Faithful Stewardship with Dr. Daryl Williams
The Rev. Daryl Williams is chair of the Baltimore-Washington Conference Council on Finance and Administration.
At the beginning of every year, I look back at the year that was in order to assess the year that was. As I look back at 2024, I am overwhelmed by what a tremendous year 2024 was for the Baltimore-Washington Conference. Reflecting on the blessings of 2024, I am filled with profound gratitude for the people of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church. Your extraordinary generosity has been a powerful testament to the transformative love of Christ and has equipped the Church to fulfill its mission in remarkable ways. On behalf of all those whose lives have been touched by your faithful giving; I offer heartfelt thanks.
This year, your generous financial contributions helped establish the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Episcopal Area. This significant milestone represents more than an administrative alignment; it embodies a bold vision for collaborative ministry, effective leadership, and a shared commitment to serve God’s people with excellence. Your willingness to continue to support the work of the Church through your mission share giving has laid a firm foundation for a vibrant and faith-filled community that will change lives at an even greater scale than before.
Your generosity also made possible the launch of the first year-long Fresh Expressions Academy, a groundbreaking initiative that has already begun to bear fruit. This academy brought together visionary leaders from 27 churches, empowering them to create innovative ministries that share the love of God in new ways with new people. This is truly a ministry that is changing lives now and setting the stage and model for future ministry that can transform whole communities. Your support through your mission share giving, enabled this vital work, ensuring that the light of Christ shines brightly in new and innovative ways of reaching those who are most in need of the Love of Christ.
Behind every ministry, every new initiative, and every life changed, stands your faithful financial support. Stewardship is not simply managing money well and being generous; it is an act of faith, and act of worship and the sacrifice of being obedient to the call of the Lord. Through your giving, you have proclaimed that we, as the people of God, have a commitment serving the Lord and also a commitment to helping and serving the people who God has put in our areas of ministry. In short, our stewardship and generosity are faith in action.
As we look toward 2025, I have great expectations and beliefs about who we will be as The Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church. I firmly believe that God has plenty for us to do. I believe that God will open doors to serve and give us new opportunities to change lives that are beyond our wildest imagination. I believe that the communities we serve will not be the same because of the work that we do. I believe that God will show us new and innovative ways to make a difference in our world. I believe that God will put us in extraordinary places to do extraordinary things. I also believe that the ability to do what God is asking of us is in our hands.
As we move into this new year, I want to thank you again for your faithful financial support. I want to thank you for all that you have done to keep our conference strong, prosperous and generous. I want to thank you for all that you do to change lives for the better, and I want to make a small request. I want to ask you to continue your commitment to great stewardship and generosity. I want to ask you to continue to support your local church and the conference through your giving. In short, I want to ask you to continue to be the people of the Baltimore-Washington Conference who generously give to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world