Maryland/Delaware Roundup, September 21, 2020
“Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the Lord your God is the one who will go with you; He will not leave you or abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
FBC Upper Marlboro Celebrates Baptisms
On August 30, 2020, a young married couple professed their faith in Christ through baptism at an outdoor worship service at First Baptist Church of Upper Marlboro in Maryland.
FBC Upper Marlboro Senior Pastor Zach Schlegel baptizes a young woman who put her faith in Jesus (Name withheld by request; photo by Associate Pastor Michael Rogers).
Regarding the baptisms, Pam Jensen, administrator of education and children, said, “COVID-19 presents some challenges but they were overcome with the use of a new horse trough.”
FBC Upper Marlboro has been meeting outdoors through the summer and the church is thankful. “It was a blessed time of fellowship after three months of only meeting online,” said Jensen.
In addition to the baptisms, seven others joined the FBC membership at a special members’ meeting following the outdoor worship.
A Platform for Youth and Young Adults
In response to COVID-19, Luana Hodges, the financial chairperson and girls’ leader at New Hope Baptist Church in Fort Washington, Maryland, created a platform for youth and young adults called “Youth Building Conversation” (YBC).
“My platform gives these youth and young adults a safe space to be open and honest about how they are feeling around this time during COVID-19 and the injustice that is happening in the world today,” Hodges shared.
“I interview youth and young adults about what’s going on, about Black Lives Matter, COVID-19, and political matters. It’s amazing sitting in front of young folks and talking to them like this,” she said.
Hodges said she is giving youth a voice. “During COVID-19, we heard about adults and how they were doing, but … we weren’t hearing from the youth,” she said. Hodges felt God leading her to provide that voice.
She encourages young people in their pursuits, specifically as young entrepreneurs. She plans to move her platform that of a non-profit in order to help provide grants to entrepreneurs.
She uses Zoom and Streamyard and posts on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
“This journey has been amazing, and the youth and young adults have really been a blessing to YBC,” Hodges said.
Anniversary
Olney Baptist Church celebrated their 43 anniversary on September 20. Due to COVID-19, Pastor Brian Tubbs said the church had to scale back the celebration. Members brought chairs and blankets and sat on the church lawn. They added a few extra songs and Tubbs shared about the church’s history, with a look toward the future. The church also invited local food truck vendors to the parking lot so folks could enjoy a special meal.
Resurrection Sunday in September
Since White Marsh Baptist Church in Perry Hall, Maryland, wasn’t able to observe Resurrection Day in April, they observed it on September 13. They sang Easter hymns, and Pastor Dave Tierney shared a message about the resurrection of Jesus.
On September 20, they observed Mother’s Day and honored the moms in the congregation. They will continue to observe special days that they missed due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
History Bites
In 2010, an Acteens group from First Baptist Church of La Plata, in Maryland, returned from a mission trip to Peru. The team did street ministry, shared their testimonies at a local church, and visited in children’s homes. The church raised funds during VBS that the team used to buy six toilets for a struggling school. They also provided diapers, wipes, formula, and food for the children’s homes.
In 1998, the BCM/D entered into partnership agreements with Mississippi and Ontario, Canada.
Quotable Quotes
“Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble.”
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