District News

This fall, the BWC will offer Diverse Church by Design, a cross-racial and cross-cultural (CRCC) leadership certificate program, created for local church teams of up to five people, including the pastor. The program aims to increase churches' diversity and inclusion and develop ways to create God's Beloved Community where justice, equal opportunity, and love empower all. 

 

The curriculum includes four learning modules that use a hybrid model of self-paced online learning and live interactive lessons. Self-study materials will be released on Oct. 11. The first live interactive lessons will be on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Other live sessions will be on Jan. 22, April 30, and July 23. Learn more and register.

Training Tuesday's

Next Tuesday, Aug. 17, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., the Training Tuesday webinar will explore the new Discipleship Ministries form to be filled out for church conferences. Part of the new form will look familiar, but it now uses the lens of John Wesley’s Rules of Discipleship to help churches identify the different paths of discipleship and opportunities for new paths of engagement. Registration is open.

 

FORMS ARE ONLINE:  Here is the link to Church Conference forms.  As in the past, some forms will be downloaded, completed, signed & dated, scanned as PDF and uploaded into the church’s Arena record. Only complete the forms that apply to you and/or your church. Use the worksheets to collect the necessary information you will need to complete the electronic forms in Arena. This will cut down on the amount of time you will need to logged into Arena. These are only worksheets and should not be uploaded or turned in at your church conference. Benefits information for 2022 can be found on that page, as well as Frequently Asked Questions.

DEADLINE:  Please submit sign, scan [as a PDF] and upload the paperwork on the Church Conference Checklist into the church’s Arena record by October 1, or 10 days prior to your conference, whichever comes first. For those with church conference in September, please adhere to DS Schlieckert's deadline that was expressed in earlier communication. Check that local church chairs have signed their respective reports before you scan and upload them into the Church’s Arena record. Do not upload reports unless all required signatures are included.

Please note, the Training Tuesday Webinar on August 17, will offer an in-depth conversation about the NEW Discipleship Ministries Form. You won’t want to miss this chance to learn more about the why, how, and what of this NEW form. More details and the link to register will be sent out via the e-Connection.

Living Well Initiative offers clergy resources to thrive

 

Clergy are encouraged to register now for the Living Well Initiative, a seven-month pilot program that offers clergy the opportunity to thrive in ministry.

 

Sponsored by the Center for Vital Leadership, the initiative is comprised of two retreats, Sept. 21-23, at Camp Manidokan, and March 8-10, 2022, at West River Camp and Retreat Center, as well as monthly cohort meetings between the retreats to help participants process their learning and support each other throughout this journey.

 

The $700 registration fee, matched by the Baltimore-Washington Conference, covers the full cost of the two retreats and the seven-month journal and review instruments designed to create a personalized pastoral development plan. 3.3 CEUs will be offered. Scholarships are available. For more information, contact Rev. Amanda McMurtrey.

 

Learn more, register and review a copy of the Living Well Journal.

 

237th Baltimore-Washington Conference

 237th Baltimore-Washington Conference session, which will be held in Baltimore and online Oct. 25-27 is now open for registraation.  It is essential that all clergy and lay members register online. There will be no in-person registration this year. 

 

Members will consider seven resolutions that have been submitted by groups and individuals in the BWC, and the proposed 2022 budget. Learn more about the session.

 

Webinar tonight on school and mental health: The BWC’s Wellness and Missions Board will help United Methodists prepare for the new school year with a webinar on “Youth Mental Health Tips to Ease Transition to the School Year,” tonight at 6 p.m. Register online. A session in Spanish will be held at 7:30 p.m. Register online. For more information, contact .

 

Bike Collection: Sandy Mount UMC, 2101 Old Westminster Pike in Finksburg, will hold a Bikes for The World Bicycle Collection on Oct. 10, from 1 to 4 p.m. The church is collecting used bicycles, parts, accessories, and hand tools to be processed and shipped around the world. Adult's and children's bicycles will be accepted. A $10 tax-deductible donation per bike to cover the cost of shipping is requested, but not required. Metal sewing machines are also being accepted.

 

Upcoming Events

Bishop’s Days on the Regions

Sept. 27-30

Bishop LaTrelle Easterling will be meeting in regional conversation sessions with clergy and laity. Mark your calendars for the Baltimore Region on Sept. 27 at Hiss UMC, Southern Region on Sept. 28 at Westphalia UMC, Washington Region on Sept. 29 at First UMC, and Western Region on Sept. 30 at Rehoboth UMC. Clergy will meet from

2 to 4 p.m. and the laity from 7 to 8:30 p.m

 

237^th Annual Baltimore-Washington Conference Session

Hilton Hotel, Baltimore, Oct. 25-27

The session will be a hybrid one – both in-person and online. Learn more. 

An online pre-conference session will be held on the morning of Sept. 25.

 

Training Tuesday: Discipleship Ministries form

Aug. 17, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

A webinar that focuses on this year’s new Discipleship Ministries form that will be used during church conferences. Learn more and register.

 

WAVE (formerly ROCK) youth planning meeting

BWC Mission Center

Sept. 18, 10 a.m.

This year, youth from the BWC will be joining young people from the Peninsula-Delaware Conference at their youth rally, Jan. 7-9 in Ocean City.

 

Classifieds

New Church (Formerly: Wesley Grove UMC/Delmont UMC/Severn UMC is looking to hire a part-time assistant teacher for Pre-K. If interested please call (410) 761-9119.