June 8, 2026 | "Transformed Lives Transform Lives" | | |
We give thanks for the life and ministry of Rev. Peter Leland DeGroote, a retired Elder who died on May 9. Peter served faithfully in active ministry for 16 years in the Baltimore-Washington Conference.
A memorial service, followed by a luncheon, will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 27, at Foundry UMC, 1500 16th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Read his obituary.
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A week after Annual Conference, we're still reflecting on one of its most inspiring voices: our youth. From voting on conference business to imagining new forms of ministry beyond church walls, these young leaders are making an impact now. Read their perspectives on faith, leadership, and the future they are already helping create.
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After undergoing two open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant, Darren Fenwick was determined to make it to Annual Conference. Along the way, he received support from his church community and what he describes as a series of God-led connections. He shares how faith, community, and a series of remarkable connections carried him through a life-changing journey. Read more.
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On Saturday, June 6, Bishop Easterling served as guest preacher for the Florida Annual Conference’s Service of Licensing, Commissioning, and Ordination, offering a powerful call to Christ-centered leadership. Her message challenged clergy to reject the “unholy ghosts” of ego and self-promotion and embrace lives of faithful discipleship and service. Read more.
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Intergenerational Worship
Across our conferences, leaders are discovering how intergenerational worship transforms communities when children and adults shape worship together. Start by listening to children, experimenting in your local context, and gathering with others at the Intergenerational Worship Summit this June 27, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Calvary UMC in Annapolis. The cost to register is $25 and the deadline to apply is June 18.
Stay up to date with intergenerational worship by subscribing to the area Young People's Ministry and Intergenerational Worship newsletters. You can also share with us how your congregation is working to move beyond generational divides.
| | The response to the blood drive at Annual Conference was so strong that not everyone who wanted to donate was able to. If you missed the opportunity to give, consider participating in a community blood drive honoring Christopher D. Gipson, a Sickle Cell Warrior, on Saturday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Nichols Bethel United Methodist Church's Lighthouse Café (1239 Murray Road, Odenton, MD 21113). The drive will help address critical summer blood shortages and support individuals living with sickle cell disease who often rely on regular blood transfusions. Eligible donors will receive a $15 e-card, and free sickle cell trait screening will be available for all ages. No appointment necessary. Questions: Contact Cynthia Gipson. | | |
Join United Methodist Men from across the conference for Men’s Day 2026 at Asbury United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, June 21, at 10 a.m. Rev. Dr. David MacAllister-Wilson, President of Wesley Theological Seminary, will serve as guest preacher as they explore the theme, “Mitigating Today’s Challenges: Facilitating a Proud Future.”
| | Join the Latino Christian National Network (LCNN) for Lament and Hope: A Celebration of the Presence and Contributions of Immigrants on America’s 250th Anniversary, a bilingual gathering in Washington, D.C., on June 28–29. Through worship, prayer, testimony, and engagement with congressional leaders, participants will bear faithful witness to the contributions, struggles, and enduring hope of immigrant communities in the United States. Download flyer. | | |
Join Washington National Cathedral on July 3 for We Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident, an interfaith service commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States through scripture, music, and reflections on pluralism, the common good, and our shared work toward a more perfect union. Bishop Easterling will participate alongside spiritual and civic leaders from diverse faith traditions in this special service, which will be free and open to the public and available via livestream. Learn more and access the livestream.
| | In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) | | Lay Servant Ministry Training offers an opportunity for laity to deepen their faith, strengthen leadership skills, and grow in service to the church and community. Open to all church members, these courses equip participants for ministries of caring, leading, and communicating while exploring spiritual gifts and servant leadership. There is still time to register for Lay Servants as Christian Transformational Leaders-Advanced Course with Pastor Angelic Williams. The deadline to apply is June 10. | | |
Bishop Easterling invites clergy and laity of the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Area to join in a sacred pilgrimage, Journeys of Paul, in Greece. This is more than travel; it is an invitation to encounter the living story of our faith in the very places where it unfolded. Together, we will stand in the landscapes that shaped the early church, listen for God's voice amid ancient streets, and rediscover the courage, conviction, and calling that carried the gospel into the world. Download brochure. Learn more and register.
| | Applications for the next class of Certified Lay Minister, the Baltimore-Washington Conference Class of 2026-2028 are now being accepted. Visit the website to learn more and see the online CLM application package. The deadline to submit the application is July 1. The next cohort will start in September and is a two-year commitment. Questions can be directed to Min. Linda Flanagan, Conference Director of Lay Servant Ministries. | | |
The Congregational Vitality Team is inviting up to 20 clergy and laity from across the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Episcopal Area to attend School of Congregational Development 2026: Rise Up — Love, Serve, and Lead, in Columbus, Ohio, August 2–5. This four-day gathering brings leaders together to reimagine the future of the church through worship, formation, and learning from practitioners on the cutting edge of church planting, revitalization, and innovation. Plenary speaker Carey Nieuwhof will lead in exploring how to see where God is moving, create new pathways, and disciple in ways that truly transform lives. The Congregational Vitality Team is covering transportation (rental van transportation) and registration costs. Participants are responsible for meals and lodging. Scholarships may be available upon request.
Register. For questions or scholarship inquiries, contact Rev. Bill Brown at bbrown@bwcumc.org or Abby Butler-Cefalo at abcefalo@pdcpwc.org.
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Living Well is a clergy renewal program designed for clergy by clergy to empower them to reflect on and assess their life and ministry through the lens of health and wellness. The program intends to guide clergy on a journey of self-reflection and exploration, individually and with colleagues, as they consider what it means in their life and ministry to love God with all their heart, all their mind, all their strength, and all their soul. Join us in engaging in a seven-month process of in-depth review and spiritual renewal through weekly journal reflections, monthly group gatherings, and two retreats. The Living Well Program is open to all clergy, licensed, commissioned, or ordained. Participants earn 3.3 CEUs for completing the entire program. Scholarships are available. Contact bomstaff@pdcbwc.org with questions. Learn more and register.
| | The Board of Ordained Ministry is introducing a new online workshop, Clergy Ethics 2.0, to provide an easier way to fulfill the annual clergy ethics requirement. This Zoom training will explore topics including wellbeing, vicarious trauma, burnout, resilience, AI as an ethical stressor, and mandated reporting, and will be held on Thursday, September 10, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost is $25 and participants will receive 0.4 CEUs; register by September 4, and contact Hilary Ann Golden at bomstaff@pdcbwc.org with questions. Register. | | |
Get ready to experience a new season of worship across our Episcopal Area. Rooted in Christ: Love Boldly is a brand-new five-week worship series, launching for the first time following the 2026 Annual Conferences. Grounded in our baptismal vows, this series invites congregations to rediscover what it means to love boldly. Designed with flexibility in mind, this series can begin whenever it best fits your summer calendar, offering a meaningful and unified worship experience during a season that often calls for simpler planning. Each week provides everything you need to lead vibrant, intentional worship:
- Scripture and brief commentary
- Hymn and music suggestions
- Call to worship, opening prayer, confession, and benediction
Plus, you’ll have access to overarching resources, including ready-to-use graphics and a meaningful remembrance of baptism. This summer, join congregations across the Baltimore-Washington & Peninsula-Delaware Area as we root ourselves in Christ.
Learn more. Download PDF overview.
| | The United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women has opened registration for the Do No Harm virtual conference on Nov. 12-14. The conference is designed to equip individuals and churches for the urgent work of preventing sexual harm and fostering trauma-informed care. Ashley Judd and Rachael Denhollander will headline the event, alongside several United Methodist bishops, an experienced slate of advocates, mental health practitioners, scholars, and church leaders. Learn more and register. | | |
Submissions?
Alison Burdett, Director of Communications
11711 East Market Place, Fulton, MD 20759
410.309.3428 | aburdett@bwcumc.org
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