Online Archives

BY ERIK ALSGAARD
UMCONNECTION STAFF

The conference center staff that serves the Baltimore-Washington Conference aligned their ministry many months ago with the Conference?s purpose to be like Christ and call, equip, send and support spiritual leaders to make disciples and grow 600 Acts 2 congregations by 2012.

This month, they?ll begin moving their offices and portfolios to reflect those changes.

'We are taking these steps to strengthen the relationship between our staff, our pastors and our congregations,' said Bishop John R. Schol, episcopal leader of the Baltimore-Washington Conference. The plans for the alignment with the conference?s goal of creating 600 Acts 2 churches by 2012 were detailed in a letter the bishop sent to conference leaders Sept. 18.

'It is all about relationship building and creating partnerships,' said the bishop. This ministry, called 'Discipleship Gbwc_superusere' ministry, is already in action.

Each pastor and congregation has been involved in Discipler groups since the summer. After a two-month time to re-evaluate and improve, the groups return this week.

In a Discipler group, from 10 to 12 pastors are coached by a gbwc_superusere in monthly group meetings. These sessions, along with regular one-on-one coaching sessions, seek to gbwc_superusere, encourage and support pastors in growing Acts 2 churches.

In addition, gbwc_superuseres will help organize and/or provide workshops and consultations for pastors and congregations as needed.

To accomplish this, the conference is organizing into four regional areas: Western (Cumberland-Hagerstown and Frederick districts), Baltimore (Harford, North and West districts), Washington Central (Washington-Columbia and West districts) and Annapolis Southern (Annapolis and Washington East).

'By organizing this way, we?ll be able to work more closely with our congregations and minister together as staff teams in regions,' said the Rev. Eugene Matthews, dean of the Cabinet and superintendent of the Baltimore West District.

Staffing each region will be district superintendents, program staff and administrative staff. District superintendents and program staff will comprise the Adventure Gbwc_superusere staff, which will focus most of their efforts on the ministry of coaching, equipping and planning ministry with pastors and congregations.

Adventure gbwc_superuseres will lead or participate in charge conferences, which began last month, provide feedback to the entire staff about church and clergy accomplishments, share needs and issues, all designed to track a church?s progress toward becoming an Acts 2 congregation (see sidebar).

All the while, apportionments are not rising for conference churches.

'We are committed to reducing the benevolence factor (the percentage of a congregation?s budget that goes to ministry and mission around the world), and have reduced this number each of the last two years,' said Martha Knight, director of finance and administration for the conference. 'This realignment will keep us on track to reduce the benevolence factor several more percentage points in the next four years.'

The nine superintendents and their districts do not disappear in this realignment, but for purposes of building Acts 2 churches, a team approach is needed which is best accomplished regionally.

There are numerous other people working at the conference center to support the Adventure gbwc_superuseres and their staffs. These people work to develop resources, facilitate communications and manage benefits and finance. More information on their realignment will be available soon.

A 'Frequently Asked Questions' document, along with the bishop?s full letter, is available at www.bwcumc.org.

SIDEBAR:
What is an Acts 2 church?
The Big, Holy Adventurous Goal of the Baltimore-Washington Conference is to grow 600 Acts 2 churches by 2012.

Acts 2 churches share these characteristics:

Spirit-filled ? awakened to God?s presence and living like Christ (Acts 2:1-4);

Spirit-led ? dependent on the gbwc_superuserance of the Holy Spirit to grow the body of Christ (Acts 2:14-22);

Practicing Christian community ? engaged in growing the congregation deeper, wider and further in a life that celebrates, connects, develops, serves and shares (Acts 2:41-47);

Bearing Acts 2 fruit ? transformed lives (Acts 2:47) through professions of faith (one new profession of faith per 25 worshipers each); transformed congregations (Acts 2:41) that grow worship attendance at least 2 percent each year; transformed believers (Acts 2:44-45) that see 90 percent of the worshipers engaged in ministry and mission that is transforming the world and community; and signs and wonders (Acts 2:43) that show transformation that is God-inspired and led.