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We pray for the people of Puerto Rico, who are recovering from Hurricane Fiona, which dumped more than 30 inches of rain on the island and cut off electricity to 1.3 million homes, schools and businesses. The United Methodist Committee on Relief has set up a fund to address the people's most pressing relief and recovery needs. Donate here.

The BWC is also offering early response team training for those interested in helping rebuild communities following disasters. The training is on Oct. 15 at Benevola UMC and Nov. 12 at the BWC Mission Center in Fulton.

We pray for the Rev. Theresa Annette Robinson, 66, who passed away on Friday, Sept. 16. She served Hope Memorial, St. Mark, St. James Memorial, and St. Matthews UMCs. A viewing will be held Friday, Sept. 30, from 4 to 7 p.m. and a wake will be held Saturday, Oct. 1, from 10 to 11 a.m. at Christian Love Baptist Church, 4198 Falls Road in Baltimore. A funeral will be held after the wake at Arbutus Memorial Park in Halethorpe, followed by a repast at St. Paul UMC, 501 Reisterstown Road in Pikesville.

We give God thanks for the Rev. Giovanni Arroyo, who was endorsed by MARCHA, the Hispanic/Latino caucus within The United Methodist Church, as an episcopal candidate for the Northeastern Jurisdiction. He will be officially installed as the General Secretary of the General Commission on Religion and Race on Oct. 14.

We celebrate the Rev. Ed Grove and Mittie Quinn, who were recently awarded the God’s Foolish One award by Methodists for Social Action and Baltimore-Washington Area Reconciling Methodists.

Last week, Bishop Easterling and the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Conferences Cabinets attended a ground blessing service for the Harvest Outreach People Project (HOPP) in Wilmington. HOPP serves as inspiration for vital embodied discipleship. Read the story.

"As you are going, make disciples," Jesus tells us. His command is one of the themes of MissionShapedChurch.com, a new blog from the Revs. Bill Brown, the BWC’s Director of Innovative Evangelism, and Lauren Harris, Congregational Development Coordinator. "Wherever you go, to the grocery store, gym, knitting circle, ball game, or rotary club, you are called to make disciples," they write. "How does that change your view of discipleship? How does this change your understanding of the mission of the Church?"

The town hall will address misinformation and confusion about the current state and future of The United Methodist Church. Topics will include our tenets of faith, the strength of our connection, policies approved by the General Conference and Annual Conferences to disaffiliate, and what (if any) decisions local churches, members and clergy need to make. Bishop Easterling and other leaders from both conferences will shine a light on these issues and more. Register for the Zoom town hall. Information about how to connect to the call will be forwarded to you.

Preventing Anti-Asian Hate: The BWC’s Korean Caucus is hosting a seminar on the Prevention of and Response to Anti-Asian Hate Crimes on Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Bethany Korean UMC.

Winter Grace Senior Ministries will hold a virtual Resource Fair for people age 50 and older Oct. 1-15. The fair will offer resource providers, expert speakers, fitness class access and workshops. Learn more.

The BWC’s United Men's Ministries will hold their annual gathering and business session on Oct. 15 from 9 to 11 a.m. Learn more.

The United Methodist Committee on the Deaf recently held a special worship service to commemorate International Deaf Awareness Week. See the service.

The application period for the BWC’s congregational development grants is now open. The grants, offered through the Unified Funding Task Force, assist congregations in launching new ministry initiatives, new or renewed congregational development, leader development and reaching new people. The deadline is Oct. 10. Learn more and apply.

The annual period to apply for mission innovation grants for advocacy and action, wellness and missions, and young people’s ministry is now open. Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to faith communities that have a proven ministry idea in one of these ministry areas. The deadline to apply is Nov. 1. Learn more and apply.

Talk it Out: Locust UMC in Columbia received a grant from The Horizon Foundation to deliver, Talk it Out, a program to engage youth and young adults in mental wellness. The program has been expanded to those ages 26-45. The registration deadline is Sept. 28. Learn more and register.

A Diverse Church by Design: A Cross-Racial and Cross-Cultural (CRCC) Leadership Certificate Program is a biblically-based experimental approach to diversity and inclusion. ​An orientation will take place on Monday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. Learn more and register.

Contemplative Advocacy and Poverty Walks: Chevy Chase UMC will host a series of events Oct. 7-9 with Ryan Taylor, a spiritual activist, pastor of Urban Mercy Church in Denver and author of “Awkward Spirituality: The Divinity of Ordinary Life.” On Friday, Oct. 7 area pastors and leaders are invited to meet at Old Otterbein UMC in Baltimore from 1 to 3 p.m. for a Poverty Walk and discussion on Seeing Beyond the Empire. On Sunday, Oct. 9 Taylor will present his message on spiritual renewal at Chevy Chase UMC during the 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship services. Following a brief time of fellowship, participants will experience a Poverty Walk together in the D.C. area. For more information, contact the Rev. John Nupp.

The ninth annual Rev. Callie Matthews Scholarship Walk will commence 9 a.m. on Oct. 22 at 1 Dock Street in Annapolis. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. Learn more, register and donate.

The Strawbridge Shrine Association will hold its annual meeting 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 22 at New Hope UMC/Bethel Church in New Windsor. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Bonnie McCubbin, Director of Pilgrimage & Museums for the Baltimore-Washington Conference. Learn more.

Justice for our Children: Healing for Our Communities: The BWC Committee on Native American Ministries invites United Methodists to observe a special time of prayer and action from Sept. 30 - Oct. 6, as they remember the atrocities perpetrated on tribal children when they were taken from their families and placed in boarding schools. Learn more.

MLK Day of Service: Glen Mar Church is looking for another church or two to partner with on a service project called Day of Service, scheduled for Monday, January 16, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. See last year's events. If your church is interested, send an email to dayofservice@glenmarumc.org.

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