Every summer, the churches of the Blue Ridge Baptist Association participate in and host some amazing missions and ministries. Every year God does amazing things through our churches.

Perhaps it is a week of Vacation Bible School, a mission trip, a marriage conference, a home repair project, or an amazing week of summer camp. Whatever it is, we want to hear about it.

We would love to know what your church is doing, and can help to promote your event. BRBA offers printing services and can help with the promotion of your outreach.

Blueridgebaptist.org has a new events calendar, where we can advertise your

ministry plans. We also have a Facebook Page and a Twitter feed. Let us know if we can help you get the word out.

It is a wonderful encouragement to our family of churches when we can share prayer requests and praise reports in this Newsletter. We love to hear details when one of our churches when one of our churches makes an impact on their community for Christ. So please, let us know what is happening in YOUR Church.

So please, communicate with the association office with any information or promotional material that you may have. You can use the US Mail or you can send it to us through email at mae@blueridgebaptist.org.

T H E N E W S J O U R N A L O F T H E B L U E R I D G E B A P T I S T A S S O C I A T I O N

J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 1 2

Your

Missions as a Vacation, not a Vocation  

Let me begin my article this month by thanking all of the folks who prayed for me during my recent preparation for gastric surgery, for the procedure itself, and for my recovery.  Your prayers were very much felt and appreciated, and I am happy to report that I am doing well and almost back to 100% in my service to the Lord and to our churches in BRBA.  Your loving care and concern for me is VERY much appreciated, and I am now anxious to get back to work helping all of our churches and missions to become all that they can be under God's anointing. I can remember as a child in grade school - coming back to school each Fall, and having to write an essay every year titled "What I Did on my Summer Vacation".  That literary masterpiece usually told tales of family adventures to distant places, our yearly family beach trip, or a theme park adventure with my church youth group. I don't ever recall telling stories about how what I did changed the world around me (or my heart) ... usually it had more to do with spending quality family time together, rest, relaxation, or just a escape from the normal routine of life, all of which can be good things. The reason I mention this is ... I want to ask you a question:  What if you could get away for a vacation, that would provide a diversion from the norm, but also stretch and grow YOU like you have never experienced before, and also - in the process - would make a huge difference in the lives of others?  What if you could take a vacation with a purpose - that would actually expand God's work on this planet and advance the Kingdom of Christ in the process? I'm here to tell you that CAN happen!  Our International Mission and North American Mission Boards have endless opportunities for you to serve on a short-term mission trip that will have huge Kingdom impact for the gospel, and the good news is that you don't have to be a "missionary" to get involved.  Thousands of people who are skilled in a variety of tasks (medical support, construction labor, teachers, sports, care-givers, etc.) are needed to go to various regions in our world and help others to do a variety of tasks.  YOU can be a help to someone who needs exactly what you have to

offer as a short-term summer missionary, even if you have never taken such a trip before in your life.

Here's just one example of how.  NAMB has a program called "Missions On Short Term" (M.O.S.T.)

M.O.S.T. is an opportunity for adults to serve full or part-time for renewable terms of three weeks to two years. Positions support church planting or evangelism efforts in partnership with state and Canadian conventions, often in close support with long-term missionaries.

• Candidates should be baptized Christ followers 18 years or older and active members of Southern Baptist churches.

• Application and placement are handled by NAMB and convention partners.

• there is a 30-day approval process (typical)• NAMB will assist you in any fund raising process

needed for your trip• Insurance available through Guidestone• You must be active member of SBC church• You can volunteer for a minimum of 20 hours of

service per week, and then have normal time off for yourself

• Basic Training is available online

So my challenge to you this summer is this ..... why not forget about taking the usual family vacation, and invest your time off in a ministry endeavor that could change lives for eternity .... not just theirs - but yours!! For opportunities in North America - search www.namb.net , and for more international opportunities - search www.imb.org.  Of course - our Association office always stands ready to help you get plugged in to a mission trip or endeavor, and you can contact us any time with questions that you may have at (240) 818-8760.  Take a step of faith with your vacation time this year, and see how God works in your life.  Something tells me that you'll be glad that you did! 

from your Director of Missions - Bruce Conley

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Congratulations to Pastor Nathan Cherry and his wife Bonnie on the birth

of their son, Asher.

Baby Asher was born on April 9 at 9:55 AM

He was welcomed home by his brother Judah and his sister Esther.

Nathan is the Associate Pastor at Harvest Pointe Community Church.

Nathan Cherry is the son of Don Cherry, Pastor at New Hope Community Church.

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SMITHSBURG VALLEY CHURCHSmithsburg Valley Baptist seeks a part-time Worship Leader willing to lead our contemporary service and a team of volunteer musicians. He/she will oversee the worship team, encouraging their spiritual journey. The position requires 10 hours per week of prayer, preparation, and music ministry. Visit our website to hear our music style and pastor’s teaching:  smithsburgvalleychurch.com. Contact Pastor Allen Youngbar at 240-527-9991 or  allen@smithsburgvalleychurch.com for further information.

FAITH KNOXVILLEFaith Baptist Church of Knoxville seeks a full-time Minister of Children and Youth. This is an established church that is looking for someone to provide oversight and leadership to these ministries. Please contact Duane Musgrove at 301-834-7755 for further information.

MT. MORIAH - KNOXVILLEMt. Moriah Baptist Church is seeking a Christian musician to play a blended mix of music for our morning worship service. If you have a love for music and for the Lord, and wish to use your gifts for His glory, then Mt. Moriah is the place for you! This is not a worship leader position, but may grow into such.  Send resume to Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, 19436 Garretts Mill Road, Knoxville, MD, 21758, ATTN:  Worship Leader, or e-mail to mtmoriah.baptist@yahoo.com. 

Vacation Bible School

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This summer, watch amazing things happen as your kids encounter God like never before. You’ll see lives changed as kids tour some of the world’s most marvelous natural

wonders and learn to trust and recognize God as they explore His awesome power.

Here is a list of all the VBS and Camps in the BRBA this summer:

June:

4 - 8 6:00 - 8:30 PM FBC Hagerstown 18 - 22 6:00 - 9:00 PM Paramount23 - 28 6:00 - 8:30 PM South End 23 - 28 6:00 - 8:45 PM Pleasant Valley 25 - 29 6:00 - 8:15 PM Virginia Avenue “SON ROCK Kids’ Camp”

July:

8 - 13 6:00 - 8:30 PM Boonsboro Bible Church 8 - 13 9:00 - 3:00 PM FBC Brunswick “All About Kids Production Camp” at the Frederick Volunteer Fire Company15 - 20 6:00 - 8:30 PM Faith

August:

6 – 10 9:30 - 12:30 PM Smithsburg Valley

Signatures are still needed to push back the Same - Sex Marriage Law, a very important issue that is facing the State of Maryland. Anyone who would like to sign a petition can get one by going on-line to MDPetitions.com and fill out the information needed. One will be sent directly to you by mail. Please prayerfully consider if God would have you act on this pending issue in our state.

Pastor Scott Johnston

Hopeful Baptist Church

Jonathan Beall Ordination ServiceOn April 29th, 2012 Adamstown Community Church had a ordination service for their Pastor, Jonathan Beall. Jon has served as Pastor at Adamstown since December, 2011 - after doing Interim work at the church for several months.  Prior to that he served as a church planting intern at High Tide Church in Dagsboro, Delaware as part of his seminary work at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.  He expects to complete his degree in 2013. Stan Beall - Pastor of First Baptist Church of Laurel, MD (Jon's father) presided over the ordination, and the sanctuary was packed with church members, and well wishers from Jonathan's family and friends.  Worship music was provided by members of Faith Baptist Church in Knoxville, MD. The church hosted a wonderful food fellowship afterwards in the fellowship hall. Adamstown is a church that is rich in history.  The cornerstone of the first church in Adamstown was laid on September 2,

1868. Originally a Evangelical Reformed Church, the congregation later moved to becoming a United Church of Christ. In 2001.  Most recently the church became an independent non-denominational church,

and in early 2008, the church modified its name to Adamstown Community Church.  In 2011, Director of Missions - Bruce Conley approached the church about becoming affiliated with Southern Baptists, and a partnership was forged between South End Baptist Church, and Adamstown Community Church with them coming in under watch-care in the Blue Ridge Baptist Association.  The association then in turn assisted Adamstown in connecting with Beall as their new Pastor.   Jonathan has been married for 7 years to Jamie, and they have a 2 year old daughter - Caroline, and a

newborn baby boy - Isaac. Jamie works as a nurse at Meritus Hospital in Hagerstown, MD.  Our prayers and support go out to Jon Beall, his family - and the church family at Adamstown for many years of successful ministry together in the future.

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WELCOME NEW CHURCH STAFFFirst Baptist Church of Brunswick is pleased to welcome Ms. Kimberly Walter as their new minister of Children and Youth.

Kimberly is a 2012 graduate of John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. She has a degree in Bible and Theology.

She will be helping FBC Brunswick grow their children and youth ministries as well as working with other youth ministers within the BRBA to help grow Associational Youth Ministry. You can send her a welcome note at kimberly@fbcbrunswick.org.

South End Baptist Church, in Frederick, has extended a call to Rev. Ricky Lynn Simpson of Ohio to become their Associate Pastor. Pastor Ricky is married to his wife Michelle and they have two young children, Isaac and Emma.

CrossRoads Community Church, in Martinsburg, WV, welcomes Eric Kersten as their new Senior Pastor. Pastor Eric is married with two children.

Say hello to Elizabeth Conley, Our 2012 Summer Missionary. Elizabeth lives in Inwood, Wv and will be helping several BRBA churches this summer as the run their Vacation Bible Schools and other outreach events. Please keep Liz in your prayers this summer.

Hello!

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August 9 - 10, 2012Riva Trace Baptist Church near Annapolis, MD will serve as 1 of only 4 regional host sites in all of Maryland and Delaware for the annual Global Leadership Summit, which will be broadcast via satellite from Willow Creek Community Church, near Chicago, to more than 170 locations across North America.

State-of-the-art technology allows leaders to train together through one event in many locations. Since 1995, the Willow Creek Leadership Summit has offered an unprecedented opportunity for church, business and other community leaders to come together in order to enable ongoing leadership development.

Each year, the Summit seeks to offer a broad base of presenters with the most thoughtful ideas about leadership to share their expertise and learning. It has been aptly described as a 'blend of high-impact, God-honoring messages with savvy, street-smart lessons from business.

For more information or to register visit: http://www.willowcreek.com/events/leadership/index.asp or contact Mary Mandish at Riva Trace Baptist Church at 410-798-4868 x116 (mmandish@rtbc.org).

Attention Youth Workers! BRBA will host a free breakfast round table meeting for all paid and volunteer youth workers on Saturday August 25 at 9:00 AM at Skycroft in Middletown.

This is a great opportunity to learn how our churches can work together to more effectively reach youth for Christ.

Please RSVP to Mae Argilan at 240-818-8760 or mae@blueridgebaptist.org

Attention Bi-Vocational Pastors! BRBA will host a free breakfast round table meeting for all Bi-Vocational Pastors on Saturday September 22 at 9:00 AM at Skycroft in Middletown.

Please RSVP to Mae Argilan at 240-818-8760 or mae@blueridgebaptist.org

Volunteer NeededThe Blue Ridge Baptist Association is in the process of outfitting a Block Party Trailer. It will have a Moon bounce, sound system, cotton candy machine, snow cone machine, popcorn machine, and various carnival games. A generous member of one of our churches has agreed to build the games, we are now in need of an artist to paint them for us. If you are willing to do this, please contact Mae Argilan at 240-818-8760 or mae@blueridgebaptist.org

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Please be in prayer for...

New Hope Church, Inwood WV, as they move forward on a possible site for a new church building in their area.

Larry Zecher as he recovers from a very painful procedure done on his hand.

Cathy Clark, the mother-in-law of Arundel baptist Association’s DOM, John Brittain, as she faces surgery to remove scar tissue from her small intestines.

Send Baltimore, as they seek to strategize on planting churches for the next 5 years.

Ken Stalls, Pastor of South End, as he recovers from a pace-maker implant procedure.

Christie Clark, former BRBA Summer missionary as she travels home from a mission trip to Peru.

Prayer Lights

Birthdays

June1 John Koontz7 Kathy Rickard28 Joanne Jordan

July11 Kimberly Walter14 Gary Buchman

Anniversaries

June 8 Oyerly

June 11 Marsico

June 12 Pope

June 20 Eubanks

June 23 Powell

June 28 Rich

June 28 Buchman

July 18 Jordan

July 23 Beall

July 23 Stalls

Event Calendar

June 2 - 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM - The Gospel Project at the BCM/D. To register, contact June Holland at 443-463-2495 or jholland@bcmd.org, or register online at: bcmd.org/gospel-project

June 2 - 3:30 - 8:30 PM - The Jubilation Day 2012 Gospel Concert will be held at the City Hall Concert Pavilion in Gaithersburg, Md. Admission is free. Features Jay Caldwell & The Gospel Ambassadors plus regional and local entertainers who will share the unique, inspiring and uplifting American music that gave rise to jazz, blues and rock and roll.

June 6 - 8:00 AM - Pastorʼs Fellowship Breakfast at Bob Evans on Rt. 40 in Frederick.

June 17 - Fatherʼs Day and Baptist Menʼs Emphasis (SBC)

June 19 - 20 - SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA

June 24 - Mission: Dignity Sunday (SBC)

July 1 - Citizenship and Religious Liberty Sunday (SBC)

July 4 - NO PASTORʼS BREAKFAST

July 15 - Serving your Community Sunday (SBC)

July 8 - 13 - Girlʼs Camp at Camp Wo-Me-To. Visit bcmd.org/girlscamp for information and registration.

July 13 - 14 - Mother Daughter Camp at Camp Wo-Me-To. Visit bcmd.org/mother-daughter-camp for information and registration.

July 30 - 31 - Send North America Conference in Atlanta, GA. Visit sendconference.com/ for information.

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First Baptist - Brunswick, MD:We will be hosting an ALL ABOUT KIDS PRODUCTIONS performing arts camp for kids finishing grades 1 - 6 the week of July 8 - 13. Please visit lamplightartists.com/first-brunswick for registration and information. Cost is $125 per child. Scholarships are available.

New Hope - Inwood, WV:Will host a Patriotic Day on Sunday July 1, featuring the New Life Drama Club.   NorthStar - Ijamsville, MD:On Saturday June 2, we will once again participate in the Convoy of Hope at the Frederick Fairgrounds from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Summit Trace / Lakeview Community - Frederick, MD:Our churches are partnering together with several others to host Impact: Frederick. A week long work project to help the needy in Frederick County. We expect over 450 people to participate during the week of June 23 - 30.

Smithsburg Valley - Smithsburg, MD: On June 3 at 12:30 there will be a double celebration for Curtis Miller. SVBC will say farewell to Curtis after his many years of service as Worship Leader, and have a wedding shower for he and Mary.

In the ChurchesBattlefield Bible - Fair Play, MD:We will be hosting a community picnic on June 2, from 2 - 4 PM. Boonsboro Bible - Boonsboro, MD:We will be sending a Mission Team to Brazil from June 30 to July 7. Please keep them in your prayers.

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20810A National PikeBoonsboro, MD 21713

T H E N E W S J O U R N A L O F T H E B L U E R I D G E B A P T I S T A S S O C I A T I O N

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