture and biblical application, it’s a great addition to your devotional time. LYDIA MACBRIDE // STUDENT GATHERINGS COORDINATOR
“Spiritual Leadership” by J. Oswald Sanders Every year during our family vacation I’ll take an hour a day to myself and read through “Spiritual Leadership” by J. Oswald Sanders. This book helped shape my perspective and priorities when I started in ministry, and now ten years later, it’s something I re-read to help me refocus my priorities as a leader. As disciples of Jesus, we all have spheres of influence and have the ability to impact and lead people. Because of this, it’s important that we all know and strive for the type of leadership Jesus calls us to. JONATHAN MADRID // WORSHIP LEADER
“DRiVE: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel Pink As I observe people, it appears that some are simply capable of accomplishing more and doing it with joy and ease. How? Why? In the late 1940s, psychologists believed that people were motivated by only two things: biological needs and/or external punishment/reward. But one doctor began to discover another type of motivation that brought joy and accomplishment simply through doing the task at hand. This book, written to business leaders, tells the story and benefits of intrinsic motivation. BRIAN HOPPER // MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES PASTOR
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SHORT TERM MISSIONARY BY
REBECCA
MEEKINS
5 22 GO&MAKE JULY
During the month of June, the editorial team of GO&MAKE asked Rebecca Meekins, one of Bay Area’s short term missionaries to Ghana, to chronicle a single day of her time serving alongside Bay Area’s missions partner, Scripture Union. Rebecca and her teammates spent 10 days in Ghana sharing testimonies and teaching truth from God’s Word to high school students.
MONDAY, JUNE 5 5:45 AM We depart Hephzibah Christian Centre, our guest house for the week, and are on the way to the first school of the day, Adonten Senior High School. In the U.S., I’m not used to waking up at such an early time and it was a struggle for me, but as soon as we hit the road I got to see the most incredible sunrise. It reminded me of Lamentations 3:23: “His mercies are new every morning; great is His faithfulness!” Thirty minutes later, down the side roads of a small town, we arrived at the school and I watched in amazement as all the students came in waves from their dorms and classroom areas to gather in the assembly hall for morning worship – a daily routine for many high school students here in Ghana. We were led to seats at the front of the hall. As I sat down I looked over the students – we later learned there were 1,005 of them at this school! Each school has its own unique character as well as its own fabric pattern for the students’ uniforms. It’s beautiful to see! The program started, and Uncle Kwame introduced our team from Bay Area. In Ghana, older men are called “Uncle” and older women are called “Auntie” – it’s a sign of respect for a student to call you Auntie or Uncle. Uncle Kwame Adu is the general director of Scripture Union, and our host for the week. After he introduced us, our teammate Michele shared her story of coming to faith and Hilary taught from Luke 11 about how our faith and heart must match our outward actions. Seventy-three students came forward to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord of their life! After the assembly, our team of five got to spend time encouraging these new believers, answering questions and challenging them to read Scripture. This small-group time is challenging for me because I can’t plan for what questions get asked, and that makes me nervous! Will I know how to answer them Biblically? We are three days into this missions trip and I have realized that with the Holy Spirit, I don’t have to be nervous. I have seen Him bring just the right encouragement to mind and the perfect Scriptures to share with each student. The Word really is living and active.
9:00 AM Carly and I are teamed up to speak this afternoon, and we took some time to get together to work on the lesson we started the previous day. This has been one of my favorite parts of the trip, getting to dive into the Word together with my teammates and search for Scripture to teach on a theme in our life stories.
12:30 PM We had a Ghanaian lunch of white rice, beef and gravy – which is a spicy tomato sauce – fried plantains, cooked cabbage salad and the best pineapple you have ever tasted. The food here is full of flavor and spice!
8:00 AM We arrive back at Hephzibah for breakfast: oatmeal, bread with butter and jelly, corn flakes, hot dogs, baked beans and coffee. Yes, eating hot dogs for breakfast is a Ghanaian tradition!
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1:15 PM
4:30 PM
It’s time to leave for the second school of the day, Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC). The drive takes over an hour through the crowded streets of Accra.
We got the chance to visit Scripture Union’s headquarters and meet more of the staff who help run the ministry. I loved being able to meet a lot of the behind-the-scenes people who help SU impact students. Once we left, it took almost two hours to drive back to Hephzibah because it was rush hour. It was really cool to experience a Ghanaian rush hour: the bumps in the roads, the motorcycles zipping between lanes, the seemingly-random lane switching and the cars cutting you off are all a daily part of traffic here. People use their horns as a form of nearconstant communication, rather than just something that you use when another driver angers you. At traffic lights, it’s prime shopping and selling time – many men and women sell food, fabrics and other items to people in their cars as they are stopped in traffic. They traditionally hold the things they sell in baskets or crates on their heads and walk through the cars making eye contact with drivers in the hopes they will purchase their item.
We arrived at the school and I glanced around wondering where all of the students were. After parking and walking to the room we were going to speak in, I realized that we were only meeting with the Scripture Union members of ATTC, about fifty students, rather than speaking at a whole school assembly. I had to remind myself that no matter the number, God is at work and moving, and the people who were there were the ones that He had already planned to be there. The meeting began with worship. The Ghanaians love worshipping in different ways, often all at the same time. Some may be standing by their chairs and singing, others sing while dancing up and down the aisle or in a circle with other students and others pray out loud while dancing all over the place. This way of worship gets me out of my comfort zone a little, yet it is so neat to be able to watch others connect with God in a way I am not used to. As I listened to Uncle Kwame introduce us, I reflected about how I felt – not nervous, but excited. Back in the States I was almost dreading the public speaking part of the trip, but now that it’s here I find myself really looking forward to sharing my story of God’s redeeming power with these students. Today I shared that I have struggled with doubting that God is powerful enough to help me overcome my struggles, but I have found that ultimate satisfaction is found only in Jesus, nothing else. In her teaching, Carly related this to the story of Abraham and Sarah – they doubted God, too, but He was faithful to fulfill His promise to them. After each school program we have the opportunity to meet with students – sometimes in large groups and sometimes one-on-one, depending on how many students respond to the gospel. This time, eight students stepped forward, so I got one-onone time with a student named Moses. I loved the individual time – it’s different from a group and more personal. He opened up about his life: why he decided to make the decision to follow Jesus and questions he had about faith, like “how can I feel close to God?” After Moses and I talked, I had the chance to spend time with more students, encouraging them, talking about cultural difference and laughing.
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6:30 PM Dinner is spaghetti bolognaise with the best sauce I’ve ever tasted. It’s fun to see that spaghetti is a common dish here! Today we have both mango and pineapple for dessert – I really enjoy how fruit is eaten at the end of most meals. After dinner, we have a brief team meeting to talk about how the day went and discuss the plan for teaching the next day. I really value talking over the day, encouraging each other, hearing teammates’ favorite moments, what was hard about the day and how we saw God work. After our meeting, Cassie and Carly headed off together to plan for their teaching the next day, Hilary spent time connecting with her family back in Annapolis over FaceTime and Michele and I spent the rest of the evening journaling and praying over the days and ministry ahead of us.
9:30 PM It’s time to head to bed in order to be ready for another 5:45 departure tomorrow. This day has been full, exhausting and amazing – I’m ready to get some good rest and I can’t wait to see what God has planned for tomorrow!
CONNECT WITH US.
@bayareacc
CONSIDER BECOMING A MIDSHIPMAN SPONSOR FOR THE 2017-2018 ACADEMIC YEAR! Provide a home away from home and share the love of Jesus with midshipmen from all over the country (or even the world). REQUIREMENTS: 1. Love Jesus and midshipmen 2. Be willing to open your home to one or more young men or women 3. Apply at usna.edu/sponsor before July 11 4. Attend required training June 13 or July 27 at 7 PM WANT TO LEARN MORE? OUTREACH@BAYAREACC.ORG J ULY GO&MAKE 25
join us for our annual
BACKPACK DRIVE SUNDAYS
8/6 & 8/13 AT BAY AREA
Bring a $20 donation and fill a backpack with school supplies for an Anne Arundel County child in need.
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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. Email leanne.lane@bayareacc.org to get started.
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. Want to learn more? Join us at our gathering on the first Monday of every month for dinner, conversation, and a chance to see what it’s all about. KidCare is available. 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 black shirt in the lobby after each Sunday gathering or visit us online at bayareacc.org/new.
DIVORCECARE SUPPORT GROUP (NEW) Have you walked down the path of divorce? Perhaps you have experienced the encouragement and support of others through a DivorceCare Group or some other format. We are looking for women and men who feel a calling to be a part of this new ministry opportunity at Bay Area. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org PREMARITAL MENTORING Are you newly engaged? We want to partner with you as you establish a strong, Jesus-centered life with your future spouse. Through premarital mentoring you’ll be paired with trained marriage mentors (couples married 10+ years) who will equip you with tools and resources you’ll need to succeed in marriage. Info: premarital.ministry@bayareacc.org
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MARRIAGE MINISTRY UPDATE We ' v e partnered with marriedpeople.org, whose strategy has helped us create large group experiences, small groups, and equipped individual couples. We will host three to four large-group events per year, such as the Great Date Night; three to four smallgroup events such as marriage-focused Learning Communities, or weekend retreats; and three to four events for individual couples, such as date nights that include KidCare. Sign up for Bay Area’s weekly email update at bayareacc.org to stay up to date and receive a link to the MarriedPeople Monthly Ezine. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org MARRIAGE MINISTRY TEAM - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Our marriage ministry team seeks to encourage and equip couples to start and stay strong in their marriages. If you have a passion to help strengthen marriages and have been married for 10 or more years, come be a part of this ministry. Read more at bayareacc.org/marriageministry. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR PREMARITAL COUPLES Occasionally, couples who are living together enter our Premarital Ministry. We believe strongly that the best way to honor God before marriage is to remain pure and live separately. We’re looking for folks who have temporary space in their homes that could be used in order to fulfill this desire. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org
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 July 2 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 event will be on August 6. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org
MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES MISSIONAL COMMUNITY TASTER Life is better connected. Here at Bay Area, we’re all about community. Being with others helps us grow in our love for God, for each other, and for our neighbor. If you are new or simply looking to get plugged in, join us on Sunday, July 9 at 12:45 p.m. in The Warehouse for our Missional Community Taster event. We’ll spend some time getting a “taste” of what community looks like and help get you plugged into a community near you. Lunch is provided and KidCare is available with registration. For more info or to register go to bayareacc.org/missionalcommunities.
ISRAEL TRIP 2018 Experience the Holy Land on a 10-Day Biblical Tour of Israel, hosted by Executive Pastor Ed Kelley. The trip takes place October 15-24, 2018, and costs $3,892. Register at registernow.ittworld.com with tour code: Kelley18. Info: ed.kelley@bayareacc.org
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MEN’S FELLOWSHIP MEN’S MORNING BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays from 6-7:30 a.m. in room 236 at Bay Area. Info: Jim at jlradcliffe@hotmail.com MEN’S EVENING BIBLE STUDY Sundays from 6-8 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
GLOBAL MISSIONS
SEND: Interested in sending others through prayer or giving? Give to a short term missionary or team at bayareacc.org/stmgive. For prayer information email michele.rollins@bayareacc.org
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY MOVE UP SUNDAY Move Up Sunday is where all children move up to their new grade level in elementary classes in our Children's Ministry. We ask that you do not move your child before September 3. For rising kindergartners we have a preview of elementary large group during the gatherings on Sunday, August 20 and 27 to help them become familiar with the transition. WAVE RIDERS PLAY GROUP Come check out this family play and support group with fun activities, book clubs and socials, that offers a space for parents to share parenting knowledge, resources and experiences. This month we’ll be meeting July 10 at Bay Area for a movie day at 10 a.m. and July 25 at Thrive Gymnastics. Check our facebook page at facebook.com/waveriderplaygroup or email brittany.dunklin@bayareacc.org for more details. NURSING MOTHERS Children’s Ministry offers two locations for nursing mothers during Sunday gatherings. If you would like a quiet place to nurse, visit our Tidal Pool area and we will direct you 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 Children's Ministry director’s office.
COLLEGE MINISTRY YOUNG ADULT MC Our desire is to see 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 weekly. Info: bryan.mcfarland@bayareacc.org
STUDENT MINISTRY CLUB 678 SUMMER CINEMA Summer Cinema is a monthly summer hang out for middle school students that features a movie, games, and more. Our next Summer Cinema is Friday, July 14, from 6-9 p.m. and we are watching The Secret Life of Pets. Students are encouraged to invite friends and can bring money for snacks. Info: tim.agnolutto@bayareaccc.org ELEVATE Elevate is a weekly summer hangout for middle school students on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Colossians 3:2 tells us to set our minds on things above, and that’s exactly what we want to encourage students to do during the summer. We will combine fun games and activities with engaging Bible study. Students are asked to bring lunch for themselves, as we will be eating together. Join us for Elevate on July 5, 12 and 26, and August 2, 9, 16 and 23. Info: lydia.macbride@bayareacc.org FOOD COURT THURSDAY Join the BASM staff for lunch at the Westfield Annapolis Mall most Thursdays throughout the summer. Bring your friends and money for food - this event is open to all middle and highschool students. Dates: July 6, 13, 20, 27, and August 3, 10, 27, 24, 31. Info: lauren.gibeault@bayareacc.org
WOMEN'S MINISTRY At Bay Area, we invite women to join us on a spiritual journey in community with others. Like the woman at the well in John 4, Jesus meets us where we are and invites us into a deeper relationship with Him. For more info or to register visit bayareacc.org/women/spiritualgrowth JOURNEY INTO GOD'S WORD Tuesdays, June 27, July 11, 18 and 25 from 7-9 p.m. Learn how to read, interpret and apply the Bible to your life. Columbia International University Seminary student Colleen Forsythe will teach using two resources: Journey Into God’s Word: Your Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays and Urban Legends of the New Testament: 40 Common Misconceptions by David A. Croteau. Order your books at amazon.com before class. Info: Janet Graves at janet.graves@bayareacc.org UPCOMING EVENTS WOMEN ON THE MOVE This NEW group will give you the opportunity to get to know other women at Bay Area and invite your friends this summer to join in an activity outside of church. Every month we’ll offer a hiking, biking or paddling activity. Interested in helping? Contact janet.graves@bayareacc.org
THURSDAY, JULY 6 - Holy Yoga Try Holy Yoga which incorporates movement, breath work and prayer with Jesus Christ at the center. Taught by Lizzy Eastlake who will teach us how to worship the Lord with our entire mind, body and soul through Holy Yoga on July 6 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in room 248. Bring a mat. Info: eliz.carrolleastlake@gmail.com THURSDAY, JULY 27 - Paddleboarding Enjoy paddleboarding around Spa Creek and the waters of downtown Annapolis. Reserve your rented paddle board at www.capitalsup.com. Cost $20/1 hour (this will not include lessons). Paddling from 6-7 p.m. Arrive by 5:45 p.m. Afterward we will meet for dinner at Vida Taco Bar at 200 Main Street in Annapolis. Info: nicolemcicero@gmail.com LIFE CRAFT Join us for this new offering to learn a skill and connect with others. It’s a great way to introduce a friend to Bay Area and make it a night out. Check out the upcoming life craft events below and register at bayareacc.org/womensevents. THURSDAY, JULY 13. 7-9 p.m. - Cake Decorating Learn how to decorate a summer themed cake taught by cake baker, Sarah Wieduwilt. Bring 3 rounds (6”x2”), any flavor, your own cake board or cake plate and a flat cake spatula. You’ll take home your cake for your family and friends to enjoy. Cost $10, frosting and cupcakes provided to eat that night. Info: sarahwieduwilt@yahoo.com SATURDAY, JULY 29. 10-1:30 p.m. - Quilts For Kids Join us as we make quilts using donated fabrics for kids in shelters and hospitals. Meet in Room 235 at Bay Area. Come and 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, want to donate a quilt, or have questions, contact Janet Hogan at annapolisQFK@quiltsforkids.org THURSDAY, AUGUST 10 - Flower Arranging Join us for an evening to learn the fundamentals of flower arranging, tips for making them last longer and what stems work with each other. You’ll get to create your own arrangement to take home. Bring a small vase and pair of scissors. Cost $10 for flowers and refreshments. Info: Megan.crout@gmail.com
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. ROMANS (JULY 9-23, AUGUST 6, 20-27, SEPTEMBER 3-10) 9:30 AM – IN DOCK B (right side) This eight-week learning community led by Executive Pastor Ed Kelley is broken down into sections so you can join any of them. Each week will be self-contained focusing only on two chapters of the great book of Romans. The topic lines will include salvation, predestination, sexuality, “gray” areas, Israel’s salvation, dealing with perpetual sin in one’s life, politics and a whole lot more.
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OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE AMBASSADOR TEAM: If you have a passion for people and Jesus and have attended Bay Area for at least six months, the ambassador role is for you. Come help newcomers get connected. 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 ESPRESSO BAR: Serve as a barista after one of the gatherings once a month. Training provided. Info: sherri.raimondo@bayareacc.org CHILDREN’S WELCOME TEAM: Welcome and assist new families through the Children's Ministry experience on Sundays. Info: danielle.tritone@bayareacc.org CHILDREN'S SET DESIGN TEAM: Serve on the set design team for our Preschool and Elementary Large Group spaces. Email brittany.dunklin@bayareacc.org for preschool and aimee.coyle@bayareacc.org for elementary. GOLF CART DRIVERS: Looking for friendly folks to pick people up in the parking lot before gatherings to ease their walk into the building. Must be 21 or older and have a clean driving record. Info: gail.wiles@bayareacc.org PARKING MINISTRY: Serve by directing traffic and greeting people as they arrive. Info: parking@bayareacc.org PRESCHOOL TEAM: Serve the youngest at Bay Area on our Preschool Team on Sunday mornings. Info: courtney.gregory@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 WOMEN’S MINISTRY: Serve on an event planning team 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
FINANCIALS Annapolis Campus Operating Budget Financial Update As of June 19, 2017 New Fiscal Year Began September 1, 2016 ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS Fiscal Year Giving Goal
$ 4,792,000
YTD Received YTD Goal YTD Actual vs. Goal Month To Date Received Month To Date Giving Goal
$ 3,834,098 $ 3,934,084 $ (99,986) 2.5% Behind $ 244,142 $ 276,564
EASTON CAMPUS FISCAL YEAR GIVING GOAL $ YTD Received YTD Goal YTD Actual vs. Goal Month To Date Received Month To Date Giving Goal
$ $ $ $ $
187,000 130,920 143,844 (12,924) 9.9% Behind 8,379 10,788
Annapolis Campus Outstanding Building Debt $3,322,000 (as of 5/31/17) 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 kiosks 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
PRAYER MINISTRY J e s u s l i v e d a l i f e o f u n c e a s i n g p ray e r t h a t 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. Individuals are also available to pray with you on Sunday mornings after each gathering (front and right of the Chapel stage). For more information visit us online at bayareacc.org/prayer. Info: pat.linnell@bayareacc.org
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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.
LOCAL OUTREACH PACK A BACKPACK August 13 and 20, The Walk the Walk Foundation will bring their trailer for us to pack backpacks with school supplies for the coming school year for children living below the poverty line in Anne Arundel County. Our goal is to pack 500 backpacks! Save the date for this familyfun opportunity to bless our neighbors in the c o u n t y. Info: outreach@bayareacc.org
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES KIDCARE TEAM MEMBERS Our KidCare team has a need for individuals who have a heart for kids. We provide KidCare for all ministries and various events year-round. Want to join our team of paid workers? Visit the Children’s Welcome counter on Sundays or email our KidCare Coordinator Dax at dax.clinkscale@bayareacc.org. HUMAN RESOURCES & PAYROLL ADMINISTRATOR Part-time HR representative needed. Ideal candidate will possess a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources Management, and have a minimum of 3 years’ experience working in a professional office environment within a non-profit organization. An understanding of benefits, compensation, compliance and payroll, a solid experience working with Excel and other MS programs, and a good understanding of basic general accounting processes are required, as well as strong interpersonal skills and a positive, can-do attitude. Info: jerry.shirlen@bayareacc.org
EASTON CAMPUS HAPPENINGS DISCOVER BAY AREA Come find out more about Bay Area following our Sunday gathering on July 2. In less than 30 minutes you can get a picture of who we are and what we are about as a church. No RSVP required and kids are welcome. MINISTRY PARTNER ORIENTATION If you’re interested in taking further steps to become part of the Bay Area family, the Ministry Partner Orientation is for you. We will spend more focused time together, going through our church background, doctrine, family commitments, strategy and vision on Saturday, July 15 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch is provided and kidcare is usually provided upon request. Sign up at the Connect counter or by emailing easton@bayareacc.org. EL SALVADOR TEAM 5 Easton is sending out its first short-term missions trip to El Salvador. Led by Ty and Jenna Grossman and accompanied by Donna, Caroline, Lily, Cal, and Luke Roser, Joe Day and Milton Orellana. Please be in prayer for them as they travel July 22-30. Pray for safety, effectiveness, unity, and a great trip! Interested in supporting this team financially? You can give online at bayareacc.org/stmgive. EASTON CHURCH PICNIC Save the date for Sunday, August 13, following our 10 a.m. gathering. Don’t miss it!
THE LOFT BOOK SHELF (
)
LOCATED IN THE ROOM ABOVE THE CHAPEL, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE LOFT”
Feel free to borrow any book on the shelf that isn’t labeled “LOFT COPY” and return it as soon as you can, so that others can enjoy that book as well. J ULY GO&MAKE 31
Y E A R - O N E G OA L $3,500,000 AMOUNT RAISED $1,432,440 A M O U N T TO G O $ 2 , 0 6 7, 5 6 0
T H E D E S C E N DA N TS P R O J E CT. O R G
32 GO&MAKE JULY