| Stewardship convocation to go beyond money By David E. Bohnert
UMCONNECTION CORRESPONDENT Stewardship has been described as the lifeblood of any vital church. In October, churches from throughout the Baltimore-Washington Conference have an opportunity to explore how they respond to God's grace in an “event-full time of praise, sharing, learning and sacramental commitment,” said the Rev. Maynard Moore.  Moore, co-executive director of the conference's Stewardship Center and Foundation, said that Stewardship Convocation 2004 will be a “first-ever event” for the conference. Held Oct. 1-2 in Frederick, teams from churches around the conference will assemble to “help people understand that stewardship is a mark of discipleship,” Moore said.  Lawson | The Rev. Douglas M. Lawson, a nationally known author, consultant, philanthropist and United Methodist clergyperson, will deliver the keynote address at the opening gathering. Chairman of Douglas M. Lawson Associates, Inc., a team of professionals experienced in the philanthropic arts, Lawson will share experiences gleaned from such mentors as John Gardner, founder of the Urban Coalition, Common Cause, and Independent Sector; the Rev. Robert Schuller, founder of the Crystal Cathedral in Orange County, Calif.; and Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, International. Lawson will also participate in two of the Saturday training sessions. Entering its second year, the Stewardship Center and Foundation was created by an action of the 2003 Annual Conference to provide a broad spectrum of stewardship support services to the churches and agencies of the conference. All of the programs and initiatives of the Stewardship Center are grounded in Scripture and the inspiration of the Methodist tradition, said the Rev. Charles Parker, the other co-executive director of the center. “John Wesley's writings on stewardship are fundamental to an understanding of discipleship and faithful living as committed Christians,” he said. “We want people to understand that stewardship is one of the most powerful ways that God has given us to open our lives to the movement of the Holy Spirit. Stewardship, at its core, is about deepening our walk with Christ.” This informational and motivational convocation and workshop is geared to the local church, said Chesnutt, president of the board of directors of the Stewardship Center and Foundation. Teams of three, including pastors, are encouraged to attend. Single registrations will also be accepted if space permits. According to Chesnutt, the Convocation is intended as a “launching pad” from which the church council, the Stewardship Committee and others in local church leadership positions can forge a strategy and work together to enhance the understanding of stewardship and discipleship throughout the congregation. Both Parker and Moore, as well as the Rev. Terry Leckrone, director of investments and planned giving, will follow up with each of the church teams in the weeks following the convocation. Workshops will be held the morning of Oct. 2 around the areas of stewardship, capital campaigns, managing church assets and endowments. All sessions will be held at the Frederick Holiday Inn Holidome and Conference Center, in the Francis Scott Key Mall, at 400 Holiday Drive in Frederick. Further information about the convocation, along with an agenda, driving directions and a registration form is available at http://www.bwconf2.org/stewardship/SCFnewsletter3.pdf. The deadline for registration is Sept. 15. For more information, call (800) 492-2525, Ext. 480, or e-mail
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