MCLEAN — It was in early 2007 that God opened a door that will forever connect the congregations of McLean Baptist Church and First Baptist Church, Herndon. The leaders at McLean were in the early stages of seeking God’s guidance on planting a moderate congregation to the west of their church. A missions-minded congregation, McLean was eager to multiply its witness for Christ in Northern Virginia.
At about the same time, First Baptist Church in Herndon, a congregation located about 13 miles from McLean, was also seeking God’s direction as it approached a new chapter in its history. Raymond Spears, Herndon’s pastor for 18 years, was experiencing health problems that would necessitate his retirement. Only the second full-time pastor in the church’s 109-year history, the illness and departure of their long-time leader presented challenges for this small, tightly-knit congregation.
Signing the covenant are Edgar Cameron, associate pastor, and Michael Catlett, senior pastor, of McLean Baptist and Amy Eller from First Baptist Church, Herndon.
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Steve Welch, missions team leader for NorthStar Church Network and a member of First Baptist, was aware of the needs and desires of both churches. Trisha Miller Manarin and Cameron Edgar, associate pastors at McLean Baptist, had filled the pulpit at First Baptist on several occasions for Spears. It was Welch who approached Michael Catlett, senior pastor at McLean, about the possibility of the two churches forming a partnership.
Welch arranged the first meeting of the two congregations. It was an informal breakfast that Todd Weiss, a deacon at First Baptist, likens to a “blind date.” Sandford Beckett, associate director and leader of partnership mission opportunities at NorthStar was present, as well as leaders from McLean and First Baptist. It was an opportunity to begin dialogue on what each church could bring to the partnership and how it might affect each congregation. This first meeting was followed by many lengthy conversations and discussions at both churches.
“There were concerns about staff not being able to fulfill their ministry duties at McLean when also serving at First Baptist,” Manarin says. Some questioned whether there was the possibility of McLean eventually losing a staff member to the other church. The members at First Baptist also had concerns. Some members of the smaller congregation wondered if McLean would come and “take over.” Herndon members also wanted to come into the relationship as partners that could contribute to the mission and ministry of McLean as well as receive their help and encouragement.
In June 2008, the partnership became a reality. There was no model to follow. With the assistance of Welch and Sandford from NorthStar, both churches took one step at a time. Trisha Manarin from McLean became the pastoral contact for First Baptist, Herndon. She would lead worship twice a month and work with the deacons and worship committee to plan services. Edgar Cameron and Michael Catlett each lead a service one Sunday a month. If there was a fifth Sunday, First Baptist arranged for a speaker. Manarin also provided pastoral care for the Herndon congregation.
The two churches held a joint Thanksgiving Service in November of last year. They signed a covenant to “work and pray together for the mutual spiritual growth of our churches” and to “share with each other worship, ministries, missions and services to care for our members and further the Kingdom of God.”
Manarin was busy around the holidays. On Christmas Eve she conducted a 5 p.m. service at First Baptist. Musicians from McLean were on hand to provide special music. Then she returned to McLean for two additional Christmas Eve services. Some members from Herndon were there, too. On Easter Sunday she participated in the Sunrise Service at McLean before leaving for First Baptist to lead worship and then returning to McLean.
But the success of this partnership is not in what the churches did separately, it’s how they worked together. McLean Baptist has a feeding ministry for the homeless. Once a month they cook hot meals and take them to a park in Washington, D.C. The members of First Baptist welcomed this opportunity to serve and soon an equal number from both churches were loading the van on Sunday evenings and heading to D.C. to feed the homeless.
The churches sponsored a joint spring break mission trip to Pennsylvania in April. The team ministered at Emmanuel Baptist in Elizabethtown and Covenant Community Church in Harrisburg. They helped clean up at Covenant Community in inner city Harrisburg. The team removed trash from yards and disposed of old televisions and debris dumped nearby. They planted a flower bed at the church and did a prayer walk around the city buildings in Harrisburg.
An Easter Egg Hunt was conducted at Emmanuel Baptist. There was face painting and spin art and snow cones and popcorn. About 60 children from the community came to enjoy the festivities and were welcomed by Emmanuel’s church members.
Mission team members donned gloves to clean up trash and debris around Covenant Community Church in Harrisburg, Pa.
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The Pennsylvania trip was planned by two men–one from McLean and one from First Baptist. A member from First Baptist who went on the trip had never served on a mission team. There are plans for a team to return to Covenant Baptist in August as a partnership between the Pennsylvania and Virginia churches has been formed.
McLean and First Baptist were also on the receiving end of a mission trip. On July 12 a team of 150 youth from three churches in North Carolina arrived in Northern Virginia to repair and replace the roof at First Baptist, paint the interior of the church, reupholster pews and repair the Fellowship Hall ceiling. Volunteers also painted The Closet, an ecumenical thrift shop.
McLean Baptist provided housing for the team. Shower trailers were placed in its parking lot to accommodate the workers. The roofing team began early each morning and First Baptist served a “crack-of-dawn breakfast” for them each day.
The cost for supplies and materials for the renovation work was estimated to be $75,000. The four congregations and groups that regularly use the facilities at First Baptist pitched in to “Raise the Roof.” A family flea market, a concert, a picnic and directing traffic at a local festival were some of the activities involved in raising the money for the repairs. And as you would expect, the members of McLean were excited about the project, too. At a monthly night out for ladies at McLean, a container was often passed to help “Raise the Roof.” So far $55,000 has been raised–an amazing amount for the Herndon congregation.
“What the mission team did for First Baptist was not just structural,” says Todd Weiss. “It really helped our members to have a common mission. Raising the money for the roof created excitement about our church and what we’re going to be doing in the future.”
A Community Block Party will be held July 19 with a concert provided by the Carolina mission team. It is an opportunity for the Herndon community to experience the transformation that has taken place by the power of God and people joining together on mission.
Trisha Miller Manarin is preparing to move in August as her husband is transferred by the State Department to Uganda. What she will miss the most are the relationships.
“God offers quite a gift when we can connect with each other,” she says. She feels encouragement was her primary role. “Not every church wants to be a branch or satellite. Plenty of congregations that are struggling need encouragement and to be lifted up.”
She feels the partnership was not about a larger church helping a smaller church. It was about how God can do a great work when churches are willing to think outside the box.
The members of First Baptist, Herndon, have called Neal Jones as interim pastor. A pastor search committee has been formed and is now seeking the person who God has prepared to be its next leader. God has changed lives and both congregations are reaping the rewards of the time spent in service together.