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One year ago the Baltimore-Washington Conference held a press conference and prayer service at John Wesley UMC in Baltimore to address the rising number of murders and violent crimes in the city.

As of the first week of December 2007, there had been 268 murders in the city. On that Friday in December, several hundred people gathered at the church, and several family members shared stories of the lasting impact of the death of their loved ones on them and their remaining family.

Bishop John R. Schol shared the church's vision and commitment to offering hope and shalom in communities across the city. Specifically, he said that in 2008, as a part of Hope for the City, the church's strategic plan for ministry in Baltimore, the conference was committed to a five-point action plan for addressing the murders in the city in which we would:

1. Start at least seven Communities of Shalom;

2. Provide a free camping experience at one of the United Methodist camp sites for any youth affected by the murder of a family member;

3. Provide grief counseling for people affected by murder;

4. Work with police and community leaders to institute a gun turn-in program;

5. Pray for people, institutions and churches in each of the city's neighborhoods.

This year, as of Dec. 1, there were 216 murders in Baltimore. While this decline may be a sign of hope, November proved to statistically be one of the deadliest months in the city, pointing to the significant challenge that continues to confront Baltimore.

In April, one of these 216 murders occurred in West Baltimore, down the street from Unity UMC. while a funeral was being conducted in the church. That murder was apparently in retaliation for the murder that had occurred just a few days earlier, of the person being memorialized at the church.

Each of the 216 people counted on the rolls of the dead in the city so far this year represent the sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts of many people. Each of these murders, like those of the three individuals at whose murder sites we prayed last year, represent lost hopes and dreams, lost potential, promise and possibility.

In 2008, we in the Baltimore-Washington Conference have sought to follow through on the commitments we made last December. This year seven new Communities of Shalom, involving nine congregations, have been commissioned and have begun to implement their action plans for ministry; several people continue to receive grief counseling through Hope Counseling Services; and 46 children and youth affected by death and violence against a family member attended camp this past summer.

One compelling story is that three of the people who attended West River Camp were connected to Unity UMC. The grandmother and her two grandchildren had recently lost their son and father to murder, and she shared of experiencing a bit of healing and hope in the few days afforded them to be away from the violent reminders incumbent in their West Baltimore community.

In 2009, we are committed to strengthening each of these ministries with specific plans to start at least three new Communities of Shalom and to offer camping opportunities for at least 100 city youth next summer. Signs of hope can be found in the ministry that each of us can offer to those who are hurting among us.

The Rev. C. Anthony Hunt is superintendent of the Baltimore Metropolitan District. Read more about Hope for the City on his blog at http://newurbanministry.blogspot.com