Online Archives

Scholarships awarded in Yeakel's honor

COLUMBIA - The Baltimore-Washington Conference has provided endowed scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year to two students at Africa University in Zimbabwe, in honor of Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel.

Cecilia Domingos is from Angola and is in her first year at the United Methodist university. Luis A. Dias dos Santos is also Angolan and is in his third year studying with the humanities faculty.

This academic year Africa University has an enrollment of 1,100; 51 percent are women and 39 percent from a country outside of Zimbabwe. The university has continued to operate throughout the political and economic crises in the country "without any interference from the Zimbabwean government," said Elaine Jenkins, Director of Planned Giving.

Breakfast and care served at Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON, D.C. - It's freezing cold and the sun has barely risen when Rob Farley, a congregant at Capitol Hill UMC, arrives at the church. Waiting for him are the homeless men and women who have come for breakfast.

Farley has spent almost every morning for a year providing breakfast, a clean bathroom and a group prayer to his dozen constituents, people who spent the night sleeping on the streets, or on the church steps, or wandering in nearby Union Station.

Capitol Hill has reached out to homeless people for many years, allowing them to sleep under its overhang, serving weekly meals and welcoming them in worship, but the breakfast began about a year ago when Farley committed himself to end his daily jog at the church in order to arouse the sleepers and get them on their way before the police came.

But after a while, something happened: "God happened or something like that," reported Michelle Boorstein of the Washington Post.

Someone asked for a cup of coffee and Farley responded. Then someone brought some pork and beans to share. It grew from there, so that today Farley and other volunteers make breakfast, read a short Scripture, say grace and serve the food around a table. The menu also includes stories of their lives.

At 9:30, Farley starts moving the people out the door. "See you tomorrow," says one regular.

Youth ministry grows in troubled community

LAUREL - The small St. Mark's UMC is seeing significant growth in its youth and young adult ministries as the Rev. Robbie Morganfield reaches out to the ofttimes troubled community.

Following a strong reaction from the black community toward police violence last fall, he organized a prayer service, personally inviting public officials and police officers as well as the citizens of the community. There was a huge turnout that concluded with small groups of police and citizens holding hands and praying for one another.

Recently, there was another big turnout at the funeral of a young man stabbed in the community. As the service ended many youth and young adults gave their lives to Christ, reported the Rev. Chris Holmes, superintendent of the Annapolis District.

The youth are continuing a relationship with Morganfield and the church, which is seeking funding to open an off-site center to better serve them.

Church returns to its building

ABERDEEN - When Grace UMC took in the members of Union UMC in July after their building was condemned because the bell tower threatened to collapse, it was an act of compassion for a suffering neighbor.

Union's members had been for nearly a year "wandering like the Israelites in the wilderness," said the Rev. Granderson Jones Jr.

They missed their historic building, the site of many black community organizations' efforts and before de-segregation of schools' graduations.

They were grateful for the covenant agreement with Grace UMC, which provided Union with worship and meeting space, bringing the flock back together in one place.

The arrangement "worked well for everyone," said the Rev. Robert Clipp, pastor of Grace.

A task force formed in July 2009, began the arduous task of raising funds for the restoration of the tower. Their job was completed to the satisfaction of the safety codes and the congregation moved back "home" as the New Year began.

"There's still much to be done," Jones said.