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By Melissa Lauber
UMConnection Staff

Peace, inclusion, the well-being of children, financial priorities, and the further development of a strategic direction to shape the future of the 692 churches of the Baltimore-Washington Conference topped the agenda of the Connectional Table when it met Feb. 24.

This was the second meeting of the Connectional Table, a new body made up of elected conference leaders who serve on conference committees, boards, and councils.

The Table provides strategic input and gbwc_superuserance that will enable the Baltimore-Washington Conference to meet its goal of making 600 Acts 2 congregations by 2012.

At the Feb. 24 meeting at the Conference Center in Columbia, Table members heard and gave feedback on developments in regional, discipleship and stewardship strategies within the conference. They also voted to support several pieces of legislation assigned to them, which will be presented at the May 24-26 annual conference session.

Strategic direction affirmed
During the past year, the conference has been divided into four regions: the Western, Baltimore, Washington and Annapolis-Southern regions. Each is beginning to develop strategic approaches to equip churches and serve regional communities.

After hearing regional reports, Connectional Table members affirmed the hiring of a local pastor in Frederick to work with Hispanic ministries; a plan to address the needs of the city of Baltimore in a more strategic and holistic manner; and the creation of a task force on funding, which will give a consistent, unified method for the conference to provide funding to local churches.

In addition, Connectional Table members approved the hiring of four new gbwc_superuseres in the regions. Gbwc_superuseres, who also serve as district superintendents and program staff, coach pastors and lead monthly Discipler Groups.

Some gbwc_superuseres are coaching between 30 and 42 pastors. With the new hires, the process will become more effective, as gbwc_superuseres work with anywhere between 24 and 30 pastors.

While they affirmed the regional concept - which, in the words of the Rev. Ianther Mills, Washington East District Superintendent, 'allows us to figure out what we can do better together' - participants at the Connectional Table also expressed concerns about the regions.

In particular, they asked that more thought be given to how districts and regions relate, how effective communications can take place between the regions, whether groups like the United Methodist Men and United Methodist Women will be organized by district or region, and the long-term implications this 'decentralization' will have on office spaces and resource centers.

These concerns will be taken to the conference staff for consideration, said the Rev. Rod Miller, director of Connectional Ministries.

Legislation considered
Various boards and commissions were assigned legislation to be reviewed and acted upon. Their recommendations will be forwarded to the annual conference members to be adopted, amended or rejected.

The Connectional Table voted concurrence on six pieces of legislation. They include:
? A petition to General Conference to formally include Bermuda as an area within the Northeastern Jurisdiction. This inclusion will be the final action needed to fully incorporate the Marsden First and Centenary UMCs in Bermuda as part of The United Methodist Church within the Baltimore-Washington Conference.
? A recommendation from the conference Board of Ordained Ministry that 'every local church shall develop and implement a safe sanctuary policy for protecting children and youth.'
? A request to petition the General Conference to delete the sentence, 'The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching,' from paragraph 161 of the Discipline.
? A resolution that calls on denominational agencies to determine which corporations that United Methodists have invested in have profited from the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and to divest from those corporations if this profiting does not cease.
? An agreement defining the relationship between the Baltimore-Washington Conference and Asbury Atlantic, Inc., a corporation that operates retirement communities in this region that was formerly known as Asbury Methodist Village.
? A petition to be submitted to General Conference to add a new resolution to the Book of Resolutions that addresses a comprehensive approach to peacemaking as an essential task of the church.

The complete text of these resolutions is online on the 2007 Annual Conference page of the conference Web site (www.bwcumc.org).

Financial priorities affirmed
In a report from the Stewardship Ministries Area, the conference director of Finance and Admin-istration, Martha Knight, announced a $1 million surplus from 2006.

This one-time surplus, Knight explained, is the result of new ways of doing ministry as the conference moves further into the Discipleship Adventure.

The transition into new practices and ministry principles, connects to the fact that more churches are faithfully paying their full apportionments and provides unique opportunities for strategic ministries that can advance the Discipleship Adventure, she said.

'I see this surplus as a line of demarcation. It separates the old ways of doing things from our new future of discipleship,' said Knight. 'Money tells a story. This is a story of transformation.'

The members of the Connectional Table affirmed Knight?s assessment and requested that a tithe of 10 percent be taken from the surplus to give to ministries that promote the 'calling, equipping, sending and supporting of disciple-making leaders.'

Local churches are also buying into and investing themselves in the Discipleship Adventure, reported conference lay leader Delores Oden.

The conference?s mission calls for the creation of 600 Acts 2 churches by 2012. For the sake of accountability, Acts 2 churches are defined by the bearing of three fruits: bringing in at least two members each year on profession of faith, increasing worship attendance by 2 percent annually and paying 100 percent of a church?s annual apportionment.

When the goal is achieved in 2012, 600 churches will have borne 1,800 fruits. Already the churches of the conference have borne 1,082 fruits and an increase is expected when the 2006 statistical report is released this spring, Oden said.

Last year, Oden reported, 18 new congregations paid 100 percent of their apportionments. 'That is very positive movement,' she said.

The Connectional Table will meet again in the fall.