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Randall Kent Pratt, 77, died Dec. 28. He was a pastor at United Methodist churches in Elkridge and Bel Air for 11 years. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Louise B. Smith, the surviving spouse of the late Rev. James H. Smith and mother of the Rev. LaReesa Celestine Smith-Horn, died Dec. 17. She served in many capacities in the BWC with the United Methodist Women, Council on Finance and Administration, the School of Missions, and the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference.

In mid-November, Liberty Grove UMC in Burtonsville participated in an ecumenical effort to collect warm clothing donations to be sent to Ukraine. Working in partnership with St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the church collected and sent 497 items.

As a member of the Mayor’s Interfaith Council of the District of Columbia, Rev. Dr. Ianther Mills, pastor of Asbury UMC, delivered the benediction at the recent swearing-in ceremony for elected officials. She prayed: “wherever God takes you, go. Whatever the task, do it. Whatever the challenge, accept it. Whatever the call, answer it. Whatever the lesson, learn it. However dark the path, follow it. Because wherever God takes you, it is worth it all.”

In early December, Emory Fellowship in Washington, D.C. served more than 300 families through "Heaven's Closet." They transformed their building into a department store stocked with free clothes, shoes, household items and electronics, all new or slightly used and donated by the congregation.

The Rev. Rachel Cornwell has written a book titled, Daring Adventures: Helping Gender-Diverse Kids and their Families Thrive, which is now available for pre-order from ACTA Publications.

The General Board of Church and Society awarded an ethnic local church grant to Ames UMC in Bel Air to support their Civic and Chess Masters Boys Program.

Churches throughout the BWC are adopting a Missional Action Planning (MAP) mindset as they move into a new way of being church and claiming vitality.

MAP offers a process for United Methodist churches seeking to thrive. Learn more.

Sign up to join Bishop LaTrelle Easterling on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in January 2024. This sacred journey to Israel and the West Bank, Jan. 29 through Feb. 7, will be hosted by the Society for Biblical Studies. The theme of the trip, which costs $3,439, is "The Land of Jesus: Then and Now."

See an FAQ. Register.

The BWC Volunteers in Mission (VIM) ministry invites you to join a new initiative: Second Saturday Serve. Teams formed in local churches from across the BWC will gather each month to work on short-term mission projects in the conference. Following the pandemic, your church may wish to form a new mission team interested in serving locally.

You are invited to recommend a project that teams can work on either at your church or another location in your community. Submit your project ideas no later than Feb. 1 to VIM@bwcumc.org. Final decisions will be posted in the e-connection on Monday, Feb. 13. #VIMpossible

Questions? Contact tbecton@bwcumc.org.

Thursdays at the Table, a new podcast with Bishop LaTrelle Easterling premiered last week. In the first episode, "The Courage of Our Voice, the bishop talks with three leaders in The United Methodist Church about racism, the realities of white supremacy and creating justice.

Develop a Year-Round Stewardship Plan: The Mid-Atlantic United Methodist Foundation is offering a free webinar to provide your church with month-by-month steps that can be acted on immediately. Participants will receive ready-to-use materials. Four different time slots are available. Register now and be ready to make 2023 the Year of Generosity. Learn more and register for one of the sessions online.

Day of Service: Glen Mar UMC in Ellicott City invites you to its ninth annual MLK Jr. Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It will be an ‘in-person’ event at Glen Mar Church with co-hosts Ames Memorial UMC and St. John Baptist Church. Family-friendly short-term service activities for ages 5 to 105 are planned. Learn more. Register.

Disability Awareness Sunday: Churches of the BWC are called to observe Disability Sunday on Feb. 5 by celebrating the gifts and graces of people with disabilities and calling the Church and society to full inclusion of persons with disabilities. Learn more.

Mental Health First Aid: The Wellness & Missions Board invites you to attend a virtual Mental Health First Aid Training. Upon completion, participants will be certified for three years. CEUs are available for clergy. There are three training options (1 day or 2 days). Review the options below carefully and follow the registration link next to your selection.  Registration deadlines are not flexible. This ensures participants have adequate time to complete the pre-work. 

For more information, contact abundanthealth@bwcumc.org. 

A new Lenten resource: Lent begins Feb. 22. This year, the churches of the BWC are invited to study a new book by Bishop Sharma Lewis of the Richmond episcopal area. "We all long to engage in a deeper, more transformative spirituality," said Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, who recommends the book. "This insightful Lenten resource, with its call to the practice of contemplative study and prayer, provides the means to achieve that depth. We are indebted to Bishop Lewis for this gift." Order your copy.

BWC College Scholarship Process now open: The Baltimore-Washington Conference awards scholarships for qualified students currently attending college, and high school students who plan to attend college in the fall of 2023. A variety of scholarships are offered to fit the diverse needs of our students. The entire process, which closes on March 30, will be conducted online. Learn more. Scholarships are also available from the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. Apply by March 1.

Disabilities Ministries gathering: The General Board of Church and Society, General Commission on Religion and Race, and the Disability Ministries Committee of The United Methodist Church invite you to join them for a gathering of Disability Ministry chairs and coordinators, Church and Society chairs, Peace with Justice coordinators, and other disability rights advocates for a one-hour, Connection-wide online discussion. The conversation will be held on Jan. 18, from 3 to 4 p.m. via Zoom. Register.

Every moment, we make a decision whether to create more or less inclusion, diversity, equity and antiracism (IDEA). This eight-session course will focus on six actions that you and your community partners can take to build beloved community and create spaces of belonging and becoming. You will learn how to have contextual, brave conversations that matter, learn evidence-based strategies for bias reduction, and become rooted in the theological and Wesleyan principles that undergird this work. The spring iteration of Journey to Beloved Community begins on Feb. 2, 2023. Learn More & Register.

Living Our Principles: A Look at The United Methodist Church's Social Principles will be the topic of the online Lay Servant Discipleship Academy class, Feb. 6 - March 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. The Rev. Neal Christie will be the instructor. Register.

Learn more about 100% of churches at 100% vitality.

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