Online Archives

BY MELISSA LAUBER
UMCONNECTION STAFF

The 222nd Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference, May 25-27, will move the conference toward its vision and mission of growing spiritual leaders to make disciples and lead Acts 2 congregations. Clergy and laity from 692 congregations will gather at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore, under the theme, 'Connecting Through Christ.'

'The Path Forward' for the conference will be presented by the Commission on Planning, Research and Evaluation. The plan seeks to resource congregations to fully participate in the Discipleship Adventure - a holistic inward faith journey of celebration, connection and development, and an outward faith movement of service and faith-sharing.

The goals of the plan include increased confessions of faith, worship attendance and giving by 2010 and, by 2012, ensuring that at least 600 churches are Acts 2 congregations.

According to Bishop John R. Schol, Acts 2 congregations are filled with and led by the Holy Spirit, carry out the life of Jesus, engage people in the entire Discipleship Adventure, and bear Acts 2 fruits. These fruits include new confessions of faith, worship attendance growth, engagement in community and world mission, and signs and wonders of God?s activity.

The plan calls for aligning the conference?s boards, committees and councils with the vision, mission, strategies and Discipline. The restructuring is designed to decentralize decision-making and reduce administrative barriers, while creating a team-based approach to providing resources to local churches.

The conference?s boards, committees and commissions will be organized around their function and desired outcomes. They will be centered on a Discipleship Area, which will call, equip, send and support spiritual leaders to make disciples and lead Acts 2 congregations; and a Stewardship Area, which will develop, organize and manage the conference?s financial, property, communication and personnel resources.

A Connectional Table, which will meet twice a year, will align all ministries with the conference?s vision and account for fruits. It will be made up of all elected people of the conference, working team members, district superintendents and conference program and senior administrative staff. The bishop and conference lay leader will co-chair the Connectional Table.

A Discipleship Council will evaluate progress, develop strategy, direct resources and set policies that will enable the conference to meet its 2010 and 2012 goals. Its members, who will meet every other month, will include the conference lay leader and 11 other people elected by the conference, along with the bishop and three other conference officers.

People will be asked to serve on these groups based on their conviction (faith), calling (fire), and accomplishments (fruits) in relation to the Discipleship Adventure. In addition to congregational fruits, fruits are being set for the conference as well. The fruits to be achieved by 2010 include:

? Increase by 1 percent the combined congregations? confessions of faith and worship attendance;
? Increase by 4 percent the amount of apportionments paid in 2006;
? Engage 90 percent of worshipers in ministry;
? Decrease the benevolence factor to 21 percent;
? Increase giving by 4 percent a year;
? Increase the number of congregations giving 100 percent of their apportionment to 90 percent.

The Path Forward plan also includes a 10-point strategy of specific resources to equip and engage spiritual leaders and congregations as they move forward in the Discipleship Adventure.

In other action at the annual conference session, the 890 lay and 1,040 clergy members of the Baltimore-Washington Conference will consider several recommendations from the Board of Pensions and Health Benefits and the adoption of a $30.2 million annual budget.

Annual conference members will also hear a report from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Dialogue Team. The team was created as a result of a mandate from last year?s annual conference, which called upon the bishop to appoint a team to develop and organize a series of dialogues during the 2005-2008 quadrennium on LGBT orientation within each district and provide resources to each local church for discussion.

Based on their experiences together, the team, made up of nine people who hold a variety of diverse opinions, developed 'a meaningful process' that will be shared in a report and in a brochure, said the Rev. Karin Walker, the group?s convener.

The church?s response to homosexuality will also be addressed in a resolution submitted by 12 area churches that deals with a decision of the denomination?s Judicial Council.

The conference agenda will also include ordination, a memorial service, a celebration of the 50th anniversary for full clergy rights for women, recognition of Volunteers in Mission, resources and ideas for developing stronger connections in congregations, Bible study and worship.

MAKE THE CONNECTION
Annual conference members and others will have an opportunity to participate in hands-on ministry at Volunteers in Mission sites at churches in Baltimore Wednesday, May 24, the day before the conference begins. For more information, contact Sandra Ferguson at (410) 309-431.