Video on revitalization from the bishop

A transcript of this video is below: 

Beloved of God, 

Happy New Year! As we have begun the journey into 2025, I pray that the hope, peace, joy and love that brought us sacred light during Advent and Christmas, continues to strengthen your faith and deepens your relationship with our greatest gift, Emmanuel, God with us.

One of my mantras is, “Tell the whole truth.” That ethos led the leadership of The Baltimore-Washington Conference to take an earnest look at our landscape. As we did so, we had to come to terms with the reality of decreasing church membership, declining worship attendance and too many congregations struggling to remain relevant in their communities. These realities existed before 2020 but were exacerbated by the global pandemic and disaffiliations. The traditional response to declining statistics is to simply reduce the number of districts within a conference and continue with business as usual. But we have never been a conference satisfied with maintaining the status quo. Therefore, during the 240th session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, while you did vote to reduce the number of districts from eight to six, you also did something far more pivotal. As the people of The Baltimore-Washington Conference, you made a bold, brave decision: To pursue vital change. The people in the Conference decided to reclaim the movement of Methodism that began with John and Charles Wesley, and which fueled our growth for generations thereafter. 

Christ did not come to found a denomination or establish an institution. Christ took on flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood to bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to the captives, sight to the blind, liberation to the oppressed and announce God’s anointing upon this prophetic ministry. This began a movement of centering the marginalized, oppressed and outcast, while decentering the privileged, those who abused power or created systems of oppression.

Through a series of listening sessions, eleven to be exact, and surveys that you completed, you articulated the dynamics necessary to reignite this movement and create transformational, outward-facing, community-driven ministry. It also became clear that to sustain this paradigm shift, we had to create a culture of collaboration. The word that resounded in every listening session was relationship. There is a hunger for stronger, deeper and consequential relationships. 

To support this vital change, reignite our movement and build strong relationships, some structural changes are being made: 1) all churches will be part of a collaborative hub, 2) all hubs will be part of a district that maintains geographical proximity, and 3) non-mission-related, specialized administrative duties will be centralized to support churches, rather than requiring each district to provide these services.

As we implement the structural changes, we must not lose sight of the purpose of these changes: to support our unrelenting focus on disciple making, nurturing our maturity in Christ, and outward-facing, community-driven ministry that transforms lives and communities. In other words, we do not gather to benefit ourselves, we gather to continue the movement begun by Jesus Christ.

We cannot lose sight of the fact that we are a community bound by a shared covenant — a covenant rooted in the grace of God, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. This moment of gathering is more than just a time for protecting an institution or preserving tradition; it is an opportunity for holistic renewal, a chance for each of us to experience Christ-like revitalization in our hearts, in our churches, and in our world. Christ announced his mission after he had been baptized. Baptism is an outward sign of an inward transformation. It is a life-time commitment to be as Christ to the world.

In the United Methodist Church, we are called to remember and live out the promises made in our baptismal vows.

Before we received any credentials or titles; before we assumed any roles or responsibilities, we passed through the waters of baptism. Our baptismal vows are the basis of our relationships. The vows we are called to embody are not simply ceremonial; they are radical declarations that invite us to participate in the transforming love of God. The United Methodist Church was at its strongest when we as laity fervently lived these vows, held one another accountable to them, and committed to live them in our daily lives. Baptism was our grounding, our guide and our commission to Go! 

We cannot lose sight of the fact that we are baptized, not that we were baptized. This is an ongoing, evolving and emerging force in our lives. As we reflect on these vows, I invite each of us into a time of introspection and action, asking how these sacred commitments can inspire our lives and reinvigorate our movement through Christ.

Our baptismal vows ask us three essential questions:

1. “Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin?”
• We are called to confront the darkness in our own hearts and in the world around us. This is a call to action and transformation — to not only renounce sin but to actively work to dismantle systems of injustice, division, and hatred that plague our world. Revitalization begins when we choose to actively become the light of Christ.
2. “Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?”
• Christ gives us the power to resist evil, not in our own strength, but through the Holy Spirit. The world needs the light of Christ, and we are called to be the vessels of that light. Revitalization when we, as individuals and as a body of believers, actively engage in being and building the beloved community.
3. “Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your Lord, in union with the Church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races?”
• This is a call to not only believe in Jesus but to emulate the love and light he brings to our world. Revitalization is not just about personal renewal but a communal call to embody the inclusive love of Christ in every relationship and every ministry. Revitalization begins when we acknowledge that we are a part of something much larger than ourselves.

As we make this personal confession and commitment, the whole body covenants to nurture one another in the faith and to serve as Christ’s representatives in the world.

Within the movement of Jesus Christ, there is no room for passivity. We are called to action.

A Call to Action:

In light of these vows, we must continually engage in these three actions that are foundational to our Missional Action Planning for vitality:

1. Renew Your Commitment to Discipleship — Reflect deeply on your baptism and the promises you made. Commit to a disciplined practice of prayer, study, worship, and service. Through your local church, seek to deepen your discipleship, and challenge yourself to be more like Christ each day.
2. Get to know those within your community — To serve Jesus as our Lord requires a deep, ongoing relationship with Him, but also a relationship with our neighbors. And remember, the Church is Christ’s body, and we are all part of it. Commit to serving in the life of the Church, building up the body, and making disciples of all nations.
3. Join in the Work of Justice and Mercy — Our baptismal vows call us to resist evil and injustice. Now is the time for action. In collaboration with other United Methodist churches in your community, seek ways to advocate for those who are suffering, marginalized, or oppressed. Be the hands and feet of Christ in a world that desperately needs His love.

To continue our collaborative conversation and further your input into our shared revitalization, we will hold a town hall on Tuesday, February 11, at 7pm.  I urge you to attend in a spirit of renewal, revitalization and recommitment.

Between now and annual conference, please engage with the information, guidance, and resources in  preparation for being able to engage fully and faithfully in the hubs. These resources will help us navigate the journey of vital change and revitalization. We are all called to use these resources to inspire our lives and reinvigorate our movement through Christ.

And, as we move forward into the coming year, let us remember that revitalization is not just a program or a campaign — it is a way of life. It is the way of Jesus Christ, who came to bring life, and life abundantly. May we embrace the power of our baptismal vows to transform not only our own lives but the lives of those around us. Together, with Christ at the center, we can regain our movement and transform the world. 

 May it be so!