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IN THIS ISSUE 18 COVER STORY: JONATHAN MADRID New Worship Leader Jonathan Madrid shares a bit of his story Q&A-style by way of introduction to our church family.
6 PAT’S EDITORIAL: MISSION MINDED Teaching Pastor Pat Linnell unpacks a convicting truth: Christians are guardians and champions of the most important conversation a person can have.
14 LIFE IN THE FAST LANE Ever wonder why Bay Area refers to mission trips as the fast track to discipleship? Learn how you can participate in all five elements of our vision, Every One A Missionary, in the short span of short term missions.
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10 CRAIG’S EDITORIAL: EASTON’S FIRST YEAR Easton Campus Pastor Craig Fadel reflects on Bay Area Easton’s first year, celebrating much of what God has done on Maryland’s Eastern Shore over the last 12 months.
16 SENT NETWORK UPDATE As he prepares to start a church in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood, church planter Greg Gibson shares his vision for reaching the nation’s capital with the gospel.
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 Andy Smith Michele Rollins Nathalie Meade Sam Logan Steve Onken
On the cover: Jonathan Madrid 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 Josh Shirlen, arts – josh.shirlen@bayareacc.org Leanne Lane, Care Network Director – leanne.lane@bayareacc.org Lynn Dutton, H.R. Administrator – lynn.dutton@bayareacc.org Meredith Thompson, Communications Director – meredith.thompson@bayareacc.org Pat Linnell, Teaching Pastor – pat.linnell@bayareacc.org Rachel Perry, Connecting Director – rachel.perry@bayareacc.org Ron Dutton, Operations Director – ron.dutton@bayareacc.org Tres Cozad, Technical Director – tres.cozad@bayareacc.org
For a comprehensive list of all BACC staff, elders and deacons, please visit bayareacc.org/leadership
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BE A WORSHIPER! Dear Jonathan, On behalf of the Bay Area family, welcome to you, Ashleigh and your children Luca and Nina. We are thrilled to have you as our new worship leader! We have been praying for you and will continue to do so. The worship ministry at Bay Area has always been a priority for us, and God has His hand on you to lead us into the future. In fact, it’s our desire that worship would be a high priority for everyone who considers Bay Area their church home – that’s why it’s part of our vision, Every One A Missionary:
CONNECT IN COMMUNITY SERVE LIKE JESUS SHARE THE GOSPEL WORSHIP TOGETHER GO ON A MISSION TRIP
As you transition into your new ministry, here are a couple of reminders about worship for you and your Bay Area family to ponder. We were made to worship God. Life takes on its fullest meaning and joy when lived moment by moment in relationship with the God of the universe, who formed us for His glory. His purpose for us is that we would worship Him in an intimate, personal relationship through Jesus. The Father is seeking the Bay Area family to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23). As the psalmists repeatedly proclaim, “Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker … Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His footstool; Holy is He” (Psalm 95:6, 99:5). The Lord is going to use you to lead us in exalting and worshiping the only One in our life who is truly worthy. May the Lord use you to help us think rightly about God. As A.W. Tozer says, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Help us grasp the greatness of our God. When we meditate on who God is and surrender ourselves to Him, our lives will overflow in worship. Dallas Willard says it well: “To think of God as he is, one cannot but lapse into worship; and worship is the single most powerful force in completing and sustaining restoration of the whole person … Worship is the overall character of the renovated thought life.”
God wants to powerfully manifest His presence when we gather to worship Him. We both know that all of life is worship (Romans 12:2). We should worship God with every breath we take. And yet the people of God have always been called to worship together – from the early days of Genesis when they erected altars of remembrance to worship God, to the tabernacle, and then temple, and now as we gather on Sundays. When we – your Bay Area family – gather collectively to worship God, we experience His presence in powerful ways. Through the faithful reading and preaching of God’s Word, the voice of God is heard. Through drawing near in the Lord’s Supper, we are reminded of the Gospel and changed. Through the heart-felt offering of praise and prayer, we say, “Surely the Lord is in this place” (Genesis 28:16). Worship is the fuel for the mission God has given us. I can do no better than these thoughtful words from John Piper’s “Let The Nations Be Glad”: “Worship is the fuel of missions … You cannot commend what you don’t cherish … Where passion for God is weak, zeal for missions will be weak. Churches that are not centered on the exaltation of the majesty and beauty of God will scarcely kindle a fervent desire to ‘declare his glory among the nations’ (Psalm 96:3).” So Jonathan, as you begin this faith-stretching, God-honoring season of your ministry, remember these things. But most importantly, simply remember this: Be a worshiper! As you grow and mature as an even greater worshiper, God will use you to take us with 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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M I S S I O N 6 GO&MAKE M A R C H
M I N D E D
riving with our Executive Pastor Ed Kelley is an experience. Ed has a funny tendency to exclaim with an elevated tone, “We’re are all going to die!” at least three times on any given trip due to the lack of driving skills of most Marylanders. It is one of my favorite reasons to drive with Ed; it makes me chuckle. Ed is right about this – we are all going to die. Well, unless Jesus comes back first, but death is getting closer with each passing day. There are lots of things we may think about when we contemplate death – will we live to an old age, have our health, leave our household in order, complete our bucket list? But the biggest question to have answered before that day sneaks up on you is how you responded to the love of God in Jesus. Did you repent of your sin and believe in Him? Did you receive His free gift of salvation and walk in His ways? Or have you kept Him off to the side, put Him in the category of the “opiate of the masses,” or just never felt the need to love Jesus back? Perhaps you have decided that sin is not real, God is not Holy, or that people can be their own savior. This is a spiritual conversation of utmost and eternal importance, because the decisions we make in our life regarding Jesus will carry on for an unending duration. This is what Jesus teaches, and He seems to me to be the authority on all-things life and death, having died and physically come back to life. He says that we live once, die once, and will have a judgment rendered over our life once. It is this truth from Jesus about life and death, heaven and hell, and the best way to live now, that the church – that is, His followers – is called to proclaim over and against all the competing worldviews out there by their words and actions. In other words, you and I have a great commission, a great purpose, to live out in this world: to lovingly engage people toward a self-examination regarding what God has accomplished in Christ. Christians are guardians and champions of the most important conversation a person can have.
You won’t be at Bay Area for long without hearing “every one a missionary.” And this simply means that all believers are missionaries, ambassadors and representatives of Jesus and His gospel. To be “on mission” has less to do with where you are, and much to do with what is on your mind. I believe that many of us are already where we need to be, in our “normal” lives to be great missionaries; the problem is really that we are just not thinking about those important conversations about Jesus that people need to consider.
TH IS I S A SPIRITUA L CONVERSATI ON OF UTMOST AND E TE RNAL IMPORTANCE ... What changes an ordinary workday, school day or day at home with the family into a mission field? Your mindset. Mission is a mindset, because people who need to explore faith are all around you. But how do you muster up the spiritual energy to be thinking about Jesus and where people might be in their faith journey toward Him? How can you flip the switch to have the mindset of being on an important mission while you are brokering a deal, swinging a hammer, folding laundry or serving a meal? How can you turn an ordinary day into a supernatural day where you get into meaningful conversations about Jesus? One way is to recall the words of Ed in the car, remembering that our time is short, and we have the best news ever to give away today.
Pat Linnell is the teaching pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE.
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By Casely Essamuah
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F
ive countries, four weeks, three Sundays. That’s what it took for Pastor Greg and I to traverse the world on the edge in January. The loss of our luggage and riding horses on the beach in Accra paled in comparison to other highlights of our journey! There were many times when we were humbled by the royal reception given to us. We found ourselves in awe of the resilience of the people that Bay Area works with, and grateful to God that our relatively small, albeit significant, contribution can go a long way in advancing God’s Kingdom. Many a night I went to bed reciting the words of the psalmist, “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto your name be glory and honor.” I want to devote this editorial to the unsung heroes that we met on this trip, with the intention that someone reading these words may find his or her niche in life as a lifelong vocational missionary. And so permit me to share the stories of five people.
Rhonda is a middle-aged social worker from Virginia who heard of the needs of an area in Uganda devastated by HIV/AIDS. Within months, she packed her bags to lead a ministry that uses a nutrition clinic as a precursor to church planting in the Butiru area. She supervises churches and ministries, ensuring that they are efficiently using the resources God has provided. She’s not a doctor or church leader – just an ordinary person being used greatly of God in Uganda. Comfort Adu is the softspoken wife of Kwame Adu, the general director of Scripture Union, our partner organization in Ghana. Most short term missions team members get to interact with Kwame, but not his wife. Greg and I had the privilege of enjoying breakfast in her home as she shared about her daily commute to work. She uses the opportunity to share the gospel or disciple the drivers, sometimes taking their phone numbers for follow-up. Thus she has a ministry reaching possibly several hundreds of people, and yet she’s not a church leader – she’s just a nurse who goes from home to the hospital and back, and uses that route to be a missionary.
Amber (not her real name) is a 25-year-old young woman from North Carolina who just joined a language center in Southeast Asia using her skills as a native Englishspeaker to teach children from the Middle East and thus build bridges for friendship and spiritual conversations. Amber would not even consider herself a missionary, but someone just doing her work. Hazel is an 18-year-old girl from Alaska who is serving as an intern in the home and ministry of Pastor Samuel and Grace in India. Eager to learn, and even more eager to serve, she lives daily on the edge – whether it is the food, weather or culture – and yet she wouldn’t trade the experience for anything else.
Lastly, Gracie Fairfax is one of Bay Area’s very own. With a degree from a U.S. college and a heart eager to serve, she is on staff with Samaritan’s Purse in Juba, South Sudan, assisting the senior management in reporting from the field to the U.S. office, and any other duties that may come across her desk.
A missionary saint of yesteryear used to say, “He’s no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” My faith is stretched by these heroes – living on the edge as everyone is a missionary. They deserve to be cover stories for GO&MAKE, not me. Is God calling you to do likewise? Email me at casely. essamuah@bayareacc.org and let’s pray and chat.
Casely Essamuah is the Global Missions Pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a regular contributer to GO&MAKE.
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HAPPY EASTON CAMPUS! 10 GO&MAKE M A R C H
Easton’'s First Year By Craig Fadel
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ur Easton Campus is turning 1 this month! It’s hard to express how incredible it is that God has brought this campus into existence. It reminds me of the phrase, “Ex nihilo,” or “out of nothing.” God was the one who brought together a core team that helped prepare for our Sunday morning gatherings and who were the key leadership to help get ministries off the ground. He gave us a great location to meet on Sunday mornings in Easton in a beautiful facility that handles about 150 of us every week. He used many of the Annapolis staff and volunteers to help Easton go further faster, whether through purchasing and setting up equipment, giving guidance for ministries, equipping volunteers, or any of the thousands of other things we have needed. God did it! As I take a step back and consider some of the miracles and stories, there are more than we can mention here. However, I would start with our amazing people. There are many people who have given much of their precious time to help make this campus a reality. Whether it’s Stephanie Nagel overseeing our Missional Communities, Rachel Pletts leading our worship ministry, Mary Fadel running our connect team, or Lizzy Donovan coordinating the Children’s Ministry, these ladies have been instrumental in helping Easton thrive. Then there are men like Ty Grossman, Chad Nagel, Alfred Godfrey, Logan Grossman, Caleb Armbrust and Bradd Gott who have led ministries, prayed for the church, and given this thing a strong foundation. There are dozens more I wish I could name who have come early to set up, intentionally loved on kids, welcomed new faces, ran technology, helped with worship, passed the offering baskets, opened their homes, brought friends, taken risks, and given faithfully. It is the concerted effort of many that has brought about an incredible first year. Another amazing instance of God’s grace was when the Easton church family participated in The Descendants Project. Since Easton does not have a permanent facility, we set a faith goal to raise $80,000 to strengthen our Student and Children’s Ministries. Our folks were so dedicated to investing in the
younger generation that they committed to giving $72,000 towards events, retreats, supplies and towards the goal of hiring a student ministry director. The students recently went on a winter day trip, the children’s ministry purchased a new check-in computer and we are utilizing those funds to improve what is happening in these ministries. We are also greatly anticipating the coming of a new student ministry leader! Another highlight of the year was our Christmas Eve service. We had no idea what to expect since this was our first Christmas and since many of our regular attendees were going to be out of town. We spent many hours the day before preparing decorations and doing a complete dress rehearsal. On Christmas Eve, 15 minutes before the service, we were desperately trying to find places to put out more chairs! I’m fairly certain we had extra people sitting in the sound booth with over 230 people joining us to celebrate the birth of Jesus. As I write this, we are starting two new missional communities bringing us to a total of six. These two groups represent new leadership and the multiplication of God’s kingdom. In a recent Missional Community, someone shared how they felt like they were at home with our church. Whether it’s through meaningful conversations, meals shared around a dining room table, or through pursuing the Up, In, and Out rhythms, people are growing. Happy Birthday Easton Campus! May God give us another amazing year full of blessings.
Craig Fadel is the campus pastor at Bay Area Community Church Easton.
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When experiencing the loss of a loved one, there is a deep, prolonged impact caused by the death of a spouse, child, family member or close friend. The griever needs ongoing support and encouragement. The GriefShare Support Group is a weekly support group to help those grieving by providing a safe place to walk through this time with the support of others.
Beginning Thursday, March 30 7-9 p.m. at Bay Area Community Church
For more info email leanne.lane@bayareacc.org
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SAVE THE DATE FOR
AN ALL-AGES EASTER EGG HUNT
SATURDAY, APRIL 15TH @ 11AM SAVE THE DATE FOR THESE EVENTS
ALL PARENTS ARE INVITED TO A PARENTING WORKSHOP SATURDAY, MARCH 18 TO HEAR GUEST SPEAKERS JIM & LYNN JACKSON, AUTHORS OF DISCIPLINE THAT CONNECTS TO YOUR CHILD’S HEART. AN EVENT PARENTS WON’T WANT TO MISS! M A RC H GO&MAKE 13
LIFE IN THE
By Michele Rollins
“The fast track to discipleship.” If you’ve heard Greg talk about short term missions before, you’re probably familiar with this phrase. Distance equals rate times time, and you’ll travel farther with Jesus in the same amount of time if the rate of growth increases. I know that to be true in my own life, and there are countless others in our church family who can attest to this truth as well – but what is it, exactly, that causes the increased rate? One significant factor is that when you join a short term mission team, you dive into all five parts of Bay Area’s vision, Every One A Missionary, that much more fully. We W O R S H I P corporately, we C O N N E C T in community, we S E R V E together, we S H A R E the gospel and our lives, and we G O out of our comfort zone, out of our culture, out On The Edge to allow God to shock us afresh with His goodness, provision and sacrifice on our behalf.
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WORSHIP Last November, I was in El Salvador with one of Bay Area’s short term missions teams when one of my favorite things happened. The team was gathered on a small rooftop patio with our local hosts, starting the morning with a short devotional. As we finished our time in the Word together, someone pulled out a phone and turned on a worship song. We started to sing – some in English, some in Spanish, all lifting our voices to God in our own language. I felt overwhelmed by the vastness of God, who knows every language ever spoken, and His goodness in joining the church together all over the world. Revelation 7:9 promises that one day “a great multitude that no one could number, from all tribes and peoples and languages,” will gather before the throne to worship God together. We get just a glimpse of that when we travel to other cultures and join with them corporately in worship just as we gather corporately each Sunday in Annapolis and Easton. You don’t have to speak the same language or listen to the same music to worship God together. In fact, worshiping alongside people from other cultures expands your view of God as you see another piece of His vast creativity expressed in South Sudan, El Salvador, Southeast Asia or India.
CONNECT We join teams, not trips, because a short term missions experience doesn’t start at the airport. Throughout your time on a short term missions team, your team functions similarly to a Missional Community, which Bay Area defines as extended family, loving God back, loving each other, and loving our neighbor. Teammates come from all walks and stages of life to learn, eat together, pray, live and strive toward a common purpose together. There’s something about traveling away from home that strengthens bonds and makes shared experiences that much more memorable and impactful. That doesn’t mean connecting in community is easy – in fact, it may be more difficult at times as you and your team tackle life on mission together – but it’s worth it. God forms our hearts
and character through the crucible of intentional community in the midst of trying circumstances. As we choose to lay down our own rights for the sake of our teammates, God is glorified and the team becomes stronger.
SERVE God calls us to serve like Jesus did, with love and humility. We know when we join a short term missions team that we will serve the people of Poland, Brazil or Appalachia. We will give up our time, money, convenience and vacation hours (even though a short term missions trip is not a vacation). Serving sounds like the nice or right thing to do, but the challenge is to serve out of desire, not duty. If our motivation for serving is only the need that we seek to address, that motivation will eventually ebb. Instead, we serve because Jesus first served us. Out of this passion, we can serve willingly and joyfully, even when we’re tired or inconvenienced or uncertain.
“ You don’t need to be a Bible scholar or have a degree in Missiology to share about Jesus and to tell the story of God working in your own life.” We not only serve the people we travel to see, we serve the people with whom we travel: our teammates. A few years ago in Ghana, one of my teammates served me by telling me “no” when I volunteered at a time when I was overly tired and in need of rest. She not only blessed me by her thoughtful, Spirit-led firmness, she also allowed another member of our team to step into an opportunity I would have inadvertently stolen for myself. Serving is love lived out – seeking the highest good of the other person. Seek opportunities to sacrifice, and it can bring growth in your short term missions team, missional community, Sunday morning volunteer team or family.
SHARE Peter tells us that we should “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). Do you know what you would say? Our teams have the opportunity to share the gospel in various ways all over the world by building relationships, teaching from Scripture, and sharing personal stories of how Jesus broke in to bring hope in our own lives. Last year, teams in El Salvador, Uganda and Poland used Bay Area’s Share the Gospel training to explain the good news to high school students, families and people affected by HIV/AIDS. The best part about sharing is that God will bring the opportunities, you just have to be available. You don’t need to be a Bible scholar or have a degree in Missiology to share about Jesus and to tell the story of God working in your own life. Whether you share the gospel in Annapolis, Easton, Poland or India, learn, prepare, study and then trust that God will work out His plans using whatever you have to offer.
GO This one seems self-explanatory, right? Don’t take it for granted. It’s possible to physically travel somewhere but shy away from the things that will pull you out of your comfort zone, away from the limitations of convenience and routine. Be fully present: Try the new food, learn a few words of the new language, make a new friend, and stay away from the trap that says “my culture is right because it’s mine.” God can show you so many things about who He created you to be and who He is through a short term missions experience simply because you come expectantly, ready for God to do something, willing to go On The Edge for His kingdom. Are you in?
As we GO together to the nations, we experience growth in a fresh way. We WORSHIP together, CONNECT in community, SERVE each other and our neighbors and SHARE a hope that is not contained by culture, language or time zone. See you out on the fast track!
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A NEW CHURCH COMING TO NW WASHINGTON,DC by sam logan
Greg Gibson had big plans to play basketball. He played in high school growing up in Knoxville, and expected to play in college. Yet when he agreed in June 2004 to take a short term mission trip to South Africa, where he expected to play ball with the locals, Jesus broke into his life and changed everything. “Little did I know that [this trip] would be the conduit through which God would save me [and] call me to ministry. I came back from that trip and knew immediately that I wanted to give my life to ministry,” he recalled. Greg switched schools in January 2005. He decided on Boyce College, in Louisville, where he dove into ministry training. There, Greg met his wife, Grace, who attended Boyce studying Christian Worldview and Apologetics. During his time at Boyce, Greg found his heart for church planting.
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“At that time, I knew very quickly that I wanted to be in the trenches, in the local church, for the rest of my life,” he said. He dug into Acts 10-12, and the story of the church in Antioch, and Paul’s missionary journeys. He was deeply impacted by “Total Church,” a book about church planting and the “crowded house” movement in the UK, which saw a proliferation of home churches across the country. By June 2010, six years after meeting Christ in South Africa, Greg and Grace went to work starting a church in his hometown. While at Foothills Church, Greg received confirmation that he was a guy who could start stuff. He was an entrepreneur, but not just a visionary. He was someone who could capture and cast a vision, and execute. “I was the guy who the elders
called when they wanted to start something new,” Greg said. He played a role in many of the ministries started at Foothills, including an apologetics and Christian worldview blog ministry, called Veritas. In 2014, though, the Holy Spirit prompted him. Greg felt an itch to plant. He and Grace began to seek God’s will in prayer, and by July 2015, the two were seated with the elders at Foothills to discuss raising support to plant a church in a global city. “Our prayer was to go somewhere and, coupled with our family’s flourishing, that God would use us to make the biggest impact we can with our lives … [we moved our] family to plant a church where [we] didn’t know anyone, but every step along the way God has proven Himself to be faithful. When we take that next step, He meets us at [that] step to open those doors. No door has had to be knocked down,” he explained. Greg emphasized that they were not leaving but being sent, which he counts as an important distinction: that they were leaving Foothills by being sent. After much preparation and prayer, seeking the guidance and wisdom of the Lord and the elders and others in their lives together, Greg, Grace and their two children moved to the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., in August 2016 to plant Veritas City Church. He shared of the church, “We want to frame [Veritas City] around John 1:14: ‘The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.’ And so we really see Jesus incarnate Himself and dwell among humanity. And that’s what we want Veritas City to be. We want to be an incarnational church that goes into our city and loves the community that we’re in.”
to Georgetown to join his team and support their ministry efforts as they reach out to the Georgetown community. Currently, Veritas Church meets on Sunday nights, when around 40 people study scripture and grow together. During this time, they also discuss theology and cast vision for where Veritas City is headed. “In the ministry lane, we don’t want to just gather together but scatter for ministry,” Greg noted. “We are teaching our people to leverage all of life to live on mission.” Greg uses the term “third place” to describe those areas between work and home, maybe a coffee shop, or where we work out, or in some other place interact with others. In scattering for ministry, Greg sees Veritas City as a church that teaches how to live on mission in that “third place.” “For us, the third [lane] is to be a church-planting church plant. Our desire from the beginning is to multiply disciples, to multiply city groups (our term for small groups), and then to multiply churches. We’re going to keep it simple and love our city. Once we make disciples by loving our city, [we hope to] see disciples mature and do ministry, and then begin to multiply.” Veritas City will launch officially on September 10, 2017. Building off this first Sunday after Labor Day, Veritas City will begin to incorporate worship, teach through scripture, practice baptism and communion, and work toward membership. Today, Greg’s prayer is that he would be a faithful husband and father first, and that his family would flourish alongside the church. He prays that Veritas City would see people come to know Christ this year and begin to make an impact on the lost in D.C. Finally, he prays for others to get involved and give with talent, treasure or time “in an expensive city that needs Jesus.”
This vision, to be incarnational, drills into the church’s mission: to make disciples who live on mission. Greg, Grace and their team hope to accomplish this mission with three “lanes” as Greg calls them: maturity, ministry and multiplication. Veritas City has partnered with the SENT Network, McClean Bible Church and its New City network, and SEND DC. Greg’s heart is to also partner with 250 short term missionaries who will travel
Launched by Bay Area, the SENT Network is a church planting organization based in Annapolis. To learn more, go to sentnetwork.org. M A RC H GO&MAKE 17
Bay Area welcomes new worship leader
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n February 12, 2017, Bay Area welcomed Jonathan Madrid into our church family as our new worship leader. Jonathan, his wife Ashleigh, and their two kids, Nina and Luca, have relocated to Annapolis from Baton Rouge, Louisiana,
where Jonathan previously led worship at The Chapel on campus at LSU. Accustom to the hospitality and warm weather of the South, we’ve asked the Madrids to share a bit about their expectations for transitioning to the Mid-Atlantic, as well as part of their personal story for us as a church family to get to know them better. Here’s what they had to say:
How are you feeling about the transition from Baton Rouge to Annapolis? Jonathan: It’s bittersweet – we had really great friends and I loved the staff that I worked with. But it’s sweet in the sense that we’re really excited about Annapolis. We resonated with [Bay Area’s] mission of making disciples, not just in the nations but in our neighborhoods. We have kids, so for us the reality that our kids are going to grow up in church and could possibly hate church is real. So when we saw The Descendants Project that really excited us, to be a part of a church that is looking to build something not for the current generation but the generations coming after it.
You spent a weekend here in November. What were your first impressions of Annapolis? Jonathan: Great crabcakes! We enjoyed meeting the people. It was a super fast weekend, but we left with this impression that something special was happening [at Bay Area].
What will the biggest adjustment be for you guys? Jonathan: Definitely the seasons – I’m not a fan of cold weather, I grew up in tropical weather. And the culture –
going from southern living to an East Coast area, I’m sure that’s going to be drastically different. We come from an area where hospitality is the norm. The first question people ask you in the South is, “How’s your family?” And I don’t know that that’s the same everywhere else.
How did you come to faith, Jonathan? Jonathan: I grew up in the church. The first 13 years of my life were spent in the mission field. We were in Spain for five years, Honduras for eight. At a young age, I experienced some really powerful things. But then I moved back to the states and my dad pastored this little, small church of like 20 people and other than my sister and myself, the next youngest people were my parents. Man, I thought church in the states was dead. In a third-world country, when
people say “All we need is Jesus,” they really mean that because that’s all they have sometimes. In the states, that’s not always true, because everyone’s after the American Dream. In the states, faith is just different, and when you have a 13-year-old who is highly impressionable and isn’t experiencing anything lifegiving in the church but is experiencing a lot of really fun things outside of church – I just went the other way. Thankfully, by the grace of God I never got in too deep, but I walked away from faith. In college I connected with a friend again who happened to be walking with Jesus, and for two years – he knew I was into college life and he never once judged me – he walked with me and talked with me faithfully about the gospel. One night we were talking about grace – I never understood what grace was. I grew up in a very legalistic culture, so when he talked to me about grace it was a whole new concept for me, and it just clicked. That night I went home, the next thing that happened was I went to my room contemplating everything we had talked about, and the Holy Spirit just walked in and wrecked me. The gospel made sense for the first time in my life. Within a week, I moved out of my party home, went back home, joined Campus Crusade for Christ, and a year later sold all my stuff, quit my job and went on a summer-long mission trip. I kind of just started over. M A RC H GO&MAKE 19
How did the two of you meet? Ashleigh: I was teaching at a dance studio and he was working at a church that were in the same shopping center, so for about five or six years we were working across the street from each other and had never seen each other before. I was living with my aunt and uncle, and they were attending Jonathan’s church. My aunt came home one day and said, “Have you ever met Jonathan Madrid? He leads worship.” I was just re-entering Christianity and going to church, and I was like, “I don’t want to meet him and I don’t want to date him.” She said, “Well, I told him my niece was living with me and I think you guys would really get along, so I told him he could reach out.” Jonathan sent me a message on Facebook and said, “I know you don’t know me and this is super weird, and I never do anything like this, but would you have coffee sometime?” I ignored it thinking he would go away, but he messaged me again and said, “Hey, not sure if you got my first message but I’d really like to connect.” I couldn’t ignore him. I invited him over to have dinner at my aunt’s house, so in case we had nothing to talk about it wouldn’t be awkward – she’d be there as a buffer. And we just hit it off.
Tell us about your philosophy of worship. Jonathan: There are three things that I am chasing while leading worship: authenticity, balance and connection – they are the ABCs of worship. Authenticity – There are two things to that. One, it’s gotta be real, whatever we’re singing has to resonate with people. I’ve heard lyrics that say “Jesus you’re all we want” – that’s not true. I want it to be true. And authenticity in the sense that everything we sing is scripturally sound. Balance – Jesus said we’re to worship in spirit and truth, and there’s a balance to that. You go to a lot of churches who hold the teaching of the Word above everything else, and I think that’s great, but where’s the room for the Holy Spirit? And then you have other churches who are so wrapped up in the movements of the Holy Spirit that they forget to measure everything by what the Word says. So, a lot of times you get people who mistake the Holy Spirit for an emotional experience, and that can be dangerous. There’s a balance to that – you’re asking for a move of the Holy Spirit, but you’re also tempering that with what the Word says that looks like.
Tell us about your kids. Ashleigh: Luca will be 4 in April and Nina is almost 2. They are awesome! They are super loud, they keep us incredibly busy and they wake up extremely early. They love each other and us. They’re talkers, they’re both totally extroverts and love to make friends. They love to eat everything, too.
Connection – What are we after? The most important thing is an encounter with Jesus. If we’re not meeting with Jesus on a Sunday morning while we’re singing these songs, then I really don’t care to do it. I want to lead people into an encounter with the Lord. At the end of the day, the only thing that’s going to change a person is Jesus.
Jonathan, how did you get into leading worship?
What do you most enjoy about leading worship?
Jonathan: I told my dad that the music at his church was terrible, and he said, “Well, you can either complain about it or do something about it,” and I did something about it. Right after I dedicated my life to the Lord, I just wanted to serve – I served with the youth group, I mowed the lawn – whatever I could. So I learned a few chords and started leading worship at my dad’s church when I was 20, 21. There was a need and I filled it, and it just so happened that my heart resonated with it.
Jonathan: I just don’t think there’s anything better than being a part of the process of people connecting with the Lord.
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How can our church family be praying for you guys as you make this adjustment to life on the East Coast? Ashleigh: We had a really tight community and group of friends in Baton Rouge that we’re going to miss, so pray that we
would be able to find relationships with people that we can become friends with, that our kids would make friends, and that we would find a place where we feel like we fit. Jonathan: I want to transition well. Pray that I have wisdom and discernment, that I would look through the lens of servanthood.
favorite food – love fried chicken least favorite food – hate pickles what’s your coffee order? Tall peppermint white mocha – it’s Christmas in your mouth. where are you originally from? Colorado. Ashleigh is from Michigan. alma mater? University of Colorado sports allegiances? Diehard Denver Broncos and LSU football fan cats or dogs? Dogs unforeseen or sloppy wet kiss? Neither – those are both horrible lyrics, we went with passionate what are you listening to right now? My favorite records of 2016 were the new One Republic album and Bethel’s “Have It All”
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LEADERSHIP PROFILE
ELDER DON WILEY BY STEVE ONKEN
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he greatest thing anyone can do for God and for man is to pray. It is not the only thing. But it is the chief thing.” (S.D. Gordon) It came as no surprise while talking to my friend Don Wiley that he grew up as a church-going, Sunday-school-attending, parentpleasing young boy. In many ways, I saw myself in Don’s childhood. Although he saw the spiritual side of his father as mostly external, he sensed something deeper in his mom that caused him to ponder the condition of his own relationship with Jesus. Having completed his high school years at a boys’ prep school, going off to college brought with it a plethora of activities and opportunities to step out and experience things he had not experienced before - both beneficial and not as much so. Among those interests were a number of Christian groups that he explored and in which he participated to one degree or another. By the end of his freshman year at Duke University, where he majored in English, he was challenged by the local ministry leader for the Navigators to commit. Although that challenge had been intended to prompt Don to commit to one specific Christian ministry on which to focus his energies, the Holy Spirit used the challenge to speak to Don to wave the white flag of surrender and commit to Jesus with all his heart, instead of just halfway. At the end of his freshman year, over the summer, Don recommitted his life to serving Jesus and surrendering to Him. He was challenged by the verse in Revelation 3:15-16 that warns, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” The Spirit had brought Don to the point of giving his life to be “hot” for Jesus. Don and his future bride Sharon met at a church in central Indiana, where they both worked in the late 1980s. They had both attended the Urbana missions
conference, she in 1984 and he in 1987, just before he met her. They were married in June of 1990. From day one of their marriage, Don and Sharon were fully on board with pursuing missions, with the mindset that they were going unless God said “no,” rather than taking the position that they would wait for God to say “yes!” With that perspective, Don attended candidate school for Greater Europe Mission, through which the Lord placed them in a youth discipleship and youth training ministry in Ireland. Following four fruitful years overseas, Don and Sharon came back to the states in 2000 for furlough, to spend a year in refreshing fellowship with their supporters, church family and relatives. During that year, Don’s dad and brother were involved in a serious automobile accident. With the needs of these two men taking center stage, God used the situation to redirect Don and Sharon’s ministry to focus their attention here at home and spoke His definitive “no” this time to their pursuit of overseas missions. With that, the Wileys’ furlough became a permanent relocation to Timonium, Maryland, and a pursuit of a new employment path. Don contacted the Association of Christian Schools International about teaching positions, and by the fall of 2001, was teaching English at Annapolis Area Christian School. Having decided to call the Annapolis area home, it was time to explore possibilities for a church they could call home. They discovered Bay Area Community Church, which met at Annapolis High School at the time. Using a passionate missions focus as their litmus test for a church in which they could plant roots, Bay Area was a perfect fit! Because of the recent turmoil in their lives, they initially settled for a season of invisibility at church. But before long, their passion for discipleship and the prompting of the Holy Spirit moved them to jump into ministry with both feet and become Ministry Partners. Don and Sharon got involved in Missional Communities and have been leading one now for a number of years. Don has also taught Learning Communities at Bay Area.
When initially approached with the idea of serving as an elder, Don respectfully declined. Yet by August of 2015, Don, through the leading of the Holy Spirit and with the support of his wife, was nominated and installed as an elder on the elder team. Don’s involvement as an elder includes interviewing Ministry Partners and mentoring members of his church family toward spiritual maturity. He also serves as a marriage mentor. His desire and prayer for his ministry is to be a vessel for growth and healing among marriages in the church, as well as a resource for support and healing for those in the church body dealing with prodigals. He also has a burden for being a part of the continued growth in importance of prayer among the elders and throughout the church body. Don was powerfully impacted by S.D. Gordon’s book “Quiet Thoughts on Prayer,” where the author states, “The greatest thing anyone can do for God and for man is to pray.” In his role of leadership, God has revealed to Don his need for authentic friendships. The Lord also has deepened Don’s desire for rich, personal fellowship with Jesus. Don relates to C.H. Spurgeon’s exposition of the apostle John’s reference to “walking in the light” as “a willingness to know and be known” – a willingness to know Jesus intimately, and to be known, authentically and transparently, by His people. Don is richly blessed by the deep, transparent fellowship of the men on the elder team, and the spiritual challenge and encouragement that they provide. God has also been speaking to Don, especially lately, about “silence and simplicity.” In the midst of all the demands society throws at us for our attention, Don wants to focus on what the apostle Paul describes as the “simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3) and what the psalmist David prays as the source of his hope: “For God alone my soul waits in silence” (Psalm 62:1). In so doing, Don Wiley provides an example of what it means to be a passionate, maturing follower of Jesus from here to the nations.
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M I S S I O N A L C O M M U N I T Y S P O T L I G H T:
JESUS IN COMMON
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ack in the late ‘90s, when Missional Communities were called Home Groups and Bay Area met in a high school, Dave and Janet Graves welcomed a young couple into their home, their Home Group and their lives. Though the couples were nearly 20 years apart in age, it was the beginning of a longstanding close friendship. The younger couple, Keith and Shea Riniker, soaked up valuable wisdom and life skills from their surrogate parents, the Graves. “We would joke that Dave was a young fogey and I was an old man trapped in a young man’s body,” Keith, who now serves as an elder at Bay Area, recalled. “They used to say, ‘Why are you young people hanging out with us?’ It was the greatest thing in life for us, with so much free parenting training.” Nearly 20 years later, the Graves and Rinikers are in community together again – this time co-leading a Missional Community that launched last spring. Their group met for the first time shortly after Easter 2016; they didn’t know who to expect that evening, if anyone, but God brought several people to their first gathering. Every year, many people are introduced to Bay Area on Easter Sunday. 2016 was no exception, and three couples who came that Sunday decided to come back the following Sunday. They attended the next Missional Community Taster, and went to check one out that same night. The Graves and Rinikers were excited to meet them. BY
MEREDITH THOMPSON
Today, the community has grown to roughly two dozen members. Like the Home Group of the late ‘90s, this one also represents a wide spread of ages and stages of life. “I’ve been
involved in Missional Communities in the past that tended to be groups of people in a similar stage of life, and there’s natural friendships that start because of those commonalities. With this one, it’s been interesting how people have developed friendships, because they’re not in the same stage of life – some have kids or don’t, are pregnant, have kids out of the house, or are soon to be engaged,” Keith highlighted. “But because we have Jesus in common, all of a sudden we have friendships that are just as similar to the friendships we have with other people who are in the same stage of life.” Janet, who serves as Bay Area’s Women’s Ministry Director, echoed that for some, the group already feels like family. They’ve provided meals for new parents in their group, thrown a Super Bowl party, hung out together, gone to movies, and visited a sick group member in the hospital. They’ve also served together by hosting a trunk during Bay Area’s largest annual outreach event, Trunk or Treat, and providing kids in need with presents through Gifts For Children. Every other Sunday, they share a meal together before diving into God’s Word to engage in a deeper study of the passages included in the current teaching series at Bay Area. Often, they’ll break up women and men for a time of prayer together. The ladies are planning a girls’ day out soon, and the guys anticipate digging deeper into Scripture together in the coming months. Just as the Graves served as bonus parents to the Rinikers years ago (and today – Keith’s son refers to Janet as “Aunt Janet”), the younger members of their MC are able to learn from and grow close with their group members who are in different stages of life. Janet noted that the couple who recently had a baby even asked her and Dave to be Godparents. “We’re becoming extended spiritual family,” she said. Keith summarized, “There’s a lot of community in the spirit of the Lord.” To learn about Missional Communities and how to get involved, go to bayareacc. org/missionalcommunities.
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The Estuary
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Table A NEW WORK OF ART TO HELP US WORSHIP THROUGH GIVING AT BAY AREA
O
ver the last few weeks, you may have noticed two new handcarved wooden boxes in the lobby at our Annapolis campus. Designed as a place where people can drop their offering or make financial gifts to the church, these estuary tables were created by local artist Casey Johnson. If you’ve been around Bay Area for a few years, you’re already familiar with Casey’s work: He created our Beyond884 display near the elevator in 2013, and made the metal sculpture that hangs in the lobby. We asked Casey, who is part of the family at Bay Area church plant Downtown Hope, to share a little about his inspiration for the estuary tables.
“An estuary is the body of water where a river flows into the sea. It is a dynamic ecosystem where freshwater mixes with salt water, producing a habitat for all kinds of organisms. As I thought about the design for this giving box, I wanted it to serve as a visual metaphor of how the generosity of the individual giver and the church as a whole had an outward effect on the community. As each giver drops their gift in the hole on the top of the piece, they are reminded that they are causing a ripple effect that flows outward in the community. However big or small, the ripple continues outward.
Casey Johnson, photo by Sarah Culver
I see this table as a sort of estuary where multiple streams come together before being released into the ocean, where the generosity of the church creates a river that runs and ripples outward and produces all kinds of life in the world.” CASEY JOHNSON foxwoodco.com
You can participate in giving at either estuary table when the building is open. They are located near the main office and the chapel. All gifts go toward Bay Area’s general operating fund.
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Saturday // March 25 // 2017
BUILDING BRIDGES
TEAR DOWN WALLS • BUILD BRIDGES • CONNECT OTHERS TO GOD’S LOVE
Special Guest Speaker Steph Fink, Founder of Encouraged in Heart
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. $25 // includes lunch Teaching • Workshops • Worship bayareacc.org/womensevents
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Through expanding our physical Children’s and Student Ministry spaces in Annapolis, The Descendants Project offers a church-wide opportunity to sacrificially make an eternal investment in our younger generations.
as of 2.23.17 total pledged: $2,080,862 total raised: $1,038,840 goal: $7,000,000
thedescendantsproject.org M A RC H GO&MAKE 29
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. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org HOSPITAL/HOMEBOUND INVITATION If you or a loved one is in the hospital or homebound we would love to serve you. Contact us so that we can learn how to be of assistance. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org or 443-837-3718.
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.
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GRIEFSHARE SUPPORT GROUP When experiencing the loss of a loved one, there is a deep, prolonged impact caused by the death of a spouse, child, family member or close friend. The griever needs ongoing support and encouragement. The GriefShare Support Group is a weekly support group to help those grieving by providing a safe place to walk through this time with the support of others. The support group begins on Thursday, March 30 from 7 - 9 p.m. at Bay Area. Email leanne.lane@bayareacc.org with questions or to register. CAREER ASSISTANCE Are you unemployed, just starting a career, or trying to discover what God has uniquely wired you for? Partner with expert Jacques Fox and identify a career path that’s right for you. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org.
MARRIAGE MINISTRY UPDATE We recently partnered with marriedpeople.org, an organization that has developed a marriage strategy for churches. With this strategy we have inspired large group experiences, empowered 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 small-group 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 THE MEANING OF MARRIAGE LEARNING COMMUNITY APRIL 23 - MAY 28 AT 11:15 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM B Facilitators: Brian & Judith Green; Eric & Nancy Feldmann This LC is based on The Meaning of Marriage sermon series by New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller. In this six-week series we will watch videos and have facilitated discussions about the vision of what marriage should be according to the Bible. Timothy Keller, with insights from Kathy, his wife of 37 years, shows marriage to be a glorious relationship that is also misunderstood and mysterious. Sign up at: bayareacc.org/learningcommunities 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 who have been married for 10 or more years) who will equip you with tools and resources you’ll need to succeed in marriage. Info: premarital.ministry@bayareacc.org
LOCAL OUTREACH LOCAL OUTREACH SERVING OPPORTUNITIES Missional communities often don’t know how to get involved with serving locally. We’re here to help. There are many organizations in the Annapolis area that will be blessed by your involvement and we’d love to connect you with them. Go to bayareacc.org/localoutreach to fill out an involvement form. MOBILE BLOOD DRIVE AT BAY AREA Share the gift of life by donating blood on Sunday, March 19, between 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Sign up to donate at mysignup.com/bacc or walk to the Anne Arundel Medical Center Blood Mobile bus that will be outside the center front doors of Bay Area. WINTER RELIEF We're hosting the homeless at the Annapolis campus March 13-20. Go to bayareacc.org/winterrelief for more information on how to get involved.
GLOBAL MISSIONS Are you interested in going on a short term mission trip in 2017? To learn more about getting “On the Edge” with one of our 21 short term trips please visit our global missions page online at bayareacc.org/ontheedge. Also, be sure to pick up a copy of the On the Edge field guide available in the lobby.
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
MEN’S BIBLE STUDIES
CONNECTING MINISTRY
MEN’S MORNING BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays from 6-7:30 a.m. in room 236 at Bay Area. Info: Jim at jlradcliffe@hotmail.com
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 March 5 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 April 2. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org
MEN’S EVENING BIBLE STUDY Sundays from 6-7:30 p.m. in room 235 at Bay Area. This study is geared toward helping men draw closer to Jesus while discussing and discovering God’s answers for the challenges men face at home, work and in society. Info: bob.gregory@bayareacc.org
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MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY PRESCHOOL UPDATE Meet our new Preschool Assistant Brittany Dunklin! We are excited to have her on our team. Brittany and her family recently moved here from Longwood, Florida. She and her husband, Clay, have two young boys: Milo is 2 years old and Dexter is almost 1 year old. Brittany studied Musical Theatre at the University of Central Florida and has many years of experience serving in Children’s Ministry.
MISSIONAL COMMUNITY TASTER Are you new to Bay Area or looking to get connected in community? Join us for our Missional Community Taster on Sunday, March 12 at 12:45 p.m. in The Warehouse (our student ministry space). We will introduce you to our version of midsized groups that will help you continually grow spiritually, relationally and missionally. Lunch and KidCare are provided. RSVP at bayareacc.org/mctaster. Info: mc@bayareacc.org.
STUDENT MINISTRY
SPRING PARENT DEDICATION Our Parent Dedication is more than an event, it’s celebrating your decision as parents to raise your child to follow Jesus. To participate, parents are required to attend an orientation prior to the event. Visit bayareacc.org/parentdedication for more info or to register your family. NURSING MOTHERS Children’s Ministry offers two locations for nursing mothers during Sunday gatherings. If you would like a quiet place to nurse, please come to our Tidal Pool area and you will be directed to a room equipped with glider rockers. If you would like a place to nurse and hear the gathering during the 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. gatherings only, visit our Children’s Welcome desk and you will be directed to our Director of Children’s Ministry’s office. CHILDREN & STUDENT BAPTISMS If you have a child or student who is expressing interest and wants to be baptized we would love to celebrate this milestone with you. Visit the children’s or student web page to read more on how your family can be a part of the baptism celebration.
CLUB 678 Club 678 is our once-a-month hangout for middle schoolers. This month’s theme is Glow in the Dark night! Middle school students are invited to join us Friday, March 10, from 7-9 p.m. Students are encouraged to invite their friends and can bring money for snacks. Info: lydia.macbride@bayareacc.org
COLLEGE MINISTRY YOUNG ADULT MISSIONAL COMMUNITY 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.
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LEADER APPRECIATION May 7 is our Leader Appreciation Day! Our leaders are an amazing group of people who have been gifted by God to disciple our kids. They dedicate their time, energy, and love to our kids each week. We are encouraging you to bring a gift for your child(ren)'s leaders on May 7 to show your appreciation for them. Some suggestions are: gift cards, notes from your child, candy, something depicting a special moment or event that your child remembers, devotional, etc. Be creative and let’s show them how much we love them. WAVE RIDERS PRESCHOOL PLAY GROUP Parents and preschoolers join us Monday, March 13, at Ultimate PlayZone at 10 a.m. and Tuesday, March 28, for storytime and lunch at Broadneck Library at 10 a.m. For more details about Wave Riders, check us out on Facebook by searching "Wave Riders Play Group." Info: brittany.dunklin@bayareacc.org
FINANCIALS Annapolis Campus Operating Budget Financial Update As of February 20, 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 FEB To Date Received FEB To Date Giving Goal
$ 2,356,279 $ 2,397,298 $ (41,019) - 1.7% Behind $ 240,370 $ 255,528
EASTON CAMPUS Fiscal Year Giving Goal
$
187,000
YTD Received YTD Goal YTD Actual vs. Goal FEB To Date Received FEB To Date Giving Goal
$ $ $ $ $
78,491 89,904 (11,413) - 12.7% Behind 12,594 10,788
Annapolis Campus Outstanding Building Debt $3,412,560 (as of 1-31-17) 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 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.
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. SPIRITUAL FORMATION MARCH 5 - APRIL 9 AT 11:15 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM A In this 7-week session we will explore the Biblical call to be “transformed to be Christ-like” and ways to implement that call. We will look at issues that in the past have been discussed as discipleship or sanctification. We will address our ongoing relationship with God, as well as what has been called “Spiritual Disciplines” (prayer, fasting, solitude, study, etc.). THE BOOK OF RUTH MARCH 12 - APRIL 2 AT 11:15 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM B This little Old Testament book has powerful applications to our own lives, relationships and legacies. Spend four weeks studying the choices Ruth and Boaz made that led to blessing even in a dark time of Israel’s history. THE UNREACHED WITHIN REACH MARCH 12 - APRIL 30 (no class Easter Sunday) AT 9:30 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM A Do you have a heart for people from other nations and religions, but don't know how to share your faith with them? Learn methods of witnessing to people of other faiths and cultures. Study cross-cultural communications, Islam, Hinduism and how to do a Bible Study with non-Christians. This class should help you if you are considering going on a mission trip or you want to reach your international neighbor or coworker. SHAKEN BY TIM TEBOW / MEN'S STUDY MARCH 19 - APRIL 30 AT 8 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM B A six-week men's DVD/book study on Tim Tebow's autobiography "Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life's Storms." This conversation-centered class will focus on testimony sharing, supporting those in need and digging deep into what we believe about the toughest challenges we face in life.
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 yearround. Interested in joining our team of paid workers? Visit the Children’s Welcome counter on Sundays or contact our KidCare Coordinator Dax at dax.clinkscale@bayareacc.org. FACILITY COORDINATOR Full-time position. For a detailed job description or to submit a resume and cover letter, email the Operations Director at ron.dutton@bayareacc.org.
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WOMEN’S MINISTRY
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE
THE WELL 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. New studies will be available this summer. Info: bayareacc.org/women/spiritualgrowth
AMBASSADOR TEAM: Serve as an ambassador by helping newcomers get connected. If you have a passion for people and Jesus, and have been attending Bay Area for at least six months, the ambassador role is for you. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org
QUILTS FOR KIDS Join us to make quilts using donated fabrics for kids in shelters and hospitals. We meet on the third Saturday of the month. Join us March 18 from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in room 235 at Bay Area. Come and learn to sew or learn to sew a new pattern. Kits will be available. Please bring your sewing machine, sewing supplies and your lunch. If you would like a quilt kit, want to donate a quilt, or have questions, contact Janet Hogan at annapolisQFK@quiltsforkids.org. WOMEN OF LEGACY (55+) We meet on the second and fourth Mondays of the month for a time of encouragement, prayer and serving from 10:30 a.m. - noon in The Warehouse. On March 13, we will have a Hymn Sing led by Dana Toon and a potluck lunch will follow. Then on March 27 we will have guest, Rachel Perry, Bay Area's Connecting Director, to talk about her role on staff and ways we can get connected. Info: Cedulie Sanchez at luisandcedulie@gmail.com
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: Enjoy hospitality? Enjoy fellowship? We are looking for additional barista volunteers. Only serve after one of the gatherings once a month. Training provided. Info: sherri.raimondo@bayareacc.org COMMUNION TEAM: Opportunities to serve our church family include baking allergen-free communion bread once a month or assisting with preparation or cleanup during one of the three gatherings on communion Sunday. Info: sherri.raimondo@bayareacc.org DEEP BLUE BUDDIES: Have a heart to serve children with special needs? We’re looking for dedicated volunteers to partner with children on Sunday mornings in The Deep Blue. Info: tammy.taschenberger@bayareacc.org ELEMENTARY SET DESIGN TEAM: Do you have a gift with design and decor? Serve through design and setup of our Elementary Large Group spaces with new themes once a month. Info: aimee.coyle@bayareacc.org GOLF CART DRIVERS: Looking for friendly folks to pick people up in the back of the West parking lot before gatherings to ease their walk into the building. Those interested must be 21 or older and have a clean driving record. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org
KINGDOM COME: A CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN This year, we’re focusing on building bridges. We want to spend time together digging into God’s word and how to apply it to improve the health of our friendships, marriages and more. If we can do this and build bridges with others, we can come together, unified, for God’s Kingdom to advance. Join us on Saturday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be incredible worship, teaching from author Steph Fink, and practical workshops to help us continue to grow in the fight for Kingdom life. Sign up at the Women's Ministry kiosk on Sundays March 5 and 12 or online at bayareacc.org/wome nsevents. Cost is $25. Lunch is provided. Info: conference coordinator, k.lucy.byrne@gmail.com
PRAYER MINISTRY Jesus lived a life of unceasing prayer that connected Him to the Father. We too long to be devoted to prayer. Our Prayer Ministry is comprised of individuals dedicated to gathering in prayer for all aspects of Bay Area life: our gatherings, communities, pastors, missions and so much more. Individuals are also available to pray with you on Sunday mornings after each gathering (front and right of the Chapel stage). Read more at bayareacc.org/prayer. Info: pat.linnell@bayareacc.org
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HOSPITAL/HOMEBOUND VISITATION: Interested in being part of a team reaching those hospitalized or homebound? Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org PARKING MINISTRY: Serve by directing traffic and greeting people as they arrive at church. Info: parking@bayareacc.org PRESCHOOL TEAM: Do you have a heart for sharing the love of Jesus with our youngest at Bay Area? Our Preschool Team is looking for leaders to serve 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 USHERS: Be a part of creating a welcoming environment by serving during Sunday morning gatherings. Info: Michael at mtabramo1@comcast.net WOMEN’S MINISTRY: Serve on one of our event planning teams or in discipling other women. We would love to get to know you and see how your gifts can be used. Info: janet.graves@bayareacc.org
EASTON CAMPUS HAPPENINGS DISCOVER BAY AREA New to Bay Area Easton? We’re glad you’re here. You may have questions about who we are or what we believe so join us on March 5 following the 10 a.m. gathering for Discover Bay Area. Hear Campus Pastor Craig Fadel share about who we are as a church, our story, our vision for making disciples, and how you can get plugged in. No RSVP necessary, and kids are welcome. MISSIONAL COMMUNITY TASTER Come join us on Thursday, March 16, from 7-8:30 p.m. to get a taste of what we do in our Missional Communities. We will share the purpose of these groups that meet throughout the week in people’s homes as well as how you can get connected into one. Light refreshments provided. Please RSVP to easton@bayareacc.org.
INTRODUCING A NEW WAY TO GIVE AT BAY AREA
TEXT TO GIVE We want to make it simple for people to develop the habit of financial giving, and now, you can use your phone to give simply by sending a text message! Text BACC + the monetary amount to 30131 to give to our General Offering fund. For example: Text “BACC 50” to give $50.
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. M A RC H GO&MAKE 35
A TWO-NIGHT FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZA
JUNE 20-21 This year we are kicking Bay Area's Vacation Bible School experience up a notch from Summer Jam to full on BL!TZ. Save the date for a two-night high-energy, faith-based event with fast-paced action and excitement for elementary-age kids and their parents.
bayareacc.org/deepblueevents 36 GO&MAKE M A R C H