Feb. 24, 2025 | "Transformed Lives Transform Lives" | |
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Maryland Governor Wes Moore joined the congregation of Silver Spring UMC on Sunday to thank them for their ongoing ministry, celebrate the church's plans to build affordable housing on its property, and encourage all United Methodists to keep opening up their hearts to be vessels of God's love.
We pray for the Rev. Theresa Eggleston who, on March 11, will begin her position as the new site director of Manidokan Camp & Retreat Center. She is a Deacon who recently served as the program director of Casowasco Camp and Retreat Center in the Upper New York Conference. Eggleston brings her spouse, two children, and their family dog, Finn, to Manidokan.
On the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United Methodist Council of Bishops issued A Call to Prayer and Support for Ukraine. Read their statement.
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We celebrate with Asbury UMC in Washington, which Sunday morning installed a permanent sign marking the 2020 burning of Asbury's Black Lives Matter banner by members of the Proud Boys.The congregation also observed the sign installation with a special Black History Month celebration and a panel discussion. Learn more.
We pray for Bishop Easterling, the Cabinet along with pastors and churches experiencing changes in pastoral appointments. See the appointment list. See a list of Clear Opening church profiles.
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Registration is now open for the 2025 Session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference on May 13-15 in Baltimore. Learn more.
Register
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Celebrating giving and the BWC's 100 percent churches | |
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We celebrate the churches of the Baltimore-Washington Conference that paid 100 percent of their connectional giving in 2024. Connectional giving enables us to accomplish more together in ministry than we ever could alone. With their generous gifts, we celebrate and bring God’s love to life in our churches, communities and the world.
Last year in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, 74 percent, or 413 of the conference’s 557 churches, paid 100 percent of their mission shares. The overall collection rate was 84.5 percent. As a connection, the churches of the Baltimore-Washington Conference gave $12,197,147 for mission and ministry in their communities and around the world.
See a list of churches that gave 100 percent of their mission shares.
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Town Hall explores Restructuring for Vital Change | |
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Bishop LaTrelle Easterling hosted a Town Hall on Revitalization and Restructuring on Feb. 11. She and conference leaders outlined plans for collaborative hubs, made up of 5 to 12 churches; Connecting Churches, which will facilitate the work of the hubs; the six new geographic districts, and a timeline for the implementation of the restructuring.
The changes ahead "will require discipline, intentionality and a willingness to change," the bishop said. "We need to come to this with open minds, open hearts, with excitement, and with the expectation of what miraculous things God can do in and through us, things we can’t even imagine. That should be our primary focus.”
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New and Featured Ministries | |
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Applications for Congregational Development Grants are now available. All materials must be uploaded by April 1. Do you have an innovative and exciting idea or a plan for a new ministry that will help your congregation go to the “next level?" Or are you developing a way to reach new people who are not yet a part of any church? The BWC's Congregational Development Grants can assist you in launching your new ministry initiative, congregational renewal project, or leader development ministry. Learn more and apply.
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The BWC’s 2025 Maryland Legislative Advocacy Day will be Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Asbury UMC in Annapolis. The event is an opportunity for United Methodists to meet their representatives and advocate for United Methodist values. A Federal Legislative Advocacy Day will take place on March 26 at Capitol Hill UMC. And, a D.C. Legislative Advocacy Day will be held April 30 at Asbury UMC in Washington.
Excitement over summer camp builds: Retreat and Camping Ministries is thrilled to share more than 1,000 campers have registered for summer camp in the first two and a half weeks of registration. This is 16 percent increase over the same period last year. Don’t miss out! Check out the summer camp programs at Manidokan and West River and register your camper today! You can also join the fun and make a difference this summer by volunteering.
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Packing Kits for Life-Changing Impact: Tom Salsgiver, Thea Beckton, Colleen Moskov, and Cynthia Taylor, from the Northeastern Jurisdiction, pack flood buckets and hygiene kits for the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Area will create flood buckets in May as a service project for annual conference. | |
Discipleship Opportunities | |
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New podcast for kids: The Rev. Katie O'Hern Hamilton, senior pastor of the Greater Brunswick Charge, is launching a new podcast, This Little Light of Mine, for kids and their grown-ups. New episodes will air every Wednesday, beginning March 5. Listen to the Season 1 trailer on Apple Podcast or on Spotify.
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The third annual Taste of Maryland Dinner fundraiser at the West River Center will be held on April 13. Proceeds from the dinner will go toward the camp scholarship fund. Come out to the beautiful West River Center and enjoy an evening of local flavors, including a pig roast, live oyster bar, wonderful local salads/field greens and great desserts. Tickets are $85/plate. Additional details coming soon.
The BWC’s 2025 Immigration Border Immersion is a transformative experience open to clergy and lay people, especially young adults, seeking to learn more about migration. Participants will have the opportunity to listen to God through the voice of the immigrant and be part of the change as they implement and take action in their local communities. The trip to San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico, is April 23 to 27. The cost, which includes airfare, is $1,480. To learn more about scholarships for young adults, contact Christine Taylor.
Ministering with Immigrants: Eastport UMC is hosting a community conversation with the Annapolis Immigration Justice Network on March 2 at 4 p.m. AIJN Executive Director Jessa Coulter will discuss the organization's work, challenges faced by local immigrant families, and how the community can help. The 45-minute presentation will be followed by a Q&A. Learn more.
The Potter's Hand: Emmanuel UMC in Scaggsville will host a Lenten Prayer Breakfast focused on the Stations of the Cross on Saturday, March 15, from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The theme is Towards Resurrection & The Potter's Hand. During the prayer breakfast, participants will engage in clay work to explore how their personal journeys are intricately connected to God’s master plan. A time of reflection and creative expression will follow. RSVP to judydavies@eumclaurel.org.
Protecting cemeteries: Several bills regarding cemeteries are coming up for hearings before the Maryland General Assembly. United Methodists are asked to consider writing letters of support or testifying in person to support critically needed protections. Learn more.
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Everstand continues caring for children: The Board of Child Care, a 150-year partner of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, recently began doing business as Everstand. But the organization remains committed to offering a holistic range of residential, mental and behavioral health support, trauma recovery, case management, and educational services to children and their families. Learn more about their holistic outreach in their FY24 Annual Impact Report. See how your church can be involved.
Save the Date: The BWC’s United Women in Faith will host a Critical Race Theory Workshop on April 26 at 1 p.m. at the BWC Mission Center in Fulton. Registration opens soon.
Transforming empty church properties: A “tsunami of emptying houses of worship” is sweeping across the United States, writes consultant Rick Reinhard. Faith communities, real-estate professionals, government leaders and planners all have a role to play in responding to this trend. Reinhard, a principal for Niagara Consulting Group and former administrator for The United Methodist Church, shares recommendations. Read his commentary. Also see the HUD guide for working with faith-based organizations.
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Connected across the Area | |
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The Spring Lay Servant Academy, a transformative learning opportunity open to all members of the Peninsula-Delaware and Baltimore-Washington Conferences will equip, inspire, and strengthen lay people. Learn more:
Strengthening the Black Church: The Peninsula-Delaware Conference will hold a State of the Black Church gathering with an intergenerational panel on March 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Whatcoat UMC in Dover. Learn more. Register.
Fresh Expressions is a Spirit-led, distinctly Wesleyan movement that focuses on cultivating new Christian communities that resonate with today’s world. The Peninsula-Delaware Conference invites everyone to attend viewing parties of the Fresh Expressions National Gathering on Feb. 27 to March 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free gatherings will be held at:
- Community Church at Ocean Pines, 11227 Racetrack Road in Berlin, MD
- Christ Church, 401 High St. in Chestertown, MD
- Newark UMC, 69 East Main Street in Newark, DE
Or you may register to watch from home directly from Discipleship Ministries for a fee of $65.
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Submissions?
Melissa Lauber, Director of Communications
11711 East Market Place, Fulton, MD 20759
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