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More than 1,700 United Methodists from 646 area churches gathered May 29-31 to sow seeds of worship, learning, mission, stewardship and holy conferencing in their continuing efforts to grow disciples for the transformation of the world.

The 229th Session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, which was held at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore, was part family reunion and part business meeting, classroom and revival. It was the led by Bishop Marcus Matthews, who once served as a pastor, district superintendent and Council of Ministries director in the conference and returned last September as its episcopal leader.

Processing with the crosier, Matthews shepherded in the participants of the opening worship, which laid the foundation of the theme of the session: "Sowing the Seed / Be Light."

During the service, he preached, challenging the church to respond to this moment in history. It's "Holy Ghost seed-sowing time, and God want us to be a field of good soil," Matthews said.

The bishop asked churches to do three things in the coming year: become prayer stations, bring at least one person to Christ and adopt a public school in its zip code.

"Let us say, "yes," to being a Conference that is cultivated on fertile ground, the bishop declared. “And let us say, "yes," to producing the rich soil in which disciples will be made who will turn the world right side up for Jesus Christ; today, tomorrow, and always.” (For more on his sermon, see page 5.)

Growth in churches, discipleship

As part of producing this rich soil, conference members learned about seven new faith communities being created and consecrated the leadership teams starting these new churches.

The new faith communities represent the diversity of the conference, said the Rev. Andy Lunt, chair of the BWC's Vibrant Communities. Five are multi-cultural in vision and mission, two seek to serve the growing Korean population, two grow out of largely African-American congregations, two spring from Anglo congregations and one is multicultural from the outset, Lunt said. (See the story on page 3.)

"This is wonderful!" Bishop Matthews told the leaders of these new communities who came forward on the stage. "This is a marvelous advancement of God's Kingdom. I praise God for all who have played a part in creating these new faith communities and for the hope they represent for our future," Bishop Matthews said.

Members also celebrated additions to God's Kingdom during the opening worship service, when, as an offering, the names of 2,341 people brought to Christ during the last year were lifted up.

On the colorful cards were written the names of new disciples. Pamela Johnson, of West Montgomery UMC, lifted up Bonnie McCoy, a dear friend who recently died of cancer. During McCoy's last months, Johnson prayed for her. "Five days before she passed," Johnson wrote on the offering card, "she told me she believed in God and was ready to go to heaven. It warmed my heart to know she gave her life to Christ before she died. Thanks be to God."

Holy Conferencing on budget, resolutions

During the session, members practiced the United Methodist discipline of holy conferencing, which invites people to participate in conversation and debate treating each other as beloved children of God and inviting the Holy Spirit to move as part of the discussion.

During the plenary session May 30, the members, in an unprecedented unanimous vote, adopted a $16.8 million budget for 2014. The approved budget represents a 1.6 percent decrease in spending from 2013 and a 7 percent decrease from the 2012 budget. (See story page 3.)

The benevolence factor for local churches remains steady at 17.75 percent. In its planning, CFA is counting on the collection rate for apportionments rising from 91.5 percent in 2013 to 92.5 percent in 2014.

Members also voted on five resolutions related to the rules. Among the outcomes, they created a conference personnel committee, which will take over the task of equipping the human resources department from the episcopacy committee; and voted not to elect delegates to the 2016 General Conference a year earlier than usual, as they were given permission by the denomination to do.

Members also considered a number of social justice related resolutions. Members voted to support advocacy efforts to end gun violence, endorse efforts to provide earned sick leave to all workers, and to work to end bullying.

Following a significant debate, the conference also voted on a resolution on scientific thinking. Opponents of the resolution, like the Rev. George Harpold, questioned "if science and evolution is trying to make a lie out of creation." Proponents, like the resolution's presenter, the Rev. Maynard Moore, celebrated the possibilities that arise in an ongoing conversation between faith and science. In a 447 to 286 vote, the resolution passed.

Church leaders affirmed

Through the conference, a number of leaders came forward to be recognized. During the district superintendents' report, appointments for 117 pastors were announced. (www.bwcumc/appointments.) Included in these appointments are five new members of the Cabinet. One of them, the Rev. J.W. Park, the incoming superintendent of the Central Maryland District, will serve during the next two years as dean of the Cabinet, Bishop Matthews announced.

Members also honored 19 retirees, who together represent 565 years of ministry. 

At an ordination service, Bishops Matthews, West Virginia Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball and retired Bishops Joseph H. Yeakel and Violet Fisher commissioned 17 provisional elders and ordained eight Elders in Full Connection. (See story, page 6.)  

During the Memorial Service on Thursday evening, 16 pastors who died during the previous year were honored. Also remembered were clergy and bishops' spouses, bishops, including Bishop Leontine Kelly, a native of Washington, D.C., and lay members, including Phyllis Butler, a former lay leader of the Baltimore Conference.  (See story, page 7.)

Speakers deliver messages of light

During the three-day session, members heard from a variety of speakers. The Rev. Dr. Albert Mosley, president of Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, led a morning Bible study May 30 and 31 on the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:1-9. (See story, page 4.)

At the conclusion of the study, he distributed fortune cookies to the members containing messages encouraging them to sow seeds of hope, peace, love and joy.

Conference members also heard from Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who thanked them for their continued presence and social justice ministries in the city and for their care and prayers following the recent murder of her cousin, Joseph Haskins, the son of the Rev. Bruce and Deborah Haskins.

General Secretary of the General Commission on Finance and Administration Moses Kumar thanked the Baltimore-Washington Conference for paying 100 percent of its apportionments for more than 15 years. "You are a living example of giving so that others may prosper," he said.

In ministry reports, Conference Lay Leader Delores Martin called on the laity to be empowered to claim their ministries, and Director of Connectional Ministries Sandra Ferguson, who led an hour presentation with video and storytelling, outlined the conference's more than 27 ministries, including advocacy, camping, the Zimbabwe partnership, disaster relief, and church development. (See the videos of these ministries at http://getumsocial.com/bwctv.)

Ferguson also introduced to the conference Usha N. Satish, a graduate of Bennett College who thanked the conference for its full support of the Black College Fund, which provides scholarship at historically black colleges.

Other seeds sown

In other action, the conference:

• Received an award from the General Board of Global Ministries for contributing the most in the Northeastern Jurisdiction for designated giving to mission and missionary support.
• Raised $7,803 in an offering at ordination to benefit the scholarship fund at Africa University.
• Adopted 12 Advance Special ministries for second-mile giving.
• Enjoyed music during worship from choirs from Emory UMC in Washington, Epworth Chapel UMC in Baltimore and Damascus UMC in Damascus.
• Celebrated camping ministries at games, songs and lunch around a campfire in the Grand Ballroom.
• Learned about changes to the Clergy Retirement Security Program for 2014 at a special workshop. (See www.bwcumc.org/+++++)
• Voted on four amendments to the denomination's constitution. The results of the denomination-wide vote will be announced later this year by the Council of Bishops.
• Received greetings from Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt Jr. of the CME Church.

Past, present and future church

During the session, the conference recognized the Rev. Paul Jones, 95, who was attending his 74th consecutive annual conference session. His presence emphasized the continuing traditions of and heritage of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, the oldest in the denomination.

During the Memorial Service, this heritage was recognized with the tolling of the Cokesbury bell. This bell is from Cokesbury College, which was established at the denomination's founding Christmas Conference in 1784.

During the ordination service, the kneeler that was used by the ordinands is from the altar rail of Memorial Methodist Church. It was at this rail that renowned missionary E. Stanley Jones experienced his conversion to the Christian faith.

In another special moment, the 1,700 members in attendance sang “Happy Birthday,” via live Internet streaming, to Eunice Mathews, the daughter of E. Stanley Jones and widow of Bishop James Mathews, who was celebrating her 99th birthday.

The 230th session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference is scheduled to convene Thursday, May 29 through Saturday, May 31, 2014, at the Waterfront Marriott Hotel in Baltimore.