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BY ROD MILLER
SPECIAL TO THE UMCONNECTION

At the upcoming session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, members of newly forming and re-forming conference boards and agencies will be elected.

As the new conference organizational structure unfolds, people who serve on conference boards, commissions and committees will be finding themselves confronting new questions and priorities.

As the conference focuses on its mission to grow 600 Acts 2 congregations, the questions in front of every person on every leadership body are:
? How will we help our congregations meet this goal?
? How can we contribute to the momentum of Acts 2, disciple-making churches that are Spirit-led and Spirit-filled, as they experience authentic Christian community and exhibit Acts 2 fruits?

Only disciples make other disciples. Disciple-making churches begin with disciple-making leaders who have demonstrated faith through their words and actions. Leaders such as these are described as having the 'faith, fire and fruits' to help them be and make disciples. People with these qualities are being asked to serve among the organized leadership of our conference.

Each of our boards and agencies has a role to play in helping create an infrastructure that invites discipleship. All five areas of discipleship - worship, fellowship, study, service and faith-sharing - are represented in our total organization.

Providing resources for our congregations in these five distinct, yet interrelated, areas is vital to moving us forward. We have what we need to reach our goals as a conference. How can we creatively and deliberately draw out and share what we are learning and experiencing to move forward together?

Clergy and laity serving on conference boards and agencies are being invited to embody team processes and a mutual approach that reaches the people in our congregations and in our communities.

Prayerfully thinking and working out the ministry of each leadership group is an important next step. As a part of any group?s plan, teams can be established to focus on specific, defined ministry needs, all the while keeping their eyes fixed on resourcing congregations to fulfill our Acts 2 mission.

This year we will elect leaders for the 2007-2008 conference year. At next year?s session, we will elect leaders to serve for 2008-2012. This is a creative time and a growing season in the life of our conference. Let us see together what God can grow in and through us.

The report of the Nominations Committee can be found at www.bwcumc.org.