| Pentecost to be focus of annual conference BY MELISSA LAUBERUMCONNECTION STAFF  Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire: Relay the Faith will be the theme of the 220th annual session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference when it meets May 27-30 at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington.
One of the highlights of the conference, said event coordinators, will be the celebration of the ministry of Bishop Felton Edwin May and Phyllis May. Bishop May is scheduled to retire at the end of August. To honor the contributions he has made to the church, a banquet will be held Saturday, May 29, at the Renaissance Hotel, in the room across from where the plenary sessions are held. Great Is Thy Faithfulness is the theme of the evening. Another highlight of the conference will be the Sunday morning Service of Light and Life, May 30, which is Pentecost Sunday. The service, picking up the Relay the Faith theme, will pay tribute to conference members who have died in the past year, honor this years retirees for their ministry, invite the new ordinands to participate in serving communion, and confirm new members into the church. A wall of witnesses, made up of photographs and faith statements from this years confirmands, will encircle the worship space. The Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire: Relay the Faith theme will be incorporated throughout the Pentecost weekend, said the Rev. Vivian McCarthy who is coordinating the worship experiences at annual conference. Ordination this year will be on Thursday evening, May 27, at the National Cathedral in Georgetown. This is a change from previous years when ordination was held on Friday. Bishop May will preach. Because the conference is being held Memorial Day weekend, when the new World War II monument is scheduled to be dedicated on the Mall in Washington, hotel rooms are at a premium. Anyone who needs a room is encouraged to make reservations as soon as possible, and people are being encouraged to have a roommate. Available parking spaces are also expected to be sparse. To address this issue, the conference is providing six chartered buses to take members to annual conference. The $30 fee for the bus costs less than two nights of parking at the Renaissance garage. In addition, members will be credentialed on the bus so they will not have to wait in line when they arrive at the hotel. A box lunch will be provided on the return trip. At registration this year, lay and clergy members will be encouraged to get their photographs taken for a new conference pictorial directory. The photographs will be taken by Olan Mills photographers. No sales pitch will accompany the photo sessions, which will be held at set times May 27-29. Those who have their pictures taken will each receive a free directory and an 8 by 10 copy of their photo. Participation is being strongly encouraged for both laity and clergy. A number of issues that enable the ongoing mission and ministry of the conference will be addressed by members at the annual conference session. Annual Conference report booklets, detailing the work and recommendations of conference boards, councils and committees, will be distributed at pre-conference briefings held at various locations around the conference April 17 and April 24. That schedule may be found on | 
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