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As many as 4 million people are expected to visit Washington, D.C., during the inaugural weekend to witness Barack Obama being sworn in as this nation's 44th president Jan. 20.

United Methodists throughout the Baltimore-Washington Conference are encouraged to mark the occasion by offering hospitality and ushering in a new spirit of community service.

This nonpartisan effort, laid out in the Web site www.bethechangeyouwanttosee.org, calls upon churches to open their doors to the public, offering a quiet place for prayer and refreshments.

Those with the appropriate facilities may also wish to host out-of-town guests overnight. Others are invited to partner with hosting churches to provide meals and other amenities.

Churches are encouraged to offer a broad array of ministries of mercy and service to the community and to hold workshops on social justice and other issues.

In addition, on Sunday, Jan. 18, pastors are encouraged to celebrate the birthday of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with prayers for our nation and new president during worship.

An online survey, at www.bethechangeyouwanttosee.org is currently gathering information about the plans of individual churches. This information will be posted on the Web site.