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IN THIS ISSUE
14 COVER STORY: SANCTITY Culture has defined its own norms in many areas of life, but what does God’s word say about things like the sanctity of marriage, life and children? We’ll explore these topics this month in a special Wednesday night teaching series called “Sanctity.”
22 SIMPLE ACT, ETERNAL IMPACT Kristi Neidhardt shares her story of how a little girl’s request to drop some Grace Bombs while on a daddy-daughter date ultimately led her to church and faith in Jesus.
18 LEADERSHIP PROFILE: JOSH LOWRIE Student Ministry Production Coordinator Josh Lowrie shares about his passions for Jesus, students and tech, and how the Lord led him to a job that combines all three.
20 THANKFUL FOR LEECHES Worship Leader Jonathan Madrid recounts his recent short term mission trip to India, where an encounter with a leech led him to share about the significance of faith-stretching experiences.
12 ALL IN FOR ODENTON Bay Area’s Dan and Cherry Hendrix share about their excitement for the upcoming Odenton Campus launch and encourage others to get involved.
We appreciate your comments and questions. Please email us at feedback@bayareacc.org and a staff member or elder will respond within 48 hours.
Gatherings: Saturday, 5:20 p.m. & Sunday, 7:50, 9:20, 11:20 a.m.
MAGAZINE CREDITS EDITOR Meredith Thompson ART DIRECTOR Josh Shirlen ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Arianne Teeple LEAD DESIGNER Jake Williams DESIGNER Josh Burgin CONTRIBUTORS Allen Smith Jonathan Madrid
ELDERS Barry Willhite Bill Plenge Bill Smith Chris Heacock Don Wiley Greg St. Cyr J. Upton John Taylor Keith Riniker Ken Gilmore Merrill Hoekstra Peter Godfrey Rich Heath Roger Ishii Tim Grossman Tom Hogan Warwick Fairfax
884 Chesterfield Rd. Annapolis, MD 21401
410.544.2222
BAY AREA LEADERSHIP Allen Smith, Missional Communities Pastor – allen.smith@bayareacc.org Brent Squires, Student Ministry Pastor – brent.squires@bayareacc.org Brian Hopper, Annapolis Campus Pastor – brian.hopper@bayareacc.org Craig Fadel, Easton Campus Pastor – craig.fadel@bayareacc.org Gail Wiles, Campus Launch & 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 Jason Barthelemy, Odenton Campus Pastor – jason.barthelemy@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, Creative Director – josh.shirlen@bayareacc.org Kristin Collins, Annapolis Children’s Ministry Director – kristin.collins@bayareacc.org Leanne Lane, Care Network Director – leanne.lane@bayareacc.org Meredith Thompson, Communications Director – meredith.thompson@bayareacc.org Michele Rollins, Short Term Missions Director – michele.rollins@bayareacc.org Pat Linnell, Teaching Pastor – pat.linnell@bayareacc.org Ron Dutton, Operations Director – ron.dutton@bayareacc.org
For a comprehensive list of all Bay Area staff, elders and deacons, please visit bayareacc.org/leadership
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LETTER FROM THE LEAD
CARIBBEAN
alking the streets of old town Havana last month, our team exploring ministry possibilities in Cuba was suddenly approached by a woman in her 50s who was selling fedoras. Peter Godfrey, one of our elders, was interested, and thus the conversation with Bernice began. As Bernice pulled various fedoras out of her bag, we were impacted by the joy she emanated. Not knowing Spanish, one of our group asked her in English, “Do you know Jesus?” Hearing the word “Jesus,” Bernice started hugging us and patting her chest to indicate that she has Jesus in her heart. Before we could respond, she was handing us gospel tracts in Spanish to pass out to others. Then, without losing a beat, she looked each of us in the eye and gave us various Psalms to claim. She hugged me and said “salmos 91.” Others on our team received “salmos 121 and 23.” Without question, Bernice is a person who has an abiding, joy-filled relationship with Jesus despite living in an impoverished, communist country. Nearly 12 million people live in Communist Cuba, and today the church is on the move. In the early ‘90s, in response to the economic crisis in Cuba because of the fall of the Soviet Union, Fidel Castro turned to church leaders to help calm the people. In 1992, Castro made a major concession in which he decided to legalize church meetings in homes. Obviously, Fidel had never read a church growth book. Since the early ‘90s, the evangelical church in Cuba has grown to between 2 and 3 million believers! Our trip to Cuba revealed unending opportunities for us to help strengthen the church, serve artists who are impacting the culture, help plant churches, and equip believers starting legal businesses recently sanctioned by the government to utilize the workplace for the kingdom. Prior to our travel to Cuba, we spent five days in the Dominican Republic. It was there that I was impacted by an idol gripping the lives of boys in the DR: baseball. Baseball is the king that most
young boys have put on the throne of their hearts. Their goal is a simple one: escape the poverty of the Dominican with a major league baseball contract. School, family, God and everything else in life bow the knee to baseball. Our time in the DR was to connect with a young couple, Miguel and Rosy Terrero. Miguel serves as a regional director with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is having a huge impact by discipling baseball coaches and speaking about Jesus to the youth of the Dominican. Time and time again we watched Miguel gather a baseball team of youth and talk about their ultimate worth and identity, which are found only in a relationship with Jesus. Miguel’s wife, Rosy, is an American from Michigan. She serves alongside Miguel but also helps lead an anti-trafficking ministry. I had no idea that worldwide the Dominican is number four in sex trafficking. Unique opportunities await us. We are asking the Lord to raise up a church planting leader both in the Dominican Republic and Cuba who will leverage sports, business and the arts, and minister to the least such as those held in bondage to sex slavery. Our mission, as you know, is making passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations. We are believing God to use us to help reach Anne Arundel and Talbot counties for Christ, plant churches throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, and impact the world, which we’ve divided into 17 regions. One of the regions in which we have yet to partner is the Caribbean. God is now leading us to take the next steps in both the Dominican and Cuba by planning short term mission trips in 2020. More on that to come. I close with the reminder that we missionaries, every one of us. Whether Davidsonville or the Dominican, Crofton we are part of God’s movement to make from here to the nations!
are all living in or Cuba, disciples
Believing our great God for great things,
Greg St. Cyr Lead Pastor
Greg St. Cyr is the lead pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributor to GO&MAKE.
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Jenny’s Questions T H E B AC K S TO R Y By Pat Linnell
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y grandmother, Grace, has dementia. She hasn’t always had this condition obviously, as it usually happens late in life as a deteriorating condition of the brain. Grace, as I have known her for these almost 40 years, began to suffer with this about two years ago, and the condition worsened rapidly. When her husband died a few years ago it seemed like her broken heart traveled up to her mind. She is still Grace in her sweet personality, and she is still sharp and present in the moment at times, still laughs and can bust a joke, but every now and then she has conversations with people who are not there, and she needs constant care. Getting old is hard; getting old with dementia or conditions like it, even more so. All families need to work out the best way to care for their aging heroes. In our case, some family who live with Grace have shouldered the lionshare of her care, and the rest of the extended family takes “shifts” during the week to give the regular family caregivers a break. So on Thursday afternoons, Kristen and I take turns spending time with Grace. We sit, we walk around the house, we’ll even venture out to lunch. On rare occasion she will even take a long nap. It was during one of these naps that I was able to start a great conversation about Jesus, Christianity and questions about faith with my cousin, Grace’s granddaughter who lives with her. Meet Jenny, a graduating high schooler getting ready to make her way in the world. Jenny is the youngest member of the family living with Grace. She is bright, a talented artist, and has honest questions about God. About 18 of them to be exact. Although she has grown up with some church experience, she had many unanswered questions, so after writing all of them down, we took several hours and I did my best to share from what I know about the God of the Bible.
She asked deep and honest questions like “How can I know God is real?” “Was Mary telling the truth?” “Does God know my motivations?” “Will I be me in heaven?” and “Was Jesus an alien?” These questions, I thought, are likely on the minds of many who have had some church experience but have never probed deeper into their questions, misunderstandings or doubts about faith. So Jenny’s actual questions are serving as the basis for three weekends of preaching here in July. It’s a pretty simple series. I’ll be answering Jenny’s questions the best I can, and hopefully all of them. If you have friends or family members with questions or doubts about the God of the Bible, I can’t think of a better time to bring them out. On that day with Jenny, when Grace woke up we had to end the conversation, but this month we pick it back up. I believe that God wants to answer Jenny’s questions, and our questions, and that good answers to honest questions are out there if we take the time, and use our minds, while we still are able to. As one of my favorite people on the planet, Grace, wanted to take a stroll around the house after a long nap, I was gently reminded that our time here is short, we don’t have guarantees that our minds will always stay intact, and that we should be having important conversations like these while we still can.
Pat Linnell is the teaching pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE.
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By Allen Smith
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hen our families served as missionaries to Peru, we would often return to the States on furlough to visit supporting churches. As we traveled the country, I’d often hear many assumptions about being a missionary. Here are some things people told me: “I can’t be a missionary. I don’t think I can move my family to another country, learn another language, and live on dirt floors in order to take the gospel to those who live in darkness.” “We evangelize here in America and you do missions over there in Peru.” “We are a missional church because we support global missionaries.” (The implication is that the church does not need to be involved in missions locally, just globally.) Even in Peru, the word “missionary” typically referred to someone who had moved to Peru to bring the gospel. So, if an evangelical Peruvian ran into a white American at a worship gathering, more than likely they were considered a “missionary.” I can only remember one time when someone described a Peruvian Christian as a missionary, and he was working among the unreached tribes in the Amazon Jungle. The word “missionary” can be tricky. Part of the trickiness is that the word “missionary” doesn’t occur in the English Bible. Some have understood a “missionary” in a more technical sense of a pioneering, apostolic ministry. Years ago, I had a conversation with Dr. John Piper at a missions conference, and he said that he only used the word “missionary” for those who cross cultural barriers and pioneer in unreached and unengaged areas of the world with the gospel to make disciples as their vocation. Yes, this is a type of missionary. The Apostle Paul was definitely this type of missionary who crossed many barriers and cultures to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. However, the Apostle Peter was also a missionary to the Jews, and he stayed home in Judea. We need both types of missionaries. And I would add, if we are going to complete the Great Commission, we need more Paul types! The word “missionary” can be understood in the broader sense to include anyone sent by Jesus. “Mission” comes from the Latin word missiō, which means someone sent by an authority to accomplish a task. When Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, even so I sending you” (John 20:21), He wasn’t just
sending out the apostles, but every Christian. So, in this broader sense, every Christian is a missionary sent by Jesus. What that means for us is that every person at Bay Area is a missionary right here. There is one more common assumption about missionary work that I’d like to address. Most talk about missionaries as an individual calling. If you look carefully at John 20:21, you’ll make a surprising discovery: Jesus was a Southerner! Not only was he from the Southern tribe of Judah, but He literally said, “I’m sending y’all.” Oh, the English language! When we read “you” in the Bible, we almost always individualize it as the singular “you.” In many cases in the Bible, the word “you” is plural. Jesus wasn’t just sending the apostles as individuals, but He was sending them out together. Consider when Jesus called His disciples to be “fishers of men” (Mark 4:19). Often, we think of the fisherman with a rod and reel. This type of fishing is more technical and depends on one person, so we assume that being an effective missionary means that we need to be an expert in things like apologetics and contextualization. However, the disciples did not fish with rods and reels but with nets. Their missionary work was a team sport. Their work did not depend so much on their individual techniques but on the strength of their nets and relationships. In other words, when Jesus sends us out, He sends us out together. Sometimes “two by two,” other times as a family. Being a missionary is not just a personal calling but a community endeavor. By Bay Area’s vision of “every one a missionary,” we mean both types of missionaries: the Peter types who are sent here to Anne Arundel County and the Paul types who are sent to the nations. And Jesus sent us out not just as individual missionaries, but also as Missional Communities. To finish the task of local and world evangelization, all these types of missionaries are needed. The question for every Christian is not “am I a missionary?” but “to whom and with whom is Jesus sending me?”
Allen Smith is the Missional Community Pastor at Bay Area Community Church.
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r e m us murdays as t
FOOD TRUCKS • GAMES Join us on July 20 and August 24 for our Saturday night gathering followed by great food and fun for the whole family.
SAVE THE DATE AND JOIN US FOR THESE EVENTS!
PRAY WITH THE
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We’re all called to pray. Will you answer the call to pray for bay area? Join us on the second tuesday of each month to pray together for our church’s ministries, partners and kingdom advancing initiatives. WANT MORE INFO? EMAIL debbie.klimczyk@bayareacc.org.
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SUMMER ACTIVITIES
20 19
FOR WOMEN AT BAY AREA BIBLE ART JOURNALING
JULY 9, 6:30 - 8 PM Learn to create a faux calligraphy Bible verse using watercolor and ink. Cost: $10.
ALL-DAY KAYAKING TRIP
JULY 20, 7:30 AM - 8:30 PM Carpool from church to Luray, VA for an afternoon of kayaking on the Shenandoah River. Bring water, lunch, and we’ll stop for dinner on the way home. Cost: $36/kayak. For beginners and above.
QUILT SEWING WORKSHOP
AUGUST 3, 9:30- NOON Bring your daughter (ages 9+) and learn to sew with a machine, how to measure and cut fabric, sew a straight seam and construct a quilted pillowcase. Cost: $10.
For more info: bayareacc.org/annapolis/women
SAVE THE DATE AND JOIN US FOR THESE EVENTS!
GROWTH GROUPS Wednesdays, July 31 - September 4 Ready to take your next step along The Discipleship Pathway? No matter what spiritual life stage you’re in, we have a Growth Group for you. Explore a full list and sign up today at bayareacc.org/growthgroups.
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In September, Bay Area will launch a new campus in Odenton. Many staff and volunteers have been planning and preparing to reach people in western Anne Arundel County with the message of Jesus. Two volunteers, Dan and Cherry Hendrix, have been all-in for Odenton since the day it was announced. Despite their busy schedules raising four kids and working as an Air Force officer and a general surgeon, they are committed to serving alongside Campus Pastor Jason Barthelemy and others on the launch team. Below, they share about their excitement for being a part of the Odenton Campus.
Q: How long have you been a part of Bay Area and what brought you here? Dan: Four years. Cherry did a lot of research when we were looking to move out here from Arizona for a biblically solid, missions-minded church. She started listening to sermons online, shared them with me. When we came out in March of 2015 to house hunt, we rolled in and came by the church and … just felt at home right away.
Q: H ow have you been involved over the last four years? Dan: I’ve been with Deep Blue since the first summer. Because our youngest daughter was in second grade, that’s where I jumped in and I stayed with that group of kids all the way through. Cherry: We’ve been involved in a Missional Community and that’s been a blessing for us. The other thing that we really enjoy is hosting people in our home. The Barthelemys stayed with us, and that’s how we got to know them. We think of our home as our ministry launching point.
Q: When did you decide you wanted to be a part of the Odenton Campus and why?
because we had the call. We still don’t know, but man are we excited!
Q: Why is reaching your own home community exciting? Dan: It’s just obedience, and there’s no more fulfillment and joy than when you’re walking in obedience. Cherry: I’m really excited for what that’s going to look like for our family to have opportunities for new ministry. We’re here for God’s glory and He longs to bring all to repentance, and to have an opportunity to be a part of that in a new location – especially for me being a missionary’s kid – is exciting.
Q: After the launch, how do you see yourselves being involved in the Odenton campus? Dan: For the Easter pop-up, I was with tech setup. I got to serve in Children’s Ministry too. After the launch, I’ll still be doing tech setup. Cherry: We’re open to whatever. I would like to get back into worship. Because we’re getting settled into our new home, we’re looking forward to having that be a base of ministry. We’re blessed to have people come stay with us.
Dan: The first Sunday it was announced Cherry was at work but I told her about it. We have never been a part of a church plant, campus launch, anything like that, and when I heard the location I got goosebumps about it being closer to home.
Q: You guys have four kids and demanding work and personal schedules. Why and how do you still make church life a priority?
Cherry: It’s a new outreach opportunity – we were both instantly excited, and felt like this was an instant calling for us to be involved. We didn’t know what that would look like but it didn’t matter
Cherry: We know that we’re here for His glory, it’s why we’re made. So what that looks like on any given day goes back to what Dan was saying – it’s about obedience. God always gives you the
time and the grace for the things that He asks of you in any given day. We live in constant dependence on Him for direction in how to use our time. I think one of my most constant prayers is, “God show me the next obedient thing.” Because we are so busy, we don’t have time for disobedience. We don’t want to squander the time we’ve been given or miss opportunities to bring Him glory by not following whatever plan it is that He has for our day. Dan: Time is a finite resource exactly like money. When you obediently give back to Him what’s already His – rather than saying “I don’t have the money,” “I can’t give or I don’t have the time,” “I can’t volunteer” – He blesses that.
Q: What would you say to others in our church family who are considering becoming a part of the Odenton Campus? Cherry: If God is leading you, just do it. You don’t have to know how it’s going to work, how the details are going to work out, how you’re going to fit it into your schedule. It doesn’t need to make sense, it only has to be a walk of faith. You don’t know what’s going to happen but you know the One Who does, so just do it.
Q: Anything you would want to share as an encouragement to our church family? Cherry: My challenge would be to just be all-in. You have absolutely nothing to lose when you’re all in with Jesus and everything to lose if you aren’t. You’re just missing out on so many blessings when you don’t go both feet in. If you would like to be a part of the Odenton Campus, or simply want to learn more, connect with Campus Pastor Jason Barthelemy by emailing jason. barthelemy@bayareacc.org.
By Greg St. Cyr
sanctity
ˈsaNG(k)tədē
noun
the state or quality of being holy, sacred or deserving great respect
All it takes is a quick survey of the American landscape to realize how divided we are. Worldviews are clashing. Political correctness is paramount. Heated debate over social issues is leading to a greater divide. One example is the recent declaration that the month of June be celebrated as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride month. We experienced the effects of this last month as our Anne Arundel County libraries hosted events such as Drag Queen Storytime, Teen LGBTQ Film Festival and Rainbow Family Storytimes. How are we to think about such social issues of our day? The word that repeatedly comes to my mind is sanctity. Sanctity is a noun that refers to the state of being holy and sacred. The verb form, sanctify, means to set apart or declare holy.
sanctify
ˈsaNG(k)təˌfī
verb
set apart as or declare holy • free from sin; purify. • cause to be or seem morally right or acceptable
God has called you and me to live a sanctified life. The foundation for such a life, in one word, is “truth.” Jesus prays in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” This is where the battle lies. Like Pilate before Jesus, our society asks, “What is truth?” Tolerance, rather than absolute truth, has become our society’s mantra. Yet in contrast, Jesus declares that He is “the way, the truth, and the life.” Whenever God’s truth is removed or diminished, there are always huge consequences. It’s the principle of sowing and reaping. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Galatians 6:7
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Our culture is reaping the effects of redefining marriage, accepting living together prior to marriage as acceptable, viewing divorce as normative, agreeing or consenting to hooking up, failing to provide desperately needed guidance to our children, and the ongoing volatile debates over abortion and euthanasia. In his book “The Next Christians,” Gabe Lyons writes, “It’s our job to be faithful to respond to the brokenness of culture with an eye for the Creator’s original intent.” That is our heart’s desire at Bay Area. Created in the image of God, every soul is worthy of respect, dignity and love, regardless of worldview and lifestyle. Living in a democratic country, every individual has the right to express their views. Yet, we hold that there are Godgiven moral absolutes to embrace, live out, and promote for the advancement of His kingdom and the good of all. Such absolutes apply to marriage, life and children as being holy and sacred. That’s what this summer’s Wednesday evening series entitled “Sanctity” is about. I hope you’ll save the dates – July 10-24 – and join us as we dig into Scripture to see what God’s Word says about the sanctity of marriage, life and children.
July 10 Sanctity of Marriage July 17 Sanctity of Life July 24 Sanctity of Children
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“It’s our job to be faithful to respond to the brokenness of culture with an eye for the Creator’s original intent.” - Gabe Lyons
Here are a few “warm up” thoughts to help stimulate your thinking for these messages. The sanctity of marriage views marriage not as a contract but as a covenant. Our church position papers state: “The Bible teaches that marriage is a covenant (or binding promise) designed by God and made by a man and a woman (by birth sex) to be joined together in a monogamous relationship for their entire lives.” Furthermore, God’s design for sex is within the loving, accepting covenant of marriage between a male and female as part of the one flesh relationship. Obviously, most people – by virtue of how life is lived – don’t believe this. Our society largely sees marriage as a contract that is conditioned on performance, entered into for one’s own benefit, that can be terminated if either party fails to live up to his/her side. Yet God makes it clear that marriage is a covenant. …the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Malachi 2:14 The marriage covenant takes place when man and woman stand before God, vow their love and faithfulness, and then consummate that marriage through sexual intercourse. At that moment, husband and wife are united as one flesh in what God intends to be a permanent, sacred, intimate,
exclusive bond that is oriented toward procreation. A revisionist view of marriage is that marriage is malleable, changing to whatever society makes it to be, adjusting to evolving moral and sexual norms. Jesus affirms the creation account of marriage by quoting from Genesis 1:27 and 2:24, adding the words “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6). The foundation of marriage is not understanding your mate or learning better communication skills (as important as that is), but rather God uniting a husband and wife in covenant. The sanctity of life is an equally emotional and debated topic. Legislation over abortion and euthanasia rights are prominent in the news. Eleven states have recently approved banning or restricting abortion rights, while other states have moved in the opposite direction. Euthanasia is now legal in eight states. In Maryland, the “Death with Dignity” bill passed the house and was defeated in the senate by a single vote. It is into this cultural context that we turn to God’s Word for truth. It is there that He reveals the sanctity of life. “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13 Here is a profound thought: God actually is in relationship with babies while yet unborn.
Before an embryo has the capacity to respond to God’s love and initiative, God enters into relationship with an unborn child. Just as God is in relationship with someone in a coma or with dementia who is no longer able to remember or reason, He is in relationship with a fetus. Why? Because He is the author, creator, giver, sustainer and ultimately, the rightful taker of life. We believe that at the moment of conception there exists a human life, which is created in the image of God, sacred and valuable to God, as evidenced by God’s personal involvement in the life in the womb. The unborn child develops and enters a different stage of life at birth, but we recognize a continuous line of life from conception until death. God’s right over each of us is not based on our ability to reason, dialogue or make “contributions to society.” Our worth is not found in what we can or cannot do or in our gender or health or family tree. Our worth is based on the fact that God created us, made us in His image, and has a relationship with each of us from the womb. (Of course, our ultimate identity is found through a personal relationship with Jesus, thereby making us His spiritual son or daughter). The sanctity of life also applies to euthanasia. “Euthanasia” comes from the Greek words eu (good) and thanatos (death). But is it really a “good death”? Our country historically embraced the 10 commandments, of which the sixth commandment reads, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). It does not say, “You shall not murder when the quality of life reaches a certain low or when a person is ill and in excruciating pain or when the cost for medical care is too expensive.” A distinction is rightfully made between “murder” and “letting die.” Murder actively does certain things to a patient that hastens or causes death. “Letting die” passively allows someone to die from natural causes without intervening. We should surely do all we can to alleviate pain and suffering, but here is
a question to grapple with: “Is murder not murder whether a human being is in good health or suffering, young or old?” Physical or emotional health, age or desire to “end it all” does not change the moral status of the person as a human being, over which God has the exclusive right to end physical life. And what about the sanctity of children? The cultural mandate of Genesis 1:28 reads, And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it…” This is God’s original design. Marriage is the place for making children and filling the earth with the knowledge of the Lord. It has never ceased to be a good thing. Yet today our society is experiencing the rise of the “childfree marriage.” Birth rates among 20-something women have declined steeply as millennials delay marriage and children in order to focus on things like education, career, personal growth and financial stability. Many others aren’t having children at all, and the number of women who have chosen to forgo motherhood altogether has doubled since 1970. Psalm 127:3 states that “children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.” God calls married couples, if able, to participate in His plan of raising up a godly posterity.
With this mandate comes the need for parental commitment and instruction. Love is a commitment that demands time and intentionality. Parents cannot minimize their personal responsibility to nurture and train their children in the way of the Lord. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Children and teens live in a hypersexualized world, bombarded by media, the internet, video games, the pressure of school and sports, confusion over sexuality, and more, which leads to overwhelming stress that manifests itself in such things as eating disorders, substance abuse, self-injury, suicide and depression. Upholding the sanctity of children means that parents view children as sacred and take responsibility before God to provide and protect them by training them in the ways of the Lord. As you can imagine, this summer series on Sanctity will be challenging. It’s my prayer that our time together will lead us deeper into the truth of God’s Word so that we can build our house upon the rock which will stand when the wind blows and floods come. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
“ Created in the image of God, every soul is worthy of respect, dignity and love, regardless of worldview and lifestyle.”
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LEADERSHIP
PROFILE:
JOSH LOWRIE By Meredith Thompson
osh Lowrie grew up as the middle child in a Christian home in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and gave his life to Jesus at the young age of 4 years old. He’s grateful for the positive influence of strong mentors he’s had throughout life, including his middle school youth leader. “She was the type of person who, if you texted her from school saying you were having a bad day – suddenly ‘Auntie’ Heather was signing you out of school,” he recalled of the student leader who helped lay the foundation for his own passion to disciple teens. “Seeing how much she cared for students was really big for me,” Josh added, now on staff with Bay Area’s Student Ministry as production coordinator. The impact she had on his life made it especially hard for Josh when she developed cancer and passed away. The elders of the church decided against replacing her, instead filling the gap themselves, and Josh ultimately found a new church. There, his passion for serving grew while on a mission trip to a Navaho reservation in New Mexico, where Josh and his friends did service projects and hosted a Vacation Bible School for the kids. The avid New York Yankees and Giants fan completed his undergraduate studies at Messiah College, spending four months in Nashville doing concert production before graduating with
a degree in broadcasting and media production in 2018. It was at Messiah that he met Rachel, now his wife, in a freshman-year English class. Three weeks after graduating, the two relocated to the Annapolis area for Josh to take a job doing what he loves for Bay Area’s students. A month later, they were married. Josh considers production a lifelong passion; he’s done it since he was 12. In
job after doing it for a year. “Getting to see when they learn something new and they get excited about it, or the first time they troubleshoot something properly, is the best thing in the world … My goal for any student who serves with me is that they could graduate and go to any church and be successful there in production.” His passion for working with students dates back to his own time as one, when he was able to help keep his high
The best part of working in Student Ministry is that I get to be the production mentor that I had to all these students. his role as production coordinator, he’s responsible for all things audio, visual and lighting for Student Ministry: he makes slides for their teaching series, programs the lights, mixes sound, coordinates volunteers, and helps with facility maintenance.
school peers accountable and adopted Psalm 119:9 as a life verse: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to the Word.” In college, he volunteered with local youth groups, grateful for the opportunity to be a part of students’ lives at such a formative stage.
“The best part of working in Student Ministry is that I get to be the production mentor that I had to all these students,” Josh said, sharing what he loves about his
Today, he’s thankful that his two passions are combined in one job, which he considers less of a job and more of simply what he loves to do.
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FOR
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By Jonathan Madrid
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almost died in India. At least that’s what my team claims I said when I found a leech on my ankle. Full disclosure, I was a little concerned. I’m in a third world country, I’ve opted out of all the suggested immunizations, and there’s a countrywide rabies outbreak. I can’t be the only one who would freak out, but I never thought I was going to die. At worst, I’d be airlifted out of the hotel and rushed to an American hospital where doctors would perform a blood transfusion. That’s it. The irony of the story is that I was the only one who had the foresight to go into the mountains wearing socks and shoes. The rest of the team hung out in flip flops. After a good laugh and the team (Scott, Marc and Rachel) assuring me I wouldn’t get a blood disease, I decided to chill out on the survivor man gear. In hindsight, I think it was a way for me to bring comfort into the experience. Leeches aren’t terrible, but in Annapolis, I don’t have them coming after me. I have the luxuries of A/C, clean water and friendly exterminators at my disposal. I don’t think comfort is inherently wrong, but I wonder how much it’s kept me from.
also retired fire chief, but in India, he’s a dynamic speaker with a powerful message of redemption. Rachel works in the dental field; you’d think she’s shy and timid. Yet in India, Rachel is the fearless leader who tells the boys to immerse themselves in the community. These are regular people like me and you. Difference is, they chose to welcome discomfort. Coming back from India, the thing I’m most convinced about is that there is more in our church family. There are gifts, callings, talents and abilities lying dormant, waiting to be unleashed. At Bay Area, we want to fan those into
“ If no one ever told you, let me be the first. There’s more in you than you even know.”
I wasn’t the only one. Everyone on the team had a “leech” moment. Whether it was the food or ministry task, or even just being away from family, we all had faith stretching experiences. This is where Jesus does His best work. Every step taken in faith is a step into who you’ve been created to be. Scott is a retired fire chief, at least that’s what you might hear in the States. In India, he’s Pastor Scott, a gifted teacher with a huge heart to see churches in every village. On Sundays you see Marc playing bass in the band; he’s
flame. We want to call them out in you. We want to help empower them and set them ablaze in you. If no one ever told you, let me be the first. There’s more in you than you even know. But maybe it’s the comfortable life that’s keeping you from seeing it and living it out. The gospel is not a call to earthly security; it’s a call to Kingdom risk with the guarantee of eternal security. Step into your own leech story. Put your “yes” on the table and see what Jesus will do in and through you.
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A Simple Act With An Eternal Impact By Meredith Thompson
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“A
guy and a younger girl walk down to a beach, and there’s hundreds of thousands of starfish that have washed up from a storm the night before all over the beach, wiggling, about to not be around anymore. So the little girl runs down to the beach, and she starts picking up the starfish one by one and throwing them into the water. And the older guy says, ‘What are you doing? It’s pointless. There’s so many of them.’ And she said, ‘Well to this one it makes a difference.’” Kristi Neidhardt shared this paraphrase of The Starfish Story on a mid-June morning, not long after she gifted a framed copy of the parable to a little girl who had made a big difference in her life. Just over a year ago, Kristi was a starfish waiting to be thrown back into the ocean. A lifelong Anne Arundel resident, Kristi grew up in church and was very active in her youth group. She participated in missions work and formed a close circle of friends, but the reality of who Jesus is never penetrated her heart. She admits her faith foundation was built on sand, and when storms rose in her early 20s, it washed away. Two tragedies caused Kristi to turn her back on God. First, when she was 20, one of her closest friends was killed in a random act of violence. Then, when she was 25, her first marriage ended abruptly in divorce. Angry and hurting, Kristi couldn’t understand why God would allow bad things happen to “good” people. For 20 years, she let the distance grow between her and God. Yet, she later discovered, He never left her side; He had been with her even in the tough times. Remarried and in her mid-40s, Kristi was drawn back to church. “I felt that something was missing, and church was it. I don’t know where that came from, but I assume Somebody knows what They are doing,” she shared, referencing the God she now calls her own.
Three times, a local church came up in conversation: Bay Area Community Church. A neighbor told Kristi that Teaching Pastor Pat Linnell had mentioned her husband’s restaurant, Chad’s BBQ, in a sermon and suggested she watch it. Her sister-in-law encouraged her to visit. And then, one day when a customer at Chad’s walked out on their bill, someone covered the cost and left behind a tip and a Grace Bomb card. That card was left at Chad’s because Scarlett Linnell, Pat’s second-youngest who was 7 at the time, had requested a daddy-daughter date. Their mission? Drop three Grace Bombs – unexpected acts of kindness that point people to the grace of Jesus – that day. They managed to bless two people before Scarlett had to go to church for an activity, but Pat was willing to finish the job. Out to dinner
and when Kristi watched it, it was case closed: Jesus actually existed. He was a real person. The miracles of the Bible happened. She had run out of arguments against it. What she previously questioned in her head migrated south to her heart and became reality. Kristi surrendered her life to Jesus as her Lord and Savior, a dying starfish tossed back into the sea. Today, her life is filled with joy. She’s empowered to respond to situations with grace and love – even extending forgiveness to the woman for whom her first husband left her. And Kristi never goes out without carrying Grace Bomb cards. Her goal is to drop two every week. “The power of the Grace Bomb is the ripple effect,” she emphasized. “We don’t know most of the time how it landed and who it landed on, so beyond a smile and
“ Life’s been different ever since in the best way possible.” with his wife Kristen at a local barbecue joint they love, he witnessed someone walk out without paying their bill. Together, the Linnells decided to Grace Bomb the waitress and pick up the tab. The waitress showed the Grace Bomb card to the owner, Chad, who shared it with his wife, Kristi, who followed the card’s directive to go to gracebomb.org. There, she discovered the movement had started at Bay Area – the third time the church had been brought to mind in a short span. So, she visited on a Sunday before Easter 2018, during the “Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus” series. It was exactly the logical presentation of biblical truth that she needed to hear. During one of the messages, the movie “The Case for Christ” was recommended,
a hug after delivering one I just have faith that something will work out just like it worked out for me.” Kristi is eternally grateful for the ripple effect of Scarlett Linnell’s request to spend a day with her dad Grace Bombing strangers, and her parents’ obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit – a ripple that led her to faith in Jesus and a life transformed. “Life’s been different ever since in the best way possible,” she said as she declared her faith in Jesus before her whole church family through baptism in June. That day, after being baptized, she gave Scarlett the framed Starfish Story, telling her, “You’re the little girl, and I’m the starfish. Thank you.”
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BAPTISM
HAPPENINGS OUR MISSION Making passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations
YOUR FIRST STEP New to Bay Area or want to get involved? Join us at First Step, a fun, one-hour gathering where you’ll learn about who we are, what we believe, and what your next steps might be in order to grow in your spiritual journey. Snacks are provided. Take your first step at Bay Area by signing up today to attend the gathering on July 7 or August 4.
YOUR NEXT STEP If you are a part of Bay Area and are wanting to take your next step in your spiritual journey, Next Step is for you! Next Step is a onehour gathering designed to help you grow as a disciple through community and/or serving. Join us the second Sunday of the month to connect in community and to check out our serving opportunities. Hope to see you there!
BECOME A MEMBER Are you interested in joining our church family? Here at Bay Area, we call our members Ministry Partners because we are committed to partnering together to make passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations. For those who would like to learn more about becoming a Ministry Partner, the next Ministry Partner Orientation is September 29 from 12:30-4 p.m. To find upcoming dates or register for First Step, Next Step or Ministry Partner Orientation, go to bayareacc. org/nextsteps.
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WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE BAPTIZED? For more information, contact: K-5th: thuli.leigh@bayareacc.org 6-12th: brent.squires@bayareacc.org Adults: shari.brandt@bayareacc.org
CARE NETWORK There are times when every one of us experiences challenging circumstances, losses, relational pain and difficult transitions in our lives. God never intended that we go through these experiences alone. The Care Network provides a variety of resources, trained volunteers and referrals to professional counselors that can help you to move forward. We desire to provide hope and healing through a variety of resources both inside and outside the walls of Bay Area. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org Phone: 443-837-3718
DIVORCECARE SUPPORT GROUP Mondays through 8/12, 6:45-9 p.m. Room 237
Are you separated, in the process of divorce, or already divorced? Don’t walk through this difficult time alone. DivorceCare is a support group led by trained facilitators who have experienced divorce and rebuilt their lives through the help of this group. Each week the group features practical information, biblical teaching and encouragement to help you move forward. Register: bayareacc.org/register
DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP Sunday, 7/14, 1-2:30 p.m., Room 237
Alzheimer’s disease is life-changing for our loved ones and those who are caregivers. The Dementia Caregivers Support Group provides a place to connect with others who understand what you are going through. This is a place to talk through challenges and learn about resources. P-B Health Home Care Agency Inc. Guest Speaker Patricia “Trish” Bloh will join us July 14. Info: msbellamy77@gmail.com
ENGAGED?
We want to partner with you as you establish a strong, Jesus-centered life together. Through premarital mentoring you’ll be paired with trained marriage mentors who
will equip you with the tools and resources you’ll need to succeed in marriage. Info: premarital.ministry@ bayareacc.org
CARE NETWORK SERVING OPPORTUNITIES CARE COACHES
Are you a man with the gifts of compassion and mercy who desires to help others in a coaching role? Care Coaches are maturing followers of Jesus who are compelled by God’s work in them to walk alongside hurting people as they discover the joy of a deepening relationship with the Lord.
DIVORCECARE
Have you experienced divorce and have a heart to help walk with others through this life change?
MARRIAGE REFOCCUS TEAM
We are looking for couples married 10+ years to serve as facilitators to come alongside couples who desire to grow closer in their marriages in a small-group format.
MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT TEAM This team is looking for couples to assist with a variety of events throughout the year.
Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY WAVE RIDERS Are you a parent of nursery- or preschool-age children looking to be in community? We invite your family to be a part of our Wave Riders play group that meets twice a month from 10 a.m. to noon. 7/9: Watkins Park 7/23: Annapolis Mall, Playseum 8/6: Sandy Point Park Beach 8/20: Quiet Waters Park
KIDS SUMMER BLITZ Friday, 7/26, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Children who are completing kindergarten through fifth-grade are invited to Kids Summer Blitz, a fun-filled event for kids to celebrate summer. Invite all your elementaryage friends for gameshow-style competitions, lights, dancing and all the summertime excitement a Friday evening can hold. The cost is $15 and includes a shirt and treat! Register: bayareacc.org/register
DIVE 45 INFLATED Friday, 8/16, 7-9 p.m.
Children entering fourth- or fifthgrade this fall won’t want to miss Dive 45, where they will enjoy playing on inflatables, games and snacks. The cost is $15 per child, and inviting fourth- or fifth-grade friends is encouraged. Register: bayareacc.org/register
EMPLOYMENT VISUAL ARTIST, STUDENT MINISTRY Full-time, 40 hours/week. The Visual Artist is responsible for conceptualizing and creating meaningful art, primarily in the areas of photography, videography and graphic design, to help Bay Area and Bay Area Student Ministry (BASM) reach people for Jesus.
PRESCHOOL COORDINATOR ANNAPOLIS Full-time, 40 hours/week. Preschool Coordinator oversees the Children’s ministry strategy for small groups of children ages birth – 5 not yet in Kindergarten. The Coordinator is responsible for training, equipping and supporting our small group leaders and parents.
CAMPUS WORSHIP COORDINATOR – ODENTON Part-time, 20 hours/week - The role of the campus worship coordinator is to contribute to building a worship culture by leading worship at the Odenton campus, managing multiple teams, assisting the campus leadership, ensuring all worship experiences are executed with excellence, developing leaders and recruiting volunteers.
CAMPUS PRODUCTION COORDINATOR – ODENTON Part-time, 20 hours/week - The role of the campus production coordinator is to contribute to building Bay Area’s weekend experience by overseeing campus-specific production elements for weekend services. The position will require volunteer recruitment and development, managing and assisting multiple teams, assisting campus leadership, and ensuring all worship experiences are executed within the values of Bay Area production.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY COORDINATOR – ODENTON
Part-time, 25 hours/week - Leads with and upholds the Children’s Ministry strategy to families and volunteers.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY (ANNAPOLIS) INTERNSHIP
The Children’s Ministry Intern will gain experience in preparing and resourcing all aspects necessary to provide an excellent Children’s ministry experience for Bay Area Community Church Annapolis preschool and elementary programs. The intern will also have the opportunity to work directly with children on Sunday mornings and during special events such as Blitz and Dive 45. This internship runs from June 23 - August 25.
KIDCARE TEAM MEMBERS
Our KidCare team has a need for adults who have a heart for kids. We provide KidCare for all ministries and various events year-round. Want to join our team of paid workers? Email KidCare Coordinator Ellyn at ellyn. watson@bayareacc.org. For more info and to apply: bayareacc.org/jobs
commitment through the offering during the gatherings, online at bayareacc.org/give, or by texting BACC + amount to 30131 (ex: “BACC 50” to give $50). Info: baccunrivaled.org Questions: finance@bayareacc.org
GLOBAL MISSIONS GO
Take the next step in your walk with Jesus and share God’s love in one of 10 locations worldwide. Learn about our locations and partners: bayareacc. org/missions. Join a short term missions team: bayareacc.org/stm.
SEND
Whether you can travel on mission this year or not, there’s still a way for you to be a part of what God is doing among the nations through Bay Area by financially supporting others. Give: bayareacc.org/stmgive
PRAY
Join with others to be encouraged and pray for our missionaries and global partners. This team meets second and fourth Sundays at 9:20 a.m. in the Prayer Room. Info: ccback84@gmail.com
FINANCIALS On June 1, 2018, Bay Area began a two-year generosity initiative called Unrivaled that will fund our ongoing ministry at all campuses, construction of our new student center and children’s addition, and expansion of Christ’s reach from here to the nations. Our two-year giving goal is $16,500,000.
FINANCIALS Giving in May 2018: $409,115.61 Giving in May 2019: $570,277.80 Giving participation in May 2018: 768 families/individuals Giving participation in May 2019: 821 families/individuals
MAKE A COMMITMENT
Our primary goal in Unrivaled is 100 percent engagement - that every person at Bay Area would ask what it means to put God first in their finances. To make a commitment, pick up a commitment card at an information counter or go to baccunrivaled.org/commitment.
GIVING METHODS
You can give toward your Unrivaled
COMMUNITY OUTREACH BACKPACKS FOR KIDS 8/3-4 & 8/10-11
Bless children in need in Anne Arundel County by filling a backpack with school supplies. $25 donation per backpack. This will take place at the Annapolis Campus after each gathering out on the West Lawn.
BETHANY CHRISTIAN SERVICES 5K WALK/RUN Saturday, 7/13, Quiet Waters Park
An adoption and children social services ministry located in Crofton is hosting their third-annual 5K to raise money to support their Pregnancy Counseling program. Info: syoutsey61@gmail.com
TUTORS NEEDED
STAIR Inc. (Start The Adventure In Reading) is in need of tutors for the underprivileged children of Annapolis who struggle with literacy. There is a need for male tutors, but all are welcomed. Training provided. Info: alex.williams@bayareacc.org J U LY GO&MAKE 25
SERVE LIKE JESUS Below is a list of some of our current serving opportunities. For more information, and to sign up, go to bayareacc.org/serve. AMBASSADOR TEAM GREETER TEAM AUDIO/VIDEO TEAM CHAIR TEAM ESPRESSO BAR TEAM CHILDREN’S WELCOME TEAM CHILDREN’S SET DESIGN TEAM PARKING TEAM PRESCHOOL TEAM SAFETY TEAM WOMEN’S MINISTRY USHER TEAM
MISSIONAL COMMUNITY Being connected with others helps us grow in our love for God, for each other, and for our neighbor. You can find out more about Missional Communities online at bayareacc.org/ missionalcommunities.
MEN’S FELLOWSHIP MEN’S MORNING BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays, 6-7:30 a.m. in room 236 Info: sales@ecosoils.net
MEN’S EVENING BIBLE STUDIES Sundays, 6-8 p.m. in room 235 This study is geared toward helping men draw closer to Jesus, discussing and discovering God’s answers for the challenges men face at home, work and in society. Info: bob.gregory@bayareacc.org
Thursdays, 7-9 p.m. in room 235 Study 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 using the book “The Measure of a Man: 20 Attributes of a Godly Man” by Gene Getz. Come ready to be challenged to grow as a follower of Jesus. Info: sam.logan@gmail.com
MEN’S BREAKFAST Saturday, 7/20, 8-9:30 a.m. Join us for The Line: God ‘N Grits, a men’s monthly breakfast in the auditorium. The Line is an opportunity for men of Bay Area to gather around good food and maybe walk out with more than just a full stomach and a few laughs. Register: bayareacc.org/register 26 GO&MAKE J U LY
PRAYER MINISTRY Our Prayer Ministry comprises individuals dedicated to praying for all aspects of Bay Area: gatherings, pastors, missions and more. Individuals are also available to pray after each gathering (front-right of Chapel stage). Info: bayareacc.org/prayer
STUDENT MINISTRY SUMMER NIGHTS Sunday, 7/7, 6-9 p.m.
We’re kicking off this high school event with a crab feast! Students are invited to join us for great food and classic summer picnic games and tournaments including cornhole, gaga ball, basketball and more. We’ll have Rita’s ice and milkshakes available from our café. Cost is $5. Students are encouraged to bring a friend. Register: bayareacc.org/register
GUPPY GULCH Thursday, 7/11, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Middle- and high-school students are invited to join us for a day trip to Guppy Gulch, a quarry filled with water with huge inflatables for climbing, jumping, racing and more. The cost is $50, which includes entry to the park, transportation and lunch. This trip requires strong, independent swimming abilities. Register: bayareacc.org/register
SUMMER CINEMA Sunday, 7/21, 6-9 p.m.
Middle school students can join us for Summer Cinema! Students can come hang out at The Warehouse, enjoy the café, and watch a featured movie. This event is free and students are encouraged to bring friends. Info: tim.agnolutto@bayareacc.org
HIGH SCHOOL POOL PARTY Wednesday, 7/24, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
High school students can come join us for our monthly pool party! This is a casual event, designed for students to come together to hang out with friends. Students should bring a friend and a snack to share. This event is free and does not require registration. Info: tim.agnolutto@bayareacc.org
BIG BEACH WEEKEND Friday-Monday, 8/2-8/5
Big Beach Weekend is scheduled
for August 2-5! High school students can join us at Harvey Cedars Bible Conference in Harvey Cedars, New Jersey, for a weekend of worship, teaching, coffeehouses, tournaments and plenty of time to hang out on the beach. The cost is $360 and registration is available online. Info: bayareacc.org/register
MIDDLE SCHOOL MYSTERY DAY TRIP Wednesday, 8/14, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Middle school students are invited to join us for a Mystery Trip! The cost is $30 and includes transportation and activity. Students should bring a bagged lunch or money for lunch with them. Registration opens online 7/14. Info: tim.agnolutto@bayareacc.org
COLLEGE MINISTRY YOUNG ADULT MISSIONAL COMMUNITY (AGES 18-25) Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m.
Missional Communities are a great opportunity for people to connect in community where they are loving God, serving others and growing spiritually together. Info: lauren.gibeault@bayareacc.org
WOMEN’S MINISTRY Register for studies and events at bayareacc.org/annapolis/women.
SUMMER CONNECTING ACTIVITIES BIBLE ART JOURNALING Tuesday, 7/9, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Learn to create a faux calligraphy Bible verse using watercolor and ink with instruction by Julie DeCesaris. Cost $10. Location: Bay Cafe Classroom. Info: ahdecesaris@aol.com
ALL-DAY KAYAKING TRIP Saturday, 7/20, 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Carpool from church to Luray, Virginia, for an afternoon of kayaking on the Shenandoah River. Bring water and lunch, and after kayaking we’ll stop for dinner on the way home. Cost $36/kayak. Beginners welcome. Info: victoria.tross@yahoo.com
QUILT SEWING WORKSHOP Saturday, 8/3, 9:30-noon. Bring your daughter (age 9+) and learn to sew with a machine, how
to measure and cut fabric, sew a straight seam and construct a quilted pillowcase. Cost $10. Info: hogan82@gmail.com
NAVAL ACADEMY BAND Monday, 8/5, 7-8 p.m. Come early and bring your lawn chair for this free concert at City Dock in Downtown Annapolis. Buy a local take-out dinner to eat together. Info: janet.graves@bayareacc.org
QUILTS FOR KIDS Saturday, 7/20, 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in The Docks Join us as we make quilts for kids. Bring your sewing machine and we will provide the quilting fabrics. Bring your lunch to eat together. Info: annapolisqfk@gmail.com
ODENTON CAMPUS SUNDAY GATHERINGS BEGIN SEPTEMBER 15 AT 9:30 AND 11 AM!
Subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter at bayareacc.org/ annapolis/women.
ODENTON CAMPUS HAPPENINGS FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS Thursdays, 7/11 & 7/25, 4-8 p.m. Enjoy your favorite cuisine and join us for a time of outreach and fellowship as we introduce Bay Area Odenton to the neighborhood and give out invitations to church. Info: jason.barthelemy@ bayareacc.org
PRAYER NIGHT Thursday, 7/18, 6 p.m. at the Arundel High School flag pole Prayer is an excellent way to connect with Jesus. Join us as we pray for our Odenton campus and the vision God has given us to impact our community!
BLOCK PARTY Saturday, 9/7, 3-7 p.m. Join us for an evening of free fun for the whole family as we enjoy food and get to know our neighbors in Odenton.
Invite neighbors and friends and join us weekly for the same great worship, relevant biblical teaching, Children’s Ministry and more.
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KIDS
SUMMER
FRIDAY, JULY 26 6:30-8:30 PM
Children who are completing kindergarten through fifth-grade are invited to Kids Summer Blitz, a fun-filled event for kids to kick off summer. Invite all your elementary-age friends for gameshow-style competitions, lights, dancing and all the summertime excitement a Friday evening can hold. Cost: $15
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