District News

CM District News, Events and Updates ~ February 25, 2021

Posted by Sophie Amer on


ANNOUNCEMENTS


CVS Pharmacy locations in Maryland are starting to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost. Patients can access the appointments starting now until 8 p.m. daily by calling (855)-287-3456. Please be patient; you may be on hold a long time.

Visit the Maryland vaccination webpage at covidvax.maryland.gov to find a provider near you by zip code -- https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine  

Bishop Appoints Rev. Dawn Hand as the New Central Maryland DS starting July 1
https://www.bwcumc.org/news-and-views/bishop-easterling-names-rev-dawn-m-hand-new-superintendent-in-central-maryland/ 

EventS

Lent Resources

Bishop Easterling's Lenten video on antiracism – https://www.umc.org/en/content/dismantling-racism-lent-devotions-by-our-bishops.  Bishop Easterling has also encouraged the people of the Baltimore-Washington to pray three times a day during Lent, to fast from using social media as entertainment, and to explore two Lenten studies:


MARCH EVENTS

March 1 – Deadline for Submitting Statistical Reports 
More information about the Statistical Reports can be found here (https://www.bwcumc.org/administration/finance/statistical-reports/). In addition, church leaders will want to review the recently revised 2020 EZRA Table Instructions, which contains updated guidance regarding worship attendance and COVID-19 grants/relief.

March 1 (Drop-off Begins) – Disaster Relief Kits Needed
The BWC's Disaster Response ministry team of the Wellness & Missions Board is collecting cleaning and hygiene kits to assist people in crisis.  The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is seeking supplies to help with continued clean-up efforts in Texas following severe weather.  Learn more about the necessary details of creating a cleaning kit (https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/) and hygiene kit (https://umcmission.org/umcor-hygiene-kit/). 

March 4 (1pm) - #StillInMission
Explore the transforming work of United Methodist missionaries serving around the world. You will have the opportunity to meet in a small group to hear a presentation from a single missionary during the call.  Find out more about the missionaries by visiting www.umcmission.org.  Register at https://gbgm.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwrdOqprDIvE9T7wOxbdIw5wOKDqaCJlUX7 

March 6 (3pm) - Immigration Information Session
Learn about the current immigration landscape and what you and your congregation can do to support our immigrant brothers and sisters. The presenters will be from the General Board of Church and Society and the American Civil Liberties Union.  Register for this Zoom event at https://bwcumc.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEqdOmqrTwiHdQG7daNMqSRK5A1l1m6A7xU 

March 14 - UMCOR Sunday
UMCOR is the mission arm of the church. Every dollar given to UMCOR goes directly to people in need. Administrative costs for disaster relief are covered by offerings given by local churches to UMCOR Sunday on March 14.  Learn more about UMCOR, order materials for worship or make a donation.

March 16 (9:30am) – Healing from Woundedness
All clergy are invited to a retreat led by R. Lorraine Brown and Andy Peck-McClain who will explore how pastors can acknowledge the ways God has been a part of healing their wounds. The content will draw on ideas from Henri Nouwen, Reesma Menakem and Flora Slosson Wuellner, with guided prayers and body practices. Register by March 12 -- https://arenaweb.bwcumc.org/default.aspx?page=3452&event=5927 

March 20 (Deadline) for Grants and Loans
The Baltimore-Washington Conference Unified Funding Task Force (UFT) can assist congregations with grants for new ministry, new or renewed congregation development, leader development, and short-term equitable compensation support.  The application deadline is due to the DS by March 20.  To download the application and get more information, go to https://www.bwcumc.org/administration/local-church-resources/grants-and-loans/

March 24 (Deadline) - College Scholarship Applications
The BWC awards scholarships for qualified students currently attending college, as well as high school seniors who plan to attend college in the fall of 2021. The application process is now open and closes March 24. A variety of scholarships are offered to fit the diverse needs of our students. To be considered for a scholarship, students must complete the full online application, which includes uploading their current transcripts and providing references from their pastor and another person in their church. Learn more and apply -- https://www.bwcumc.org/administration/local-church-resources/scholarships/ 


APRIL EVENTS
 
Beginning April 26 – Equity 2.0 - A SPACES Project
You are invited, and all members of the Baltimore-Washington Conference to join the EQ 2.0 Cohort to help co-create a vision of a world as it should be. A world rooted in belonging without racial bias and different forms of othering. Equity 2.0 seeks to build community and provide participants with tools and accountability structures to become an IDEA (Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable, and Antiracist) leader, using evidence-based strategies for building beloved communities.  If you'd like to register or learn more, please refer to the following:

RESOURCES
 

BWC's Racial Justice Committee has been committed to shining a light on systemic racism within our churches and within our society at large.  We Rise United Bi-Weekly Prayer Call – We all must look to God for help, guidance, and support during this time and as we journey forward towards reaching the goal of being an antiracist Church, let's lift our voices and be heard so that together, We Rise United. To join the prayer call and for more information, visit https://www.bwcumc.org/event/1946656-2021-02-03-we-rise-united-prayer-call/. The prayer call is held the first and third Wednesday every month until December 16, 2021.

Prayer in a Time of National Crisis – In this prayer from The United Methodist Church's Book of Worship, 517, we seek God's direction and enlightenment for our nation as it experiences turmoil and conflict. Take a moment to say and reflect upon the prayer, and then share it with your congregation -- https://www.umc.org/en/content/prayer-in-time-of-national-crisis?utm_source=thesource&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=resourceumc&utm_content=01/26/21paid 

Lay Servant Ministries Grace Period Extended – The Conference Committee on Lay Servant Ministries has extended the grace period begun in 2020 for those who cannot take necessary courses during the COVID 19 pandemic. Download the form.

 New Certified Lay Minister
Class applications are now being accepted: Applications for the next class of Certified Lay Ministers, the Baltimore-Washington Conference Class of 2021-2023, are now being accepted. Visit the BWC website to learn more about the pre-requisite requirements. (Click "Learn More" under "Certified Lay Minister" for information and application package, as well as a pastor information package.) Prospective CLM students must currently be a Certified Lay Servant or Certified Lay Speaker. The application process includes meeting with one's pastor, church Staff-Parish Relations Committee, and the district superintendent before the July 1 deadline. The next class will start in September and is a two-year commitment. Questions can be directed to Linda Flanagan ( ), the Conference Director of Lay Servant Ministries.  

Download a 12-month schedule of Health & Wellness topics to keep your congregation and community safe and well year round.

 

Free 2021 Worship Bundle Package – Download the Discipleship Ministries’ 2021 Worship and Music Planning Calendar and the 2021 Revised Common Lectionary Sundays and Special Days Calendar -- https://store.umcdiscipleship.org/product/2021-worship-planning-bundle/ 

  Randolph-Macon College Pre-Ministerial Program for Youth Discerning Call to Ministry
 Do you know a bright, inquisitive high school senior who is sensing a call to ministry?  Randolph-Macon is committed to nurturing young adults who are sensing a call to    Christian vocation.  Weekly meetings allow students to more deeply discern their calling prior to selecting a seminary and to gain valuable leadership experiences in ministry during the undergraduate years.  Find out more and apply at:  http://www.rmc.edu/academics/pre-ministerial.  Applications are due Feb 8, 2021. 
   
  During Bishop LaTrelle Easterling's conversations on the regions, United Methodist leaders shared questions and ideas.  Those resources have been gathered for your   information.


Online Worship:  As churches improve their abilities to conduct hybrid worship -- in-person and online --the following platforms may prove helpful:
•  StreamYard
•  Streamlabs
•  Church Online Platform
•  Church Streaming.TV
•  Sermon by Phone

  Who Are We?  An 18-week small group journey from head to heart explores our identity as children of God, United Methodists, and the people of the Baltimore-Washington     Conference. This study is an outstanding resource for churches seeking to grow deeper in their understanding of identity, faith, and discipleship. See the Study and begin your  exploration of "Who Are We?" -- https://www.bwcumc.org/resources/who-are-we/ 


   During Bishop Easterling's conversations on the region's last week, several books were recommended by people throughout the Conference that can be used for personal
    study, book groups, or small-group conversations. They include:   

  • America's Original Sin by Jim Wallis
  • Beyond Racial Gridlock: Embracing Mutual Responsibility by George Yancey
  • Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
  • Black and White: Disrupting Racism One Friendship at a Time by Teesha Hadra and John Hambrick
  • Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
  • The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone
  • How to Be an AntiRacist by Ibram X. Kendi
  • Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman
  • Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
  • The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
  • Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall
  • Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
  • Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho 

 The next annual session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference will be held Oct 25-27, 2021. 


  Improving Your Church's Web Presence 
  Sometimes we're overwhelmed by all that's involved in (re)building or maintaining a church website. Because a site requires a mix of time and skills, it's hard to know
  where  to begin. In part one of three screencast sessions, you'll learn how to improve your web presence by identifying the ministry needs and the multiple audiences
  served by your church's website. Take the first step -- https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/improving-your-churchs-web-presence-part-1 

  Re-Entering Well Resources
  • Find the Re-Entering Well Guidelines (https://www.bwcumc.org/article/re-entering-well-guidelines/)
  • View the Re-Entering tip sheets (https://www.bwcumc.org/article/re-entering-well/)  

BWC News
• Find current BWC news and share your stories at https://www.bwcumc.org/news/ 

Church Resources
• Where do you go to get a grant or loan for your church? There are resources to help you and your church. Visit https://www.bwcumc.org/administration/local-church-resources/

Coronavirus Resources 
• A number of resources are available to assist local churches in their response to the Coronavirus—https://www.bwcumc.org/article/coronavirus-resources/ 

 

 

 

 

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