AN District News.....UMC Buzz...... April 19, 2018
Prayers of the People
We pray for the past and future of our denomination. On April 23, The United Methodist Church celebrates its 50th anniversary and the unification of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical Brethren Church, along with the dissolution of the Central Jurisdiction, a segregated group of African American congregations. Learn more.
Several leaders in the BWC recently participated in the annual License to Preach School. We pray for them as they begin new adventures. This photo was taken April 13 at Vesper Point at Camp Manidokan. From left to right, the instructors and students include: the Rev. Frances Stewart, Rev. S. Jerry Colbert (Dean), Rev. Walt Edmonds, Rev. Michael Beiber, Mark Eyler, Ralph Saunders, Kevin Beall, Rev. John Nupp; center, Debbie Mooney, Vernona Colbert and Marvene Young; and seated, Taeron Flemming and Lucinda Kent.
We continue to pray for Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, the BWC Cabinet, and pastors and churches receiving news of new appointments this time of year. See a list of new appointments here.
Latest News and Information
Leadership Day Reboot
The Southern Region Leadership Day has been re-scheduled for Saturday, April 28, 2018 at Southern High School, 4400 Solomons Island Rd, Harwood, MD.
Check in will open at 8:00 Breakfast will also be serve. We will have a plenary session and the opportunity for every to attend one workshop. The workshops being offered are: Basic SPRC, Church Websites, Crisis Response, Finance Best Practices, How to Snatch a Grant, Managing Difficult Conversations, Nominations & Lay Leadership Development, Path to Missions, Small Church Alternative Structures, Trustees and Vital Worship, Vital Churches.
You are free to attend the workshop that best meets your needs.
We will end our day at 12:30.
If you are unable to attend the re-scheduled event, please contact your district administrator. Each attendee will receive a $10 credit towards a future event.
West River’s Day Away – May 1st
The West River Staff would like to offer our Day Away event coming up May 1st.
Come enjoy at day apart from your schedules, electronics and every day hustle! Enjoy a day at the West River Center with our keynote speaker Rev. Joe Daniels, our worship leader Rev. Sarah Schlieckert and others as they engage us in continued connection making, learning to listen to the Holy Spirit and how to make our everyday actions matter in today’s church and our lives. RSVP by mail, phone 410-867-0991 or email . All day event 9am-3:30pm includes continental breakfast and lunch, $28 per person.
Annual Conference registration: As of last week, 90 percent of the rooms at the Waterfront Marriott Hotel were sold out for May 30 and 31. Members are encouraged to promptly register for annual conference and for their hotel stay. When the room block sells out, information on overflow hotels that are expected to have comparable rates will be made available. More information about the Annual Session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference is at www.bwcumc.org/events/annual-conference. Registration is not required for the April 21 Pre-Conference Briefings, which will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Jackson Chapel UMC in Frederick, and from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at St. John's United Church at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center in Columbia.
Southern Region Baseball Game Day
Our District Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Evan Young, invites the Southern Region/Annapolis District to the Bowie Baysox Stadium on Friday night, June 15, to enjoy a Bowie Baysox baseball game, and to fellowship with each other in a great, fun way.
Food items include: Grilled All-Beef Hamburgers, Grilled All-Beef Hot Dogs, Pulled Chicken Barbeque, Sliced Tomato, Lettuce, Onion & Pickles, I will choose two of the four options as a side item: Homemade Italian Pasta Salad, Country Baked Beans, Fresh Farmer’s Slaw or Homemade Macaroni & Cheese PLUS Kettle Chips, Fresh Chilled Watermelon and Ice Cream Cups. The buffet opens at 6:35 PM, the game starts at 7:05 PM.
Tickets must be purchased through the BWC website. The price includes the game ticket and the picnic with Adult tickets priced at $30, and children under age 5 are priced at $10. The link to purchase tickets is: https://arenaweb.bwcumc.org/default.aspx?page=3452&event=3809. One person will be able to purchase as many tickets as needed for a group. All tickets must be purchased by June 1, 2018.
The address of the stadium is: 4101 Crain Hwy, Bowie, MD 20716
Any questions, please contact me at .
We look forward to this time of fellowship and entertainment.
New This Week
Pre-Conference Briefing: This Saturday, April 21, a Pre-Conference Briefing will be held to allow participants the opportunity to become well-acquainted with issues coming before the May Annual Conference session. The first briefing will be from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Jackson Chapel UMC in Frederick. The second will be at St. John's United Church, at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center in Columbia, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. The contents of both sessions will be similar. Lay and clergy members are invited to attend whichever is most convenient. Before attending, members are asked to familiarize themselves with the proposed 2019 budget and with the resolutions, which they will vote on at the May session.
Bazaar: The United Methodist Women of Glen Burnie UMC will hold their annual bazaar Saturday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Proceeds will support missions.
Summer classes at Wesley Theological Seminary: Short-term, intensive courses are available throughout the summer and are a perfect way to dip your toes in the waters of seminary. Options include Contemporary Liberation Theology, held in the evenings over the course of two weeks; or Biblical Storytelling, a week-long daytime course. Registration for Summer 2018 classes is now open and the term is from May 21 to August 3. View the summer 2018 schedule. Questions? Call Admissions at (202) 885-8659, or email at .
Continuing Highlights
"At-One-Ment: Clergy in Retirement:" As a clergyperson, are you thinking about retirement? Retirement from active ministry status raises significant thoughts and feelings, questions and challenges which are unique to your experience as clergy. The Board of Pensions and Health Benefits does a great job helping pastors with financial matters. However, those who have retired from active status know that there are many other issues to address and learn to manage. For this reason, the Board of Ordained Ministry is sponsoring "At-One-Ment: Clergy in Retirement," to give the clergy of our Conference and their spouses an opportunity to gather and discuss these important issues. Here we can pray, reflect and pool our collective wisdom around this particular stage of our lives. Retirement can be as rich emotionally and spiritually as earlier stages have been. The event is at the BWC Mission Center on Thursday, April 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Register online.
Nominations sought for discipleship awards
The BWC is celebrating discipleship with a series of awards to be announced at the Annual Conference Session in May. Nominations are now being sought for five awards. They include:
- The Harry Denman Evangelism Award; for one youth, one clergy and one lay person,
- Youth Worker of the Year Award,
- Young Adult Leader of the Year Award,
- Advocacy and Action Award for faith communities,
- Abundant Health Award for faith communities.
The two awards to faith communities come with a $1,000 prize. Applications and nominations are due
April 30. Information on the awards and nomination forms are online. Share the stories of those you know doing exceptional ministry.