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May 19, 2025 | "Transformed Lives Transform Lives"

The e-connection will be taking a sabbath this summer and will be sent out periodically. Send any announcements to aburdett@bwcumc.org.

Prayers of the People

The 241st session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference met in a vital spirit of joy and discipleship last week. It was a time of worship, learning, celebration and vision-setting for the future of the church.

• Read an overview of the session,
• See photos of key moments.
• View videos from the live stream.

The 241st Session of the Peninsula-Delaware Conference will be held Tuesday through Thursday in Ocean City. We pray for our siblings in the Area and join them as we all "Rejoice in the Lord!"

United Methodists responding to flooding in western Maryland

We continue to pray for the people of Allegany and Garrett Counties who experienced torrential rains and flooding last week. The United Methodist Committee on Relief, at Bishop Easterling’s request, is providing a solidarity grant to help with relief efforts. The four local churches (Barton, Lonaconing, Midland, and Westernport UMCs) are on higher ground and have offered their space to meet the needs of the community with staging, warehousing, and childcare. The BWC is also offering masks, flood buckets and hygiene kits to those in need.

Through coordination with MD VOAD, Conference leaders learned that many residents do not have flood insurance and many seniors live independently and are unable to clean out their homes. The BWC stands prepared to support those in need.

The BWC’s disaster relief coordinator, Thea Becton, asks that no volunteers deploy at this time. However, help will be needed, and trained ERT and VIM people will be contacted once an area assessment is completed. If you are available to assist, send an email to disasterresponse@bwcumc.org with the days and times you are available.

Churches are encouraged to make flood buckets. (No other supplies are being sought at this time.) Learn more about this and where the buckets can be dropped off.

During this season of appointments, we pray for Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, the Cabinet, and all the pastors and churches who will experience a change in pastoral leadership on July 1. See the appointment list.

Local churches invited to new 'Love Unites' initiative

Amid a national wave of intolerance and the rolling back of measures of justice, United Methodists are speaking out.

The BWC's United to Love ministry will provide resources, including banners and lawn signs, to congregations to make a public witness to a shared belief in dignity, justice, and collective liberation.

“United Methodists don’t cower,” said Bishop LaTrelle Easterling. “We stand and we make our voices heard and known.”

Learn more about the Love Unites campaign and sign up for campaign resources.

New and Featured Ministries

Applications are now being accepted for the BWC’s Peace with Justice grants. Churches and United Methodist groups can apply online. The deadline is May 16. Learn more.

The Ana A. Brito Foundation of Epworth UMC in Gaithersburg invites everyone to a special Open House celebrating 40 years of empowering immigrants and newcomers through language, literacy, and life skills in the Gaithersburg community on May 20, at 5 p.m. The gathering will be concurrent with their ESOL, computer, and Spanish classes and the Let's Read Tutoring program.

Applications for the next class of Certified Lay Ministers for the Baltimore-Washington Conference Class of 2025-2027 are now being accepted. Learn more and see the online application. The deadline to submit your application is July 1. The next cohort will start in September and is a two-year commitment. Questions can be directed to Linda Flanagan, conference director of Lay Servant Ministries.

June 19 is World Sickle Cell Day. Learn how you and your church can shine a light on Sickle Cell.

We celebrate the possibilities as the Baltimore-Washington Conference receives a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc., to enhance the lives of children through worship and prayer. Read more about the new Constellation Project.

Mark your Calendars: Coming This Summer

Seeking inspiration? A Clergy Renewal Retreat will be held June 3-5 at Pecometh Retreat Center at 401 Jack Elliott Way in Centreville. The session, facilitated by the Rev. Dawn Stewart, will be a time to renew your spirit with creativity and reflection. The cost is $255, which includes a single room and meals. Optional spiritual direction is available for $75. Register.

Washington Conference Pilgrimage Bus Trip: On June 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Conference’s annual Pilgrimage Bus Trip will explore the former racially segregated old Washington Conference as we wrestle with questions about race, justice, and equality. This year’s trip focuses on Baltimore sites. Free parking is available at Lovely Lane UMC at 2200 St. Paul St. in Baltimore, where the day will begin and end. The cost is $50 (scholarships are available), which includes the bus, lunch catered by a Black-owned catering company, admission to all sites, interpretation, and a lesson on pilgrimage theology. Full participants can earn 0.6 CEUs. Learn more and register.

The Seeds of Security Charity Golf Tournament will be held at a new location this year, Renditions Golf Club, in Anne Arundel County, on Monday, June 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Seeds of Security supports the Area’s ministries with survivors of intimate partner violence and develops safe havens for them. There are a number of opportunities for sponsorship support, including sponsoring a hole for $250. Register to play. For information, contact the Rev. Stacey Cole Wilson.

Save the Date: The United Women of Faith of the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Area will host Mission u 2025 on Aug. 1 and 2 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Annapolis, MD. The theme will be “Practicing Hope Together.”

Early Educators Conference: The BWC's Directors Roundtable will host an Early Childhood Educator Conference on Aug. 7 at St. Andrews UMC, at 48 Wallace Manor Road in Edgewater. The cost is $75. The theme is "Choose Joy." Learn more and Register.

See a listing of more discipleship ministries and local church events

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

See church classified ads

The BWC is hiring a Terps HUB Ministry Coordinator to lead campus ministries on the University of Maryland campus in College Park. This is a part-time position. For those interested in a full-time position, this could be combined with a part-time Director of Community Engagement and Discipleship position on the same campus at University United Methodist Church, focused on community outreach, partnership building, and space utilization. To apply for this position, send a resume and cover letter outlining how you meet the specific requirements of the position to HR-BenefitsOffice@pdcbwc.org. Applications received through May 16 will be reviewed on May 17.