Both teams take a break at a Baltimore restaurant
Living Hope Baptist Church of Bowling Green, KY organized two teams, one youth and one adult, to participate in the KBC‘s partnership with the Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware (BCMD). The teams descended on the Baltimore area to assist two new BCMD church plants.
YOUTH TEAM
The 19 member youth team, led by Bryan Lewis, worked with Dan Hyun, pastor of “The Village” BCMD church plant in Hamden, Maryland. The team spent their mornings conducting sports camps at a local recreational center and their afternoons providing a ministry to children called, “Kids Fest.” One evening during the week a block party presented by the youth team drew 100 participants. Lewis reported that Hyun was excellent to work with, and that his vision and goals for outreach to his community and church plant were very good. Both parties involved in the project would like to see some type of continuing relationship forged.
ADULT TEAM
The 42 member adult team was led by Benny Stofer and Nora Hubbard. This team worked with the “Garden Community” BCMD church plant in the Bolton Hill area of Baltimore where Joel Kurz and Matt Steen serve as pastor and co-pastor. Steen is also the local representative of “Rejuvenation,” a national not-for-profit organization that sets up projects to paint schools and arranged for the Living Hope team to paint a school in a low-income area. On Sunday afternoon the team hosted a community block party which drew 400 participants.
Each team hosted a block party during the week
The team reported that their daily devotions and pre-trip training resulted in their ability to see and understand the big picture of the project. Team members were able to verbalize how their physical labor could be an opportunity for people to be encouraged, hearts opened, and potential for lives to be changed by the gospel. As a result, they were challenged to expand their understanding of service and how they can be involved in Baltimore and elsewhere.
