October 20, 2025 | "Transformed Lives Transform Lives" | | |
We pray for the family and friends of Rev. Joan I. Senyk, who died on October 2. She served the Baltimore-Washington Conference from 1990-2000 and was most recently living in Victorville, California. Memories of Senyk may be shared through her online obituary.
Please keep the family and friends of the Rev. George A. Aist in your prayers following his death on September 6. A memorial service is planned for Saturday, November 15, at 11 a.m. at Cheltenham United Methodist Church, 11111 Crain Hwy Cheltenham, MD, 20623. Read his obituary.
We celebrate Rev. Harold Recinos, who has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in Poetry for his recent collection of poetry, On the Sight of Angels (2025). Recinos, professor of Church and Society at Perkins School of Theology, also received nominations for his two previous collections: The Looking Glass: Far and Near (2023) and The Place Across the River (2024).
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We give thanks for the laity. As we reflect on Laity Sunday, observed on October 19, we celebrate the many gifts and voices of laypeople who shared in worship leadership. Pictured (center) is Anna Schlieckert, a youth who offered a message during the 11 a.m. laity service at Good Hope Union UMC in Silver Spring. Surrounding Anna are fellow leaders Ellen Aube, Church Lay Leader; Rev. Sarah Schlieckert, District Superintendent; Pastor Gerald Elston, Sr.; and Delores Martin.
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Church archives can often feel overwhelming and disorganized. Rev. Bonnie McCubbin, conference archivist, offers best practices, “Should It Stay or Should It Go” to help congregations preserve vital records and safeguard their stories for future generations. Read more.
The United Methodist Board of Church and Society announced 14 Peace with Justice grants to support programs in Africa, the Philippines, and the United States. Projects include Youth for Health and Justice, Policy Solutions for Peace, an Immigrant Resource Hub, and Expanding Anti-War Solidarity. The agency also announced Ethnic Local Church and Human Relations Day grants. Read more.
The Native American International Caucus is calling for prayer after powerful storms and flooding have struck western Alaska, including the Yup’ik village of Kwigillingok along the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Homes were lifted and carried by the water, displacing families. Read statement.
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Connect Leadership Summit registration is open. The Connect Leadership Summit, hosted at seven locations across the Area, is designed to spark creativity and inspire lay and clergy to transform lives, churches, and communities. This year’s theme is "Living Water." In a time when many leaders are weary, systems are strained, and hope feels parched, "Living Water" invites us to return to the source, to Jesus, who offers water that quenches our deepest thirst and flows through us to nourish others. Register today.
| | October is Clergy Appreciation Month. In the video below, Rev. Bill Brown shares a special message reminding us of the impact events for youth can have in shaping the future of the church. Our clergy inspire the next generation every day, and now you can join them in sparking discipleship at IGNITE 2026. Honor a pastor by donating a youth registration today. Your gift helps a young person experience belonging, faith, and community at IGNITE. | | In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) | | |
Our 28 Days of Prayer began on October 1.
How to Join:
- Get your copy of Dynamite Prayer (if ordering 10 or more books, use code INNOVATE50 for 50% off your order).
- Commit to pray daily from October 1–28.
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RSVP and let us know you’re ready to pray boldly, listen deeply, and move forward together in love.
- Optional: Join others in live prayer from 7 to 7:30 a.m. via Zoom.
- If joining the 7 a.m. Zoom, download the calendar reminder to add the daily prayer time directly to your schedule.
| | Training Tuesdays continues on October 28 with Church Council Leadership. Training Tuesdays offers accessible and practical training to clergy, laity, and ministry teams. These sessions are designed to foster church vitality, deepen spiritual leadership, and inspire innovative responses to the evolving needs of our communities. Learn more and register. Download flyer. | | Wesley Theological Seminary invites you to the Yu-Lee Lecture on Tuesday, October 28, at 11 a.m. in Oxnam Chapel. This lecture celebrates the contributions of the Asian American community. This year’s speaker, Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, Bishop of the Ohio Episcopal Area, will deliver a lecture titled “Messianic Hope and Liberating Missions Among the Korean Diasporas.” Download the flyer. | | |
In the His Book "John Wesley and the Origins of Methodist Missions," Dr. Wingeier-Rayo lifts up the unheralded lay people who pioneered Methodist missions in places like Gibraltar, Antigua, Nova Scotia, Sierra Leone, and Maryland. You are invited to the book launch on Sunday, November 2, at 2:30pm at Old Otterbein UMC, where he will share what inspired his writing, along with stories that connect directly to Baltimore’s Methodist history. Download flyer. Register.
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Registration is LIVE for the IGNITE Conference in Ocean City
Too many of our young people feel disconnected, unseen, and uncertain of their worth in a divided world. IGNITE 2026 responds with "belong" - a theme that grounds youth in their identity as God’s beloved, equips them to embrace their own sacred worth, and calls them into a just and loving community with others.
"You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.”
– 1 Corinthians 3:23
Early bird pricing ends November 17. Learn more and register.
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You’re invited to join Intergenerational Worship Listening Sessions, November 8–11, where clergy, children’s ministry leaders, and caregivers will share hopes, challenges, and best practices for nurturing children’s spiritual growth through worship and prayer. These 60-minute gatherings will help shape resources and practices that welcome children as full and vital participants in the life of the church. Learn more. Sign up.
| | Six young adult women ages 18-35 (one per district) will receive full sponsorship to attend the 2026 United Women in Faith Assembly, including travel and registration. Don’t miss this chance to connect, worship, and grow in leadership. Learn more. Email Kim Walker by December 31 to request to be nominated as one of the six women sponsored. | | Join us for our Annual Confirmation Pilgrimages on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and Saturday, April 18, 2026. You will see four historic sites and learn about your Methodist Roots. New this year: Junior Circuit Rider Program and interactive touch boxes. Please RSVP to Rev. Bonnie McCubbin. Groups are limited to 40 people from multiple churches. | | Featured Resource: Wellness and Missions | | |
The Wellness and Missions Board seeks to grow disciples of Jesus Christ by inspiring and equipping faith communities to foster spiritual, physical, and mental health for all and to promote an understanding of the interconnectedness of all aspects of faith and health. Further, we train and mobilize individuals and teams to respond during times of disaster and to support those in need.
Find resources on:
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Camp Pecometh in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference is seeking a detail-oriented part-time bookkeeper with strong QuickBooks and payroll experience to join their team. The ideal candidate will be organized, accurate, and skilled in financial recordkeeping and reporting.
Compensation: $18- 22 per hour, approx. 25 hrs per week; Onsite work only. Learn more and apply.
See church classified ads
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Submissions?
Alison Burdett, Interim Director of Communications
11711 East Market Place, Fulton, MD 20759
410.309.3428 | aburdett@bwcumc.org
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