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BY MELISSA LAUBER
UMCONNECTION STAFF

Who are we and what is God calling us to be? In a process led by the Discipleship Council, members of the Baltimore-Washington Conference will be gathering around tables over the coming month to deeply examine those two questions as they set a vision for the year 2020.

In 2005, conference members went through a similar process, and what emerged, said the Rev. David Argo, conference director of connectional ministries, was “the understanding of a deep desire to be as vital and vibrant as the early church.”

A culture to create modern Acts 2 churches, along with the Discipleship Adventure to equip congregations to participate in the same activities as the early church, and ways of measuring was adopted by the conference.

Since 2005, conference leaders reported, 408 churches have met the goals in worship attendance, professions of faith, connectional giving and missional engagement that classify them as Acts 2 churches.

Focusing on and measuring these goals has created a sense of vitality throughout the conference, said Bishop John Schol.

In a recent Call to Action study, which measured the vitality of 33,467 United Methodist churches in the United States and considered more than 25 million data points, 4,900 churches were considered highly vital. “That’s 15 percent of our churches,” the bishop said.

But in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, the Call to Action study showed, 20 percent of the congregations were considered highly vital.

Nationwide, of all the conferences in the U.S., the BWC has the seventh highest percentage of vital congregations. Among those at the top, most are like the BWC – highly focused on goals, using metrics to encourage accountability and challenging people to move forward, the bishop said.

“This is good news,” said Schol. "Twenty percent is a great start. We can build on that and grow as we move into the future.”

To determine how to build on the Acts 2 foundation in the future, the four regions are meeting for 12 listening day events to consider the questions: “What is your hope for your community? What have you learned about disciple-making so far? And, what hope does your congregation have for disciple-making in the future?”

More than 50 people attended the Western Region listening session at Asbury UMC in Shepherdstown, W.Va., Oct. 20.

Their thoughts about the church and its future varied significantly, but most focused on ideas related to developing deeper, more meaningful relationships with the community.

Vernon Hunter, a lay person from Asbury UMC, is concerned about how the church will reach out to children and youth whose priorities, like sporting and other events, pull them away from church on Sunday. Paul Rosario, a lay speaker from Asbury, hopes the church will find more effective ways to authentically speak to and welcome the non- and nominally-religious. The Rev. Jo Anne Alexander of Oakland UMC in Charles Town has a vision of churches working together ecumenically as the body of Christ to meet the needs of the marginalized in the community.

Others spoke of the need for the church to offer a prophetic voice, both on political and other issues; and still others wished the church would simplify and focus on what is truly important.

The comments from these listening days are being recorded and will be used to set the 2020 vision and goals for the Baltimore-Washington Conference.

“What we’re doing is encouraging us to take the next courageous step toward who God is calling us to be,” said Schol. “It’s a step into the kingdom of God. If we take that next step for God, we know God is going to bless it.”