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VOL. 15, NO. 6

NEWS

New conference center dedicated to be a saving station

BY MELISSA LAUBERUMCONNECTION STAFF

By what name shall this space be known? was the question posed by Bishop Felton Edwin May to the Rev. Douglas Logan at a consecration service Feb. 27.

It shall be called the Conference Center of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church, answered Logan, president of the conference board of trustees.

His words ended a 16-month sojourn for staff and employees that began with the discovery of toxic mold in the conferences Columbia headquarters. Since that time, the staff has worked at four different locations.

People from throughout the conference visited and toured the new conference center during an open house Feb. 27.

The new, 34,000 square-foot facility, leased from Corvis Corporation, is located at 7178 Columbia Gateway Drive. (A map and driving directions are available at www.bwcumc.org.)

In addition to the offices and cubicles for approximately 65 people, the new facility houses a prayer center, a resource center that provides audio and video tapes for local churches, several conference rooms for committee meetings, and a learning center that seats up to 400 people, in which worship and training opportunities are held.

In an effort to be good stewards, the conference leased the building with few major structural changes. The furniture was leased from Corvis for $1 a month, said Martha Knight, director of finance and administration.

While it may appear to be an office space, the new center is, in actuality, a Saving Station that provides healing and wholeness to those in need, Bishop May said during the service, attended by more than 80 people from throughout the conference.

With Gods presence, we will take the ordinary and make it holy, said the Rev. David Simpson at a worship service earlier in the day for staff and employees. Christ our Lord is present in our typing and writing and telephoning and copying and conferencing. This is holy ground. May Jesus Christ be praised.