AN District News......UMC Buzz....February 10, 2023
Prayers of the People
Last week, Bishop LaTrelle Easterling spoke to students and faculty at American University at the start of Black History Month. See the story.
Bishop LaTrelle Easterling and the Cabinet have begun making clergy appointments, which will go into effect on July 1. We pray for all those who will be changing appointments and the congregations they will serve. New appointments are posted most Mondays. See the appointment list.
New and Featured
Training Tuesday to focus on the power of Non-Anxious Presence: We live in challenging times. The pandemic, economic uncertainty, political division and a pending denominational split have raised anxiety in the church and in the world. Jack Shitama, Director of the Center for Vital Leadership, will share principles from his book, Anxious Church, Anxious People: How to Lead Change in an Age of Anxiety to help you grow as a non-anxious leader. Join us for this Training Tuesday webinar on Feb, 21, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Register.
Faith in Action: Join BWC and Pen-Del members for the 2023 Legislative Advocacy Days in Annapolis on March 16, and Washington D.C. on March 29, to advocate for United Methodist legislative priorities. Learn more.
Discipleship Opportunities
Unified Funding Grants: Do you have an innovative and exciting idea for a New Faith Expression or new worship service? Do you have a plan for a new ministry that will help your congregation go to the “next level”? Are you developing a way to reach new people who are not yet a part of any church? If you answered yes to any of these, then the Baltimore-Washington Conference Congregational Development Grants, offered through the Unified Funding Task Force (UFTF), may be able to assist you with a grant to launch your new ministry initiative, congregational renewal project, leader development ministry or to reach new people. The application period opens Feb. 15 and closes April 1. Learn more.
Mental Health First Aid: The Wellness & Missions Board invites you to attend a virtual Mental Health First Aid class. Upon completion, participants will be certified for three years. CEUs are available for clergy. Review the choices below and follow the registration link next to your selection. Registration deadlines are not flexible; this ensures participants have adequate time to complete the pre-class work.
- March 17, 4 to 8 p.m., and March 18, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; registration due Feb. 24
- April 20 and 21, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days; registration due March 30
For more information, contact .
The United Methodist National Planters Gathering will be held April 24 - 26 in Denver. The conference is a chance to learn the best of who we are and what we are creating from one another. The BWC’s Congregational Development ministry will cover the registration cost of some participants and scholarships are available. For more information contact Bill Brown or Lauren Harris. Learn more. Register.
Appalachian Service Project invitation to serve: Cedar Grove UMC invites you and your church's VIM team to join them on an Appalachian Service Project mission trip to Eastern Kentucky, July 16 - 22. Learn more. Email Pastor Fred Sipes to sign up. Also, let us know where your VIM teams are serving by sending an email to .
Sign up to join Bishop LaTrelle Easterling on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Jan. 29 - Feb. 7, 2024. This sacred journey to Israel and the West Bank will be hosted by the Society for Biblical Studies and costs $3,439. The theme of the trip is, "The Land of Jesus: Then and Now.
EVENTS
Feb. 13 (deadline) – Earthkeepers Training
Global Ministries seeks United Methodists to lead grassroots environmental projects that are action-oriented, anti-racist, bold and entrepreneurial. Training is March 10-25. Learn more about EarthKeepers online training.
Feb. 13 (12pm, ET) – Clergy: Stay On Top Of Taxes!
Clergy face some unique challenges when it comes to things like social security payments, estimated tax payments, housing allowances or exclusions, and reimbursed expenses. Your corner tax preparer may not understand the unique situation of clergy, and finding a preparer who does can save you substantially in money and aggravation. Join us as the Rev. Don Joiner, a certified financial planner, helps clergy navigate the preparation of taxes and planning for a sound financial future. Register now.
Feb. 15 (application opens) – Congregation Development Grants (Unified Funding)
Do you have an innovative and exciting idea for a New Faith Expression or new worship service? Then the BWC Congregational Development Grants, may be able to assist you with a grant to launch your new ministry initiative, congregational renewal project, leader development ministry and or to reach new people. The application deadline is April 1. Learn more at today.
Feb. 21 (7pm) – Training Tuesday: The Power of a Non-Anxious Presence
We live in challenging times. The pandemic, economic uncertainty, political division and a pending denominational split have raised anxiety in the church and in the world. Jack Shitama, Director of the Center for Vital Leadership, will share principles from his book, Anxious Church, Anxious People: How to Lead Change in an Age of Anxiety to help you grow as a non-anxious leader. Register now.
Mar. 6-Apr. 2 (deadline Mar. 1) – The Non-Anxious Leader Course
This four-week, online course, will help clergy and laity grow as a non-anxious leader. It will show you how to apply family systems theory so that you can be a non-anxious presence personally and professionally. All content can be accessed asynchronously. The four live sessions with the instructor are recorded in case you are unable to join them in real-time. Earn 3 CEUs, free for laity and clergy. Register today.
OTHER NEWS
Deceased Lay Member to Annual Conference
In preparation for the Service of Remembrance at the 2023 Annual Conference, the district office needs your help identifying Lay Members to Annual Conference who died after the 2022 Annual Conference. Please send their full name and dates of birth and death to
.
Tell Your "Training Tuesday" Story
Annual Conference is swiftly approaching, and we are looking for stories to tell about how our “Training Tuesday” webinar has positively impacted you and/or your ministry this conference year. If “Training Tuesday” has helped you grow or implement positive changes in your ministry and you are willing to tell the story for Annual Conference, please let us know. Please contact Lauren Harris at
at let her know which “Training Tuesday” impacted you. We will let you know the next steps in capturing your story.