Every year, the Keystone Annual Conference brings together Free Methodist churches from across our region for a time of worship, fellowship, and important milestones. This year’s conference is extra special for Open Arms Community Church, as some of our own members will be recognized and commissioned to step into new ministry roles.
The ordination service is a powerful moment to witness leaders being prayed over, blessed, and officially appointed to serve in their unique callings. It’s also an opportunity for all of us to rally around them with encouragement, prayer, and our presence.
We encourage everyone from Open Arms to come out, show support, and celebrate this exciting chapter for our church family!
Let’s fill the room with love, gratitude, and hope for the future as we cheer on those answering God’s call to ministry. Whether you’re a regular attender, new to Open Arms, or simply want to celebrate with us, you are welcome!
Friday, May 31 | 5:30–7:00 PM | Ignite Church, Lewis Run, PA
We’re excited to invite you—and the whole Bradford area—to a special Night of Praise and Worship at Ignite Church in Lewis Run!
This event is a beautiful opportunity for our Open Arms family, along with other local churches and the community, to come together and celebrate what God is doing in our region. We’ll lift our voices, worship together, and enjoy a powerful evening focused on unity and gratitude.
Whether you attend Open Arms Community Church, Ignite Church, another congregation, or are simply looking for a meaningful night of encouragement and connection, you’re welcome to join us. Let’s fill Ignite Church with joyful praise and support one another as the greater church family.
Monday, May 26 | Parade at 10:00 AM | Ceremony at Veterans Square, Bradford, PA
As Memorial Day approaches, we invite our Open Arms family and the Bradford community to gather in remembrance of the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.
The annual Memorial Day Parade begins at 10:00 AM and leads to Veterans Square. Immediately after the parade—usually around 11:00 AM—the community Memorial Day ceremony will take place.
This is more than just a tradition; it’s a moment to pause, reflect, and express our gratitude for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It’s an opportunity for us to show up together, honoring our fallen heroes and supporting their families.
Pastor Zoe Hatcher will be part of this year’s service, and we encourage everyone from Open Arms to attend and support our community. Let’s stand united in gratitude, honor, and remembrance.
All are welcome—bring your family, invite a friend, and join us as we honor our heroes together.
Life is full of little things every man should know—but too often, we don’t get the chance to learn them. That’s why Tribe of Lions, one of Open Arms Community Church’s microchurches, is teaming up with Manlihoodto host a special Forge Night all about basic car maintenance.
Monday, May 12 at 6:30 PM, men and teen boys from across the Bradford area are invited to gather in the Open Arms parking lot at 71 Congress Street for a no-pressure, hands-on experience that will leave you feeling more equipped and confident under the hood.
🔥 What’s a Forge Night?
Forge Nights are a unique part of Tribe of Lions’ rhythm—monthly gatherings where men come together not just for spiritual growth, but to sharpen one another in practical ways, too. Whether it’s learning to grill a steak, defend yourself, or change your oil, the goal is the same: community, brotherhood, and purpose.
This month’s Forge Night will be led by Brian Mahaney, a longtime mechanic who’s passionate about passing on what he’s learned. But this isn’t a lecture—it’s a shared experience. Other men will also be contributing what they know as we tackle real-world skills like:
How to check and change your oil
Tire maintenance and pressure checks
Jump-starting a car
Recognizing basic vehicle issues
Whether you’ve never popped the hood before or just want a refresher, this night is for you.
🛠️ Why It Matters
Tribe of Lions is more than just a men’s group—it’s a microchurch. That means it carries the full mission of the church in a smaller setting, with an emphasis on worship, community, and mission. We believe that real discipleship happens not just in rows, but in circles—and sometimes even under the hood of a car.
We also believe in meeting men where they are. That’s why Forge Nights are intentionally designed to be open to any man or teen boy in the community—whether you’ve been walking with God for years or you’re just looking for some solid guys to connect with.
These events are co-hosted by Manlihood, a men’s movement and podcast founded by Josh Hatcher. Manlihood’s mission is simple: to help men become better men—and Forge Nights are one way to bring that mission to life in our own backyard.
“We know that when men grow stronger—spiritually, emotionally, and practically—families and communities grow stronger too,” says Hatcher. “Forge Nights are about giving guys a space to connect, learn, and walk out their faith in real, tangible ways.”
🔥 Upcoming Forge Nights
This is just the beginning! Future Forge Nights will include:
Self-Defense Seminar – June 18
BBQ Skills Training – July
…and more practical, engaging nights to come.
📍 No RSVP Needed—Just Show Up
So whether you’re a gearhead or a total beginner, join us on Monday, May 12 at 6:30 PM for Forge Night: Basic Car Maintenance. Come ready to learn, connect, and get your hands a little dirty.
Want to join Tribe of Lions? Learn more and explore our microchurch network here:
Each year, on the first Thursday of May, Americans across the nation unite in prayer during the National Day of Prayer. This year, we invite you to join the Bradford Area Ministerium—a coalition of local churches and ministry leaders—for a community-wide prayer gathering in downtown Bradford.
The event will take place at 12:00 PM on Thursday, May 1st, at the Veterans Square Gazebo. Open Arms Community Church is honored to participate in this meaningful time of collective prayer and reflection.
🕊️ 2025 Theme: “Pour Out to the God of Hope and Be Filled”
The theme for this year’s National Day of Prayer is inspired by Romans 15:13 (NASB):
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
This theme encourages us to pour out our hearts to God, seeking His hope, joy, and peace in our lives and communities. It’s a call to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to fill us as we believe and pray.
For more information about the National Day of Prayer and its mission, visit the official website.
🙌 Why Participate?
In times of uncertainty and challenge, coming together in prayer strengthens our faith and unites our community. This gathering offers an opportunity to:
Pray for our nation, leaders, and local community
Seek spiritual renewal and guidance
Stand in unity with fellow believers
Experience the transformative power of collective prayer
Whether you’re a longtime member of our church or new to the community, your presence and prayers are valued.
📍 Event Details
When: Thursday, May 1st, 2025, at 12:00 PM
Where: Veterans Square Gazebo, Downtown Bradford
Hosted by: Bradford Area Ministerium
Bring a friend, neighbor, or coworker, and join us as we lift our voices in prayer. Let’s come together to seek God’s presence and guidance for our lives, our community, and our nation.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” – Psalm 33:12
Open Arms Community Church is honored and excited to host the next Awakening Service — a powerful evening of worship, prayer, and the manifest presence of God — this Friday, May 2 at 7 PM at our new location: 71 Congress Street, Bradford, PA.
We are part of theKeystone Conference of the Free Methodist Church, and this year, the conference is once again calling people together across Pennsylvania for evenings of revival and renewal. These gatherings — simply called Awakening — are unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.
What Is the Awakening Service?
For the past few years, churches throughout the Keystone Conference have been uniting on Friday nights for a time of deep worship and prayer. These are not just another church service. They are holy moments where the Holy Spirit moves powerfully, lives are touched, and hearts are stirred with fresh passion for Jesus.
A few years ago at an Awakening service in Port Allegany, Greg Newkirk rolled in seated in a wheelchair, racked with severe back pain after years of complications. Someone approached him and whispered in his ear, “God wants to heal you tonight.” He walked out that night, pushing his wheelchair, without pain.
Folks from different churches across the conference will gather together, we will pray, we’ll worship, and we’ll ask God for an awakening in this part of Pennsylvania together, in our own lives, and in our families.
Superintendent Chris Hill described the last encounter at Fleming Free Methodist Church from a recent service said, “When it’s after 9 the benediction has been given, the last song sung, but no one’s moves. A holy awe had settled over those gathered. We experienced the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit.”
That’s what we’re praying for here in Bradford. That’s what we’re expecting.
Why Should You Come?
Because we believe God wants to meet with His people.
As we gather in our new building at 71 Congress Street, this isn’t just an event. It’s an invitation — to seek revival, to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to lift our voices and hearts together with believers from around the region and experience what only God can do.
Whether you’ve been feeling spiritually dry, longing for more, or just want to worship alongside others who are hungry for God — this night is for you.
Details You Need to Know:
📍 Where: Open Arms Community Church, 71 Congress Street, Bradford, PA 📅 When: Friday, May 2 ⏰ Time: 7:00 PM
This is the final Awakening service in this season’s series across the Keystone Conference — and we are thrilled that it’s happening right here at Open Arms.
Come ready. Come hungry. Come expectant. Let’s seek the face of God together.
Good Friday Prayer Vigil at Open Arms Community Church in Bradford, PA
Friday, April 18 at 7:00 PM – Saturday, April 19 at 7:00 AM 📍 71 Congress Street, Bradford, PA
Looking for a powerful and meaningful way to spend Good Friday in Bradford, PA? Join us at Open Arms Community Church for an overnight Good Friday Prayer Vigil—a 12-hour experience of worship, reflection, and intercession in the heart of downtown.
What is the Good Friday Prayer Vigil?
From 7PM on Good Friday until 7AM Saturday morning, our church building will be open for anyone who wants to pray, worship, and seek God. You’re encouraged to come for at least one hour—but you’re welcome to stay all night.
This event is not a service, it’s a holy space for prayer and personal encounter. Whether you sit in silence, pray with others, or worship through music, it’s a time to honor what Jesus did on the cross and cry out for more of His presence in our lives and in our city.
What We’ll Be Praying For:
Spiritual awakening—in our hearts and in the city of Bradford
Healing and restoration—for families, individuals, and neighborhoods
Consecration of our new building—dedicated as a mission outpost to reach the community from downtown Bradford
Why You Should Come:
If you’re searching for Bradford PA Good Friday events that go beyond tradition—this is for you. If you believe prayer changes things—this is for you. If you want to be part of what God is doing in our city—this is for you.
Come for an hour. Stay all night. Let’s fill this house with fire and faith.
📍 Location:
Open Arms Community Church 71 Congress Street, Bradford, PA 16701 (Located in downtown Bradford)
Three days had passed since a gruesome public execution. The body was sealed away in a cold dark tomb. Guards posted at the stone blocking the entrance. Yet when the mans loved ones came to grieve, the guards were gone, the tomb was wide open, and the body had disappeared.
If this were a true crime podcast, you’d be hooked by now. Honestly, the people in these days were!
This wasn’t just a whodunnit. This was a case of how this could feasibly even happen?!
The man’s name was Jesus. He was loved by many, hated by the government and ‘church leaders’ and in turn nailed to a cross like a criminal.
And three days after he died… His body wasn’t in the tomb.
Not stolen. Not hidden. He was alive.
People saw Him.
Touched Him.
Ate dinner with Him.
And their lives were completely changed.
This isn’t just an ancient conspiracy theory – it’s the turning point of history.
Possibly it’s the turning point that you’ve been needing too.
Because if Jesus really rose from the dead –
Then maybe you can be forgiven.
Maybe you can find peace.
Maybe you’re not too far gone.
Maybe no matter how you’ve felt in this life, you aren’t alone.
At Open Arms Community Church, we believe in asking the hard questions – and discovering even better answers.
We’re not here to judge you or fix you.
We just want you to know that there’s more.
More love. More hope. More purpose.
And it all starts with an empty tomb.
✝️ Join us for Easter at Open Arms
📍 71 Congress St, Bradford, PA 🕘 Easter Sunday @ 9 AM + 11 AM 🎉 Come as you are. Let’s figure this out together.
Our God is a welcoming God, constantly pursuing, seeking, and inviting people into His loving community. When we welcome someone, we bring them from being a vulnerable outsider to being connected. But welcoming is more than just entertaining guests or inviting people to church—it’s about cultivating a welcoming presence wherever we go. It all starts with our intention and attitude.
Creating a truly welcoming space requires: honesty, authenticity, common interests, flexibility, generous hospitality, good conversation, genuine listening, empathy, fun, and humor. We see all of these qualities in Jesus as He interacted with His followers.
Luke 15:1-2 “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’”
Jesus embraced people just as they were, meeting them where they were. He calls us to do the same. How can we intentionally create a welcoming presence in our everyday lives? Let’s look at four key aspects:
1. Your Face: The First Welcome
Ever heard the saying, “Are you happy? Then tell it to your face”? Sometimes we unintentionally project stern or unapproachable expressions, even when we’re not upset. A simple smile and warm eye contact can go a long way in making others feel seen and welcomed. Be intentional about how your face reflects your heart toward others.
2. Your Space: Making Others Feel Comfortable
Some people naturally struggle with relational awkwardness, whether they’re introverts or extroverts. Ask yourself:
Do I make an effort to help people feel at ease around me?
Do I try to find common ground in conversations? Building comfort takes intentionality, but when we create a safe and inviting relational space, we bridge the gap between strangers and community.
3. Your Place: Setting the Atmosphere
Where we welcome people matters. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s warmth and invitation.
A home that’s too spotless can feel intimidating.
A space that’s too chaotic can feel uncomfortable. Think about the places where you feel most relaxed and accepted. How can you create that same atmosphere for others?
4. Your Grace: Accepting People as They Are
A truly welcoming presence extends grace. It means:
Being a person others feel safe with.
Accepting people where they are, not where we think they should be.
Creating an environment where people feel comfortable being real and vulnerable.
Welcoming grace is acknowledging that life is messy and we don’t have all the answers—but we walk together toward Jesus, who does.
How Will You Welcome Others This Week?
Wherever we are, we can carry the atmosphere of God’s love. A welcoming presence doesn’t just happen inside the church—it happens at work, in our homes, and in everyday moments. Who can you intentionally welcome into your life today?
