District News

Prayers of the People

 

We continue to pray for the denomination as the February Special Session of General Conference approaches. The Council of Bishops is encouraging United Methodists to participate in the Praying Our Way Forward Initiative. On Feb. 23, the bishops will gather with the delegates in the St. Louis America's Center for a time of prayer from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Visit umcprays.org. 

 

Clergy appointments are being announced. We pray for Bishop Easterling, the Cabinet, and all those who are appointed to new churches in the coming year.  See the appointments. 

 

Follow the Special General Conference Session

 

The Feb. 23-36 special called session of General Conference, which will address the denomination's response to homosexuality, will be livestreamed at www.umc.org/who-we-are/general-conference-2019-live-video-stream-english.

 

Saturday, Feb. 23, will be a day of prayer. Feb. 24 is "Prioritize a Plan Day," as delegates rank all the legislation from high to low. On Feb. 25, a chairperson will be elected and delegates will consider the petitions. On Feb. 26, the delegates will meet in plenary session to vote on legislation. 

 

An online version of the Advance Daily Christian Advocate contains the agenda, rules, delegate listing, petitions and more.

 

See resources for local church leaders and read the latest news stories about the special session.  Read a message from Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, God of Grace, God of Glory, about the upcoming session.

 

Staff from the BWC's Communication's Ministry will be in St. Louis, covering the Special Session with an eye towards what it all means for churches here. Follow us on Twitter at #bwcgc2019 (more general hashtags are #gc2019 and #UMC). Find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/BWCUMC.  

 

Praying our Way Forward: United to Love

The BWC gathers via live stream March 2 

On Saturday, March 2, from 9 a.m. to noon, Bishop LaTrelle Easterling is calling the people of the BWC together at the Mission Center and via live streaming to pray and share information following the Special Session of General Conference. The live stream will be available at www.bwcumc.org. 

 

Several local churches are hosting gathering spots. They include: 

• Annapolis District:  Severna Park UMC in Severna Park and West River Camp in Churchton
• Baltimore Metropolitan District:  Grace UMC, Epworth Chapel UMC, John Wesley UMC in Baltimore
• Baltimore Suburban District:  Epworth UMC in Cockeysville; Reisterstown UMC in Reisterstown 
• Central Maryland District:  Bethany UMC in Ellicott City, Calvary UMC in Mt. Airy, and Grace UMC in Gaithersburg
• Cumberland-Hagerstown: Frostburg UMC in Frostburg, Union Chapel in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., and Williamsport UMC in Williamsport
• Greater Washington District:  Hughes UMC in Wheaton, Asbury UMC in Washington, Gethsemane UMC in Capitol Heights
• Frederick District:  Jackson Chapel UMC in Frederick and Harmony UMC in Falling Waters, W.Va.
• Washington East District:  St. Paul UMC in Oxon Hill and First Saints Community in Leonardtown 

Baltimore-Washington Area Reconciling Methodists (B-WARM) will host a session at Emmanuel UMC in Laurel. (A BWARM debrief from General Conference will follow from noon to 2 p.m.)

 

We encourage you to gather at these locations to share prayers and information together, but you can also access the live stream on your computer, lap top, or smartphone.

Featured this Week

 

The Baltimore-Washington Conference United Methodist Men will hold their annual prayer breakfast Saturday, March 16, at Calvary UMC at 301 Rowe Blvd. in Annapolis. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m.; breakfast starts at 9 a.m. The keynote speaker is Dr. Gregory L. Parham. Tickets are $20. To reserve your ticket, call Sherman Harris at 301-299-2984. 

 

 

Discipleship Opportunities

 

Celebrate Excellence at Annual Conference 2019! Applications and nominations are now being accepted for a wide variety of awards including:

• Congregational awards for Abundant Health, or Advocacy and Action, with $1,000 given for reinvestment in ministry;
• United to Love Moral Courage Award for Young and Older Adults who do the right thing, even in the face of their fears;
• Youth Group Leader of the Year who grow and multiply disciples in middle and high school;
• The Harry Denman Evangelism Award for laity and clergy who many people credit for helping to start or reignite their faith journey. 
• Applications are due on April 1. Learn more and apply for these Annual Conference Awards. 

Leadership Development
 

• The BWC's United Methodist Women will celebrate their 150th anniversary of United Methodist Women with an "Honor the Legacy -- Hope for the Future" event Sunday, March 24, from 3 to 5 p.m., at the BWC Mission Center in Fulton. The most senior UMW members will be honored and new leaders will be recognized. There will be music and entertainment. A contribution of $18.69 is requested. For more information, contact Daisy Farmer at 240-533-6448.

Advocacy and Action

• The BWC's annual Legislative Advocacy and Action Day will be held March 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Asbury UMC in Annapolis. Participants will address aspects of health care reform, criminal justice reform and immigration reform. To register or for more information, contact Judy Smith. The cost is $6.

Young People's Ministry  

• The Baltimore-Washington Conference is looking for student leaders who are willing to step up to serve their peers and grow in their faith as members-at-large to Annual Conference 2019. Learn more about the process and fill out the application.  Questions? Contact Cheryl Cook.
   
• College scholarship applications are now online. The deadline is March 7. Learn more.

• The CCYM Stress Less Project offers resources to help youth battle the many sources of stress in their lives. The project was created by youth for youth. Learn more.  

Southern Region Annual Leadership Day April 13, 2019

The Southern Region will host our annual training for clergy and laity on April 13, 2019 at Nichols-Bethel UMC, 1239 Murray Rd, Odenton MD.  This year our keynote speaker will be Matt Lake, Lead Pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Williamsport, PA—an urban congregation that consists of a mix of traditional and contemporary worship experiences.  First Church also currently hosts a network of fresh expressions of ministry called the Acts Network in which people meet in places such as homes, gyms, and coffee shops. Registration is now open.  To register please click here.

 

View local church classifieds

 

 

Mt. Zion UMC, 3592 Whiskey Bottom Road in Laurel, have three 8-foot pews and one 6-foot pew to give away. Each pew has orange cushions and space on the back for books. Pick-up needs to be arranged by the purchaser. Contact Mary D. Gibson at 301-498-9431 before Feb. 14.

 

John Wesley-Waterbury in Crownsville needs a musician for its 9 a.m. Sunday worship service. Contact Mrs. Pope at 301-404-1587.