Washington East District News & Updates 5_23_2019
Annual Conference Information
Annual Conference (AC) Registration -- Everything is handled by Darlene Washington, Registrar, 2019 Annual Conference Registration Office, 1.800.492.2525 ext.498 and direct line: 410.309.3498; e-mail: If you get her voice mail, she will return your call.
2019 Mission Focus -- RISE AGAINST HUNGER -- On May 30, you are invited to join the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church's Meal Packaging Event at this year's Annual Conference, in the movement to end hunger by the year 2030. Learn more. (A bulletin-sized flyer art is attached.)
CREDENTIALS -- When checking-in all CLERGY and Lay Members to Annual Conference must present a completed and signed credential form in order to receive their voting unit.
~ CLERGY -- Click, download and complete BLANK Clergy Credentials
~ LAITY -- Click, download and complete BLANK Lay Credentials
YOUR PASTOR MUST SIGN THE LAY CREDENTIAL FORM BEFORE YOU ARRIVE AT AC. It is very difficult to track them do for their signature during Annual Conference!
FIRST-TIME LAY MEMBERS TO AC --- This event can be a little over-whelming if this is your first time attending but never fear there are lots of resources available BUT check them out BEFORE you get to AC:
- Lay Member to AC Job Description -- The entire job description from the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) is attached. More job descriptions can be found at that link too.
- Annual Conference Primer – This is a great overview of the event and gives you tips of what to report back to your church AFTER attending AC. Be sure to read it before attending.
- Dailies Newspaper -- During the conference make sure to pick up a “Dailies” newspaper early each day – they go very fast. They list daily schedule and other pertinent information but they go fast so make sure to get one.
- Annual Conference Laity Report Form template -- One of the assignments for the Lay Member to AC based on the BOD ¶251.2 is to … “Report to the congregation in the week following the annual conference session and to the church council at its next meeting after the close of the conference session. The Discipline states that the report to the church council must be within three months of the close of the session.“
Here is a Word document template to give you some guidelines in preparing your report and what to watch for during the Conference. Feel free to edit it as you see fit. I suggest you print an outline of the key topics/ points of the report to help you take notes. Many more resources can be found on the BWC website.
- AC Overview – In previous years, a press release is posted on the website following Annual Conference, containing details about petitions that passed and other highlights from 2019 AC BUT this is not posted until AFTER the event.
Hope to see you at Annual Conference.
WASHINGTON EAST DISTRICT LAY SERVANT ACADEMY
Lay Servants are to serve the local church or charge in any way in which their witness or leadership and service inspires the laity to deeper commitment to Christ and more effective discipleship. This includes the interpretation of scriptures, doctrine, organization, and ministries of the church. While one doesn't have to be certified to serve, there are opportunities for those who feel called to become Certified Lay Servants, Certified Lay Speakers or Certified Lay Ministers. One of the strengths of our connectional system is the trainings we offer.
The classes offered may be taken by anyone: member of a congregation, local church leader, or lay servant. All class offerings except Introduction to Lay Servant Ministries: The Basic Course may be used as a re-certification class for Certified Lay Servants, Certified Lay Speakers and Certified Lay Ministers.
You may attend classes outside of your district, based on your own needs. We have opening in the following upcoming classes:
Conflict Resolution - Lay Servants Lead in Conflict Resolution
Instructor: Vernona Colbert, CLM
Location: Mt. Hope UMC, 145 Dalrymple Road, Sunderland, MD 20689
Dates and Times: Friday, June 7, 6:30-9:00 pm AND Saturday, June 8, 9 am-4:30 pm
Registration Deadline: Friday, May 24, 2019.
Prayer (Good Shepherd) - Leading Public Prayer (new course)
Instructor: Linda Flanagan, CLM
Location: Good Shepherd UMC, 305 E. Smallwood Dr., Waldorf, MD 20602
Dates and Times: Friday, Aug. 2, 6-9 p.m. AND Saturday, Aug. 3, 9 a.m.-4 pm
Registration Deadline: Friday, July 19, 2019
Course Fee: $35
FUND BALANCE REPORT ARE DUE JUNE 30th
The Committee on Finance is required to make provision for an annual audit of the records of all the financial officers (including the financial secretary or church business manager and treasurers) of the church and all its organizations and shall report to the Charge Conference. Guidelines for handling of an accountability of funds can be found in the 2017-2020 United Methodist Church Financial Records Handbook and in Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation: FINANCE
National Gun Violence Awareness Day - June 8th
Wear Orange - Edgewood Community Clean Up & Community Fair - 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Will you be one of the thousands of Americans joining together to recognize National Gun Violence Awareness Day this June? Orange has long been the color of gun violence prevention and on June 8th, residents, survivors, business owners, students, elected leaders, teachers, community leaders, parents and kids in Edgewood, MD will join together to honor victims and survivors of gun violence by working together as a community and wearing orange.
Cleanup - 10:00 am to Noon - Edgewater Village Park on Edgewater Drive
Community Fair - Noon to 2:00 PM - Edgewood Recreation and Community Center
Community Partners; Moms Demand Action; Edgewood Parks & Recreation; Harford County/Upper Chesapeake; Together We Will; Thompson Toyota; Voices for Racial Change; M.O.M.S. (Mothers of Murdered Sons and Daughters)
For more information, please contact Rev. Tiffany Patterson,
The Hispanic Youth Leadership Academy (HYLA)
In partnership with United Methodist colleges, universities, seminaries and the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) of the United Methodist Church (UMC) seeks to help high school youth and college young adults explore their call to ministry. Youth involved in HYLA gather each summer to consider issues such as Christian discipleship, vocational development, leadership in the church, college prep assistance, and a variety of other issues important to the continued development of Hispanic youth and young adults in The United Methodist Church.
Hispanic-Latinos in the BWC can still register for HYLA at Wesley Theological Seminary, July 1-5th, 2019.
http://hylaumc.com/special-dates-deadlines/
Register for the 57th Annual Early Childhood Educators Conference
This conference is an approved MSDE state wide conference. Participants can be awarded 6 Core of Knowledge training hours plus 2 Professional Activity Units. This conference will be held on Thursday, August 8, 2019 at La Plata United Methodist Church. The cost of the conference is $55 which will include lunch as well as vendors. This year’s theme is “Having a Shepherd’s Heart” based on Isaiah 40:11. The conference is sponsored and presented by the Directors Roundtable of the BWCUMC. You can find out more information at www.ececonference.org. To register go to https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=427295&
High School Students and Mentors Apply Today for the SLC
The Student Leadership Cohort (SLC) is the leadership development opportunity designed for high schoolers. They will be inspired, encouraged, and supported as they discover what God might be calling them to do, develop a plan for doing it, and implement it in their church, community and/or district. If you believe that young people are change makers and deserve all the tools and support we can provide, share this with a high schooler you know. The SLC is a series of retreats and mentoring conversations to deepen faith and gain critical tools for leadership and community building. The cohort will also provide a significant service opportunity for youth and youth groups during the ROCK weekend. Learn more and apply to be a mentor or cohort member here https://www.bwcumc.org/student-leader-cohort/
From Franchise to Local Dive: Multiplying Your Church by Discovering Your Contextual Flavor with Jason Moore
Join author, speaker and ministry coach Jason Moore for a workshop based on his new book of the same name. This event is designed to help you multiply your ministry by learning how to become the favorite hangout for your unique community. Learn more information and/or register here.
Choose the day and location that is most convenient for you (the same information is being presented at both sites):
Friday, November 8th 8:30 am - 3:30 pm BWC Mission Center, 11711 East Market Place, Fulton MD 20759
Saturday, November 9th 8:30 am - 3:30 pm Location TBD
Discipleship Systems: The 3D Journey with Rev. Dr. Quincy D. Brown
The mission of the church is about making disciples for the transformation of the world. How solid is your church’s plan for developing disciples? Do you have an expectation that every person in a position of leadership is rooted in the journey toward maturing as a disciple? To create a solid plan to reach that expectation there is work to do.
The 3D journey toward discipleship system building involves discerning, dreaming and developing. Each local faith community must start with defining what discipleship means in their context before they then can create a process and plan for developing disciples along the journey from living a life far from God to one centered in Christ. Learn more and register here.
Choose the day and location that is most convenient for you (the same information is being presented at both sites):
September 6, 2019 9:30 am – 3:30 pm BWC Mission Center, 11711 East Market Place, Fulton MD 20759
September 7, 2019 9:30 am – 3:30 pm TBD