Discipleship Opportunities

The Baltimore-Washington Conference offers a number of opportunities for learning and growing in faith and discipleship. Scroll down this list of some of the offerings to put your faith into action.

Local Church EventS

  • Grace UMC’s  Creative Arts and Music Ministry in Fort Washington will hold a Christmas Jubilee concert on Dec. 14 at 2 p.m.
  • Marvin Chapel UMC in Martinsburg will hold its Christmas Open House on Dec. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. The event will feature a live nativity scene, rock painting, and cookies and hot chocolate.
  • The Timonium-Phoenix Cooperative Parish will have a Longest Night Service on Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. at Timonium UMC’s Pyke Chapel at 2300 Pot Spring Road. During this time of holiday cheer, those who are faced with emotional and spiritual challenges often need an alternate way of approaching the Light that's coming into the world. All are welcome.
  • Glen Mar UMC in Ellicott City will hold a Longest Night Service on Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. This peaceful, contemplative service of candlelight, music and hope is for anyone who is having a hard time singing "Joy to the World" this year.  All are welcome. 
  • Benevola UMC in Boonsboro will hold a drive-thru live nativity on Dec. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m.  The event is free, a gift bag will be offered to each vehicle.
  • Deer Creek UMC at Forest Hill in northern Harford County will hold a Blue Christmas Service of Hope and Light on Dec. 22 at 3 p.m.
  • The Cantata Choir of Glen Mar UMC in Ellicott City will present Love! A Gospel Christmas Celebration by Joel Raney at the 9:30 and 11 a.m. worship services on Dec. 22. This gospel-flavored musical tells the Christmas story through scriptural narration and familiar carols set in a variety of styles ranging from jazz to gospel to calypso.

  • The Heart2Heart Cancer Care Ministry of Macedonia UMC and the Christopher Gipson Sickle Cell Moya-Moya Foundation are sponsoring a blood drive with the Red Cross on Jan. 4, from 9 a.m. to  2 p.m. at Nichols Bethel UMC. In Odenton. 

  • Spring UMC will host a choral workshop on Feb. 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., titled Earth and Heaven Sing with Dr. James Abbington. During the workshop, Abbington will present the "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism: An African American Ecumenical Hymnal" along with 6six octavo scores of choral music by African American composers. 
  • Want to learn how to play a band instrument? Want to dust off your old clarinet or horn and play with a group of folks who are doing the same thing?! The Timonium-Phoenix Cooperative Parish at Timonium UMC, in partnership with Towson University, is offering a new outreach program: Band Camp for Adults ages 50+. The camp will be held  June 16-27, from 10 a.m. to noon.
Across the Connection

The 241st session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference will be held Tuesday through Thursday, May 13-15, 2025, at the Hilton Hotel in Baltimore. Registration for the conference is expected to open in mid-February. 
Resolutions to be considered at the 2025 session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference are due Feb. 14 to Kevin Silberzahn, the BWC Secretary. Learn more.

Advocacy and action

The next cohort of A Diverse Church by Design will start on Jan. 18, 2025, at 9 a.m. This proven online program is a biblically-based experimental approach to diversity and inclusion that develops ways to create God's Beloved Community where justice, equal opportunity, and love can embrace all. Learn more. Register by Dec. 31.

Green Team Initiative Sign-Up: The Baltimore-Washington Creation Care is launching a Church Green Team Initiative — a new effort aimed at promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship within church communities. All interested congregations are invited to sign up. Meeting dates and other ways to be involved will be emailed to those who sign up. To learn more about the initiative, visit the BWC Creation Care Website. For more information, contact Sharee Wharton.

Wellness and Missions

If you want to learn how the 12 steps of recovery, the Bible, and even the theology of John Wesley can be studied together, you’ll want to join a new small group opportunity beginning Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. The year-long Recovery Bible Study is being led by Deaconesses Kathy Loomis, the author of the curriculum, and Colleen Moskov. The 75-minute, bi-weekly confidential study is open to everyone. Learn more. To express interest in joining, contact Loomis at  .

Young People's Ministry

 IGNITE is a new life-changing experience for youth, coming in March 7-9 to Ocean City. Learn more and register.

New Faith Expressions

It’s Statistical Report Season. On Dec. 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m., there will be a Training Tuesday session to help local church leaders better navigate the AC Stats system. Whether you’re new to the system or want to learn about some of the updates and best practices, you can ensure a smooth reporting experience by taking this webinar with Dave Schoeller and John Gauthier. Register.

Leadership

The BWC Hispanic-Latino Ministries Committee invites you to join them for a plenary meeting on Dec. 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. via Zoom. Together, we will learn more about the conference's restructuring plan and explore how we can mobilize to support and meet the needs of our immigrant siblings. Register.

El Comité de Ministerios Hispano-Latinos lo invita a unirsenos para nuestra reunión plenaria el 14 de diciembre, de 9 a.m. a 1 p.m. por Zoom. Juntos, aprenderemos más sobre el plan de reestructuración de la conferencia y exploraremos cómo podemos movilizarnos para apoyar y cumplir las necesidades de nuestros hermanxs inmigrantes. Regístrese aquí para asistir.

A new Certificate in Congregational Leadership (CCL) program uses online learning to provide a comprehensive approach to developing leadership excellence in the local church. It is designed to accommodate the busy schedules of bi-vocational pastors, Certified Lay Ministers, and others interested in growing in their knowledge and faith. The courses, which take about 10 hours of work, can be taken for either personal enrichment or certification. Participants seeking certification must take the four required courses and at least one elective.  The courses focus on church administration, sacraments, pastoral care, Wesleyan theology, time management, and United Methodist history and doctrine. To access the core courses, you will need an account in  Assembly, the conference's electronic learning platform. If you do not have one, you can register directly on the site.