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BY ERIK ALSGAARD
UMCONNECTION STAFF

Bishop John R. Schol of the Baltimore-Washington Conference is encouraging and inviting local churches to participate in the upcoming Franklin Graham Festival, to be held July 7-9, at Oriole Park in Camden Yards.

The bishop, who serves on the planning team for the event, sees this weekend as one way for local churches to take the Discipleship Adventure deeper.

'Disciples of Jesus Christ share their faith with other people and invite them to join the Discipleship Adventure,' Bishop Schol said. 'Here is a tailor-made opportunity for United Methodist disciples to do just that.'

The festival, which features the Rev. Billy Graham?s son, Franklin Graham, is more than just a weekend to bring people to Jesus Christ, the bishop said. It is also about developing leaders.

'A Franklin Graham Festival has been designed so that the focus is on the local church,' the bishop said. 'Without the involvement of local church leaders, many of the fruits of the festival won?t be realized.'

According to festival organizers, each church should optimally recruit and form a Festival Leadership Team. This team addresses the various elements of the festival, from youth and children?s areas, to counseling and follow-up ministries.

Training for the team is provided by the festival organizers. One such training event will be held Thursday, March 2, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at Bel Air UMC, 21 Linwood Ave., in Bel Air. The church?s pastor is the Rev. Barry Hidey.

'Forming this team is crucial to the success of the festival,' he said. 'The goal is to mobilize as many people as possible to enable them to hear the message that Jesus Christ is Lord.'

Festival Leaders Rally

The rally is for pastors and congregational leaders to be informed and trained to lead their church up to and through the festival. In addition to the March 2 training at Bel Air UMC (see story), other rallies are:

• Monday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m., Bethel Baptist Church, 4261 Montgomery Road, Ellicott City.
• Tuesday, Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m., Central Presbyterian Church, 7308 York Road, Baltimore.
• Saturday, March 4, 10 a.m., Evangel Cathedral Church of God, 7000A Rossville Blvd., Baltimore.
• Monday, March 6, 7:30 p.m., Genesis Bible Fellowship, 6010 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore.
• Tuesday, March 7, 7:30 p.m., Mount Pleasant Church and Ministries, 6000 Radecke Ave., Baltimore.
• Thursday, March 9, 7:30 p.m., Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 27015 Ridge Road, Damascus.

For more information, visit www.billygraham.org, or call (410) 536-9720.