| New church rises from ashes  SHADY SIDE Its been two-and-a-half years since a Palm Sunday fire destroyed Centenary UMC. Since that time the congregation has met at Oakland UMC in West River and watched a new building rising from the ashes. We pray well be able to worship (in the new building) on Palm Sunday or Easter, the Rev. Karen Gould told the Annapolis Capital newspaper. The new building will be about 10,000 square feet, twice as big as the older structure. It will feature a sanctuary that will seat about 145 people, four classrooms, a fellowship hall, offices and a new kitchen. The churchs original bell, cast in 1875 by McShane Bell Foundry of Glen Burnie, was burned beyond use, but the congregation recently found a church in Pennsylvania looking for a buyer for their McShane Bell, cast in 1871. Members of the congregation have made 2,380 funnel cakes to sell as a fundraiser, said Camille Vogt, the finance chairperson. Zimbabwe partnership celebrated  GAITHERSBURG Several hundred people gathered at Epworth UMC on Christ the King Sunday, Nov. 24, to celebrate the Washington West Districts covenant partnership with Zimbabwe. We renew our partnership between two districts of the world church, Washington West District and Mutare District of the Zimbabwe Conference, said the district superintendent, the Rev. Marcus Matthews. The Rev. Christopher Holmes from Community UMC in Crofton delivered the message. You cant go to Zimbabwe and not be affected by the devastation of AIDS, he said. We (16 church members) went to Zimbabwe to put a roof on a building but God did so much more, said Holmes as he told of the formation of the five orphan trusts that keep 6,000 children fed and in school. Over $2,700 was contributed at the event to add to more than $80,000 for the partnership in Zimbabwe. Methodist Civil War cemetery restored POOLESVILLE Memorial UMC is paying close attention to an old Methodist Church building and cemetery on West Willard Road. The Montgomery County Historical Preservation Commission has begun restoration of the old cemetery on the grounds of the original Methodist church that continues serving the community as a thrift shop. The building and cemetery date back to 1826, according to the Western Montgomery Bulletin. Tom Dillingham, historian at Memorial UMC, said that the old building was the forerunner of Memorial, which was relocated to an area a few blocks away. Some of the burial headstones and markers that were removed decades ago have been found and are being cleaned and returned to the Civil War cemetery. During the Civil War, the building and cemetery area served as a Union signal post, telegraph office, hospital and burial ground for both Union and Confederate soldiers. About 30 of the 60-80 graves are believed to be soldiers, mainly privates who died in the Civil War. MFSA plans strategy for future SCAGGSVILLE Kathryn Johnson, a member of Dumbarton UMC and executive director of the national Methodist Federation of Social Action, addressed a small group at Emmanuel UMC Nov. 8. Over a potluck meal, the group brainstormed and strategized about several issues, including the election of delegates to General and Jurisdictional conferences next year, and the United Methodist response to the war in Iraq, said the Rev. Stephanie Vader, president of the local MFSA chapter. The group is recruiting people who may want to attend Voices of Faith, a gathering of progressive Christians, co-sponsored by MFSA that will take place in Atlanta, April 25-26, 2003. It is expected to be a time of renewal and reenergizing about what we envision for the church, Vader said. | 
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