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

  • As part of the Know Your Neighbor, Love Your Neighbor series, Severna Park UMC is hosting a presentation on Neurodiversity on Sunday, Jan. 26. Session 1, led by Cheryl Farquhar, will take place at 9:15 a.m. in the parlor. Session 2, featuring a presenter from The Autism Society of Maryland and a panel discussion, will begin at 12:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Lunch will be served at noon.   Learn more.

  • Taylorsville UMC, 4356 Ridge Road, Mt. Airy will host Praise Jam Mic Nights on Feb. 1, March 1, and April 5 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.  Come share any talent you have, including vocals, instruments, jokes, skits, and more.

  • Earth and Heaven Sing! On Feb. 22, Silver Spring UMC, in partnership with GIA Publications, Inc., will host an informance for musicians and church music lovers of every age and experience. The featured music, "Earth and Heaven Sing!," includes spirituals and gospel music that focuses on shared liberation. Registration, which is $25, includes the excitement of singing in a large group of enthusiastic people, a hymnal and six octavos, and the shared choral expertise of James Abbington and Uzee Brown, Jr. Learn more and register.

  • A panel discussion on male mental health, Burdens Men Carry, will be at Eastport UMC in Annapolis on Feb. 23, at 4 pm. Three panel speakers, an experienced therapist and two award-winning mental health advocates, will explore the stigma against male openness and vulnerability and the possibilities of a positive path forward. Free pizza and refreshments after the Q&A. Learn more.

  • A worship service for the World Day of Prayer will be held March 7 at noon at St Matthews UMC in Bowie.  This year’s prayer focus will be for the people in the Cook Islands.  The theme is “I made you wonderful.” All are invited to the one-hour prayer service or to join on Facebook at the church website at 7 p.m.

  • 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

Feb. 2 is Disability Awareness Sunday in the Baltimore-Washington Conference. Churches are encouraged to center their worship around disabilities awareness and invite people with disabilities to help lead worship. The Conference Disability Commission offers additional information. See a list of resources for Disability Awareness Sunday.

The BWC’s 2025 Maryland Legislative Advocacy Day will be Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Asbury UMC in Annapolis. The event is an opportunity for United Methodists to meet their representatives and advocate for United Methodist values. Learn more and register.

Mustard Seed Grants: United Methodist churches in the U.S. can help immigrants, migrants and refugees living in their local communities. UMCOR’s Mustard Seed Migration Grant program provides congregations with up to $2,000 for a one-time, community-based service project. The application process is open and up to 100 churches will be awarded a grant. Learn more.

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.

Camping Sunday is Feb. 9: Last summer, more than 1,300 campers participated in the BWC's summer camp programs led by nearly 200 volunteers and 75 part-time/seasonal staff.  Get your family and your church ready to join the fun this summer:

  • Celebrate Camping Sunday on Feb. 9. See a worship liturgy for your church.
  • Keep your eye out for summer camp brochures in the mail right now.
  • Mark your calendar for the start of camp registration:
    • Feb. 5 at 9 a.m. for overnight camps and
    • Feb. 17 at 9 a.m. for day camps

College scholarships available: The denomination's Higher Education and Ministry scholarship application portal is open for United Methodist students seeking scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study. Scholarships range from $500 to $1,200. The deadline to apply is Monday, March 31. Learn more and apply. The Baltimore-Washingotn Conference is also offering college scholarships. Learn more about the requirements and application process.

Leadership

The Courage to Lead Retreat for Young Leaders & Activists will be held Feb. 27 - March 1, at Wellspring Retreat Center in Germantown. Young leaders and activists (ages 20-40) are invited to an intentionally-established space to slow down and do your own inner work in the company of peers and kindred spirits. This three-day retreat in a restorative setting will support courageous change makers in connecting with what sustains you in your life and leadership, while growing in understanding of how your unique gifts can meet the needs of your communities. Led by the Rev. Kara Scroggins and Tara Reynolds, with generous support from the BWC Missional Innovation Grants, the framework for this retreat is from the writings and resources of Parker J. Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal. With deep gratitude for the Missional Innovation Grants, we are able to offer this retreat at a reduced fee of $150 for lodging and all meals, with a limited number of full scholarships available if needed. Learn more and register here before Jan. 31.

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.