Dec. 4, 2023 | "Transformed Lives Transform Lives"

Prayers of the People

When light passes through stained glass it can feel sacred. Calleigh Hoffman, a youth writer from John Wesley UMC in Hagerstown, illuminates the beauty of stained glass and its role in our lives. Read her commentary.

As churches seek to become more vital, faith communities like Riverfront Ministries and the Rev. Chelsea Spyres in Wilmington, Delaware, are offering lessons on how to do mission and ministry in new ways. Learn more.

The graveside service for the Rev. Robert Hottinger, who died Nov. 10, is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 4, at 2 p.m. at Forest Oak Cemetery in Gaithersburg.

A Celebration of the Life of the Rev. Donald S. Stewart, Jr., a retired Elder in the BWC, will be held Dec. 9, at 11 a.m. at Friendship UMC. Clergy attending the service are asked to arrive by 10:30 a.m., wear white vestments with either a red or a celebratory stole, and process as a group. For those unable to attend in person, the service may be viewed on Friendship UMC's You Tube Channel.

Retreat on Community Organizing set for Jan. 5-7

Are you passionate about engaging your congregation to be more involved in your community? Do you want to work more effectively on justice issues? Join leaders from across the BWC in a Community Organizing Training Retreat, Jan. 5 - 7 at West River Camp near Annapolis. The three-day course, led by Kristin Kumpf and the Rev. Dorlimar Malave, will teach you the essential skills and knowledge to be an effective community organizer, and help you understand the dynamics of change and policy-making, empowering you to advocate for the issues that matter most to you and your community. Learn more and register.

Strawbridge Shrine will hold its annual Candlelight Worship Service in its historic Log Meeting House at 2650 Strawbridge Lane in New Windsor on Dec. 10 at 4 p.m. Experience worship as it was in the 1760s in a replica of the first Wesleyan Methodist Meeting House.

Cooperative Parish Summit: Churches considering joining in creative ways with other faith communities to do vital ministry are invited to join in a Cooperative Parish Summit on Jan. 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the BWC Mission Center in Fulton. The pastor, lay leader and SPRC chair (or their designee) of each interested church are encouraged to attend. A World Café, featuring rapid conversations with five current Cooperative Parish leaders from the BWC, will be held in the morning and a strategy session will be in the afternoon. Register before Jan. 19.. Learn more and register.

The BWC’s Advocacy and Action team encourages United Methodists to attend a session led by Maryland's Center on Economic Policy on Maryland's Fiscal Future, Dec. 9 at 10 a.m. via Zoom. The event will explore economic policy and the state budget. Register.

So You Want to Repurpose Church Property? Repurposing church property effectively is more than just a real estate transaction to make more money. There are several elements required to see a successful effort come to pass. Join the Rev. Joe Daniels and leaders from Emory UMC in Washington, D.C., as they share their story of going from a part-time appointment and a congregation that was presumed dead to a revitalized congregation that facilitated the construction of a $60 million multi-use building project with 99 units of affordable housing. Register for the Jan 20 event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Emory UMC.

News from Across the Connection:

• UMCOR has provided support for Ukraine such as food, water, shelter and emergency supplies for 73,000 people. Read the story.
• With regionalization legislation headed to General Conference, the Ask The UMC team is exploring the impact of regionalization on the worldwide church in an informative series. Learn more.
• The Council of Bishops plans to call a special session of the General Conference in 2026 for the delegates to strategize and work toward bringing about the next vital expression of United Methodism. Learn more.

The BWC’s Quality of Life Committee, which educates, supports and empowers people living with HIV/AIDS, is offering Christmas cards for sale to support this life-giving ministry.  Learn more.

Advent Advocacy: Join the General Board of Church and Society for a four-week webinar to discuss how to be an Advocate during Advent, reflecting on the four themes of hope, peace, joy, and love, via Zoom. The remaining three sessions are on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 13 and 29, at noon. Register.

Sacred Ground: The Dadian Art Gallery at Wesley Theological Seminary will hold a reception for its new exhibit, featuring 14 artists, on Dec. 7 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

New Campus Ministry: The BWC’s new Towson University ministry, Tiger H.U.B. (Here YOU Belong) will meet Dec. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students are encouraged to take a break from exams and gather for Coffee and Convo at the Starbucks at 31 York Road. If you have any questions, contact Pastor Bee, or message Instagram @TUTigerHub.

Lifeline for Migrants: To support the immigrants arriving in Washington by bus from southern border states, the BWC is raising $40,000. Your congregation is encouraged to take an offering, and individuals are asked to give generously. Learn more and give.

Local Church Activities

As we enter the season of Advent, churches throughout the BWC are holding a number of programs and activities. See a listing of some of the celebrations and ministries in the area.

Lessons in Leadership

Level Up is a video series that provides lessons in church leadership using best-selling secular writings by the Rev. Jack Shitama of the Center for Vital Leadership. This week, Shitama explores how "In Life and Work, Balance is a Verb, Not a Noun."

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