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October 21, 2024 | "Transformed Lives Transform Lives"

Prayers of the People

The enthusiasm expressed at the Oct. 13 worship celebration of the new Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Area continues as members in both conferences look to the future with clean hearts, renewed minds and a fresh vision. Read a story about the celebration.

Bishop LaTrelle Easterling has appointed the Rev. Dr. Jim Miller, pastor of Grace UMC in Gaithersburg, to serve as the new conference superintendent of the Central Maryland District, beginning Jan. 1. He will follow the Rev. Dawn Hand, who has been appointed to serve as the Director of Equity and Justice in the Western North Carolina Conference. Read the story.

Meredith Petty, will leave her position as the Director of Manidokan Camp and Retreat Center on Nov. 22. The BWC is grateful for her leadership and the way she engaged in ministry with campers and retreat guests.

Governor Wes Moore has appointed the Rev. Leo Yates to serve on Maryland’s Workgroup for the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing. We thank God for him and his ministry.

A memorial service for Kent Smith, a faithful lay member of the Baltimore-Washington Conference who died on Oct. 6, will be held Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. at Asbury UMC in Jessup.

Disaffiliation Lawsuit Dismissed: A lawsuit against the Baltimore-Washington Conference brought by 37 churches seeking to disaffiliate from the denomination was dismissed by the Anne Arundel Circuit Court last week. The judge upheld the Conference's claim that the denomination had “an irrevocable trust” over the properties of the UMC, including the church buildings belonging to congregations seeking disaffiliation.

According to the BWC Chancellor Thomas Starnes, “The Circuit Court’s rulings rightly uphold the well-established principle, rooted in the First Amendment’s Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses, that civil courts lack jurisdiction to entertain lawsuits that turn on the interpretation and application of church law. Bishop LaTrelle Easterling said that she was “grateful to have this matter resolved, noting that “this decision rightly upholds the United Methodist Trust Clause and the agency of annual conference trustees.”

The bishop added that “with such critical needs facing our communities as food insecurity, addiction recovery, access to affordable health care, etc., our focus should be on mission and ministry. It is my prayer that everyone will turn their attention to these Christ-centered needs.”

Blood Drive to be held at BWC Mission Center

The BWC will hold a blood drive on Saturday, Nov. 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mission Center in Fulton. The blood drive is part of the Conference’s partnership with Project SPIRIT Sickle Cell. Each donor will receive a $10 gift card from Amazon. To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit www.RedCrossBlood.org and enter: "Spirit BWC."

New and Featured Ministries

The Lewis Center for Church Leadership is hosting a Free Conflict Intervention Workshop for Pastors on Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wesley Theological Center in Washington. Register today.

Registration for the second Fresh Expressions Academy closes on Oct. 26. Don't miss out. The year-long Academy will combine presentations, regular coaching, peer-to-peer discussions, immersion experiences, and an online group to help facilitate the cultivation of Fresh Expressions. It is designed to equip clergy and laity to innovate and take risks to engage people who are not yet part of a faith community. The opening training day will be on Nov. 2 at the BWC Mission Center in Fulton. An immersion trip to the FXUMC National Gathering will be held Feb. 27-March 1. Learn more and register.

Disaster Relief: Members of the conference staff and congregations from throughout the BWC have been packing health kits and flood buckets for UMCOR and hurricane relief.

Emergency Response Team training will be held Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Benevola UMC in Boonsboro. Register.

Learn more about the BWC's disaster response ministries.

For more information, contact Thea Becton at disasterresponse@bwcumc.org.

Each year, the Baltimore-Washington Conference offers Missional Innovation Grants to individuals, groups and churches that are making a vital difference in their communities and the world. Learn about how, for example, a grant awarded last year enlivened Mt. Nebo UMC's youth group.

Receive up to $5,000 to support your best ideas in the fields of Advocacy and Action, Wellness and Missions, or Young Peoples Ministries. The deadline is Nov. 1. Learn more and apply.

Training Tuesday: Over the past six years, thousands of United Methodists have participated in this Zoom-based training to equip clergy and laity for leadership. Upcoming webinars include:

• Oct. 22 at 7 p.m.: Church Finances During Times of Renewal and Recovery with Paul Eichelberger
• Oct. 29 at 7 p.m.: The ABCs of the SPRC with Revs. Sarah Schlieckert and Tina Blake

Learn more and register.

Diversity in the UMC: The Rev. Dr. Lydia Munoz speaks about the importance of listening to one another’s stories and respecting one another’s journeys as we live into a diverse and inclusive church that encompasses a rich tapestry of Hispanic heritage. Listen to Telling Our Stories Leads to Unity on UMCOM’s Get Your Spirit in Shape.

Gammon Theological Seminary will hold a Pastors & Leaders Conference on Dec. 3-4 at Impact Church in Atlanta. The seminary wants to invite BWC leaders, especially seminarians and young clergy to attend. Learn more and register.

More Discipleship Opportunities

Day 1: The Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, pastor of Foundry UMC in Washington, will preach on the ecumenical radio broadcast Day 1 on Nov. 3. Her sermon, “Love in Common,” will be based on Mark 12:28-34. Learn more.

On Fire … or Burned Out? Clergy Renewal Day - Nov 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Calvary UMC in Annapolis

During this day of renewal and self-care, led by physician-theologian Dr. Pat Fosarelli, pastors will learn the difference between good stress and bad stress, how bad stresses affect people physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and what they can do to address their reaction to stress. In addition to the presentations, there will be time for solitude, prayer, and conversations with others experiencing similar challenges. Register by Nov. 13.

Trauma-Informed Youth Ministry: The Baltimore Metropolitan District and St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute are holding a transformative workshop series on trauma-informed care and intergenerational engagement in youth ministry on Nov. 9 at the seminary in Baltimore. From 9 a.m. to noon, the focus will be on Intergenerational Engagement in Youth Ministry with Jeff Anderson and Pat Fosarelli. From 1 to 4 p.m., the theme will be Trauma-Informed Care For Young People and their Families with Deborah G. Haskins and Pat Fosarelli. Register.

'A Future-Ready Church:' Adelle Banks and Asbury UMC in Washington, D.C. will host an in-person and live-streamed book launch and panel discussion on Bank’s new book: Becoming a Future-Ready Church: 8 Shifts to Encourage and Empower the Next Generation of Leaders on Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. at the church. Watch online.

Native American Day: Spiritual leaders in Pen-Del share that Native American Day will be celebrated on Nov. 2 beginning at 11 a.m. at the Nanticoke Indian Museum in Millsboro. Learn more.

In Memoriam: A service for the Rev. Nancy Webb, a retired Elder in the BWC who died on Sept,16, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 1 p.m. at Grace UMC in Baltimore. Clergy who wish to process are invited to arrive by 12:30 p.m. and wear white albs. A group of clergywomen will sing at the service. If you are interested in joining them, please contact the Rev. Deb. Scott and arrive at 11:30 a.m.

See a listing of more discipleship ministries and and local church events

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