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By Erik Alsgaard
UMConnection Staff

The United Methodist Men of the Baltimore-Washington Conference have elected new leadership for the next four years. Meeting Oct. 12 at Arbutus UMC, elected were: President, Bill Weller; Vice President, Hampton Conway, Jr.; Secretary, Steven Hill; and Treasurer, Sherman Harris.

Following a breakfast meal and a time of worship, Bishop Marcus Matthews gave the keynote address, highlighting how United Methodist Men have been involved in the ministry of the conference.

“Thank God for bringing me back to the Baltimore-Washington Conference,” the bishop said. “I have been a part of the United Methodist Men since 1991.”

The bishop reflected on some lessons he learned from his home church, growing up in the 1960s.

“In the neighborhood I grew up in,” Bishop Matthews said, “we looked out for each other. Interdependence was the key to survival. Like my neighborhood, we need every man in this room to help out with local and global issues.”

The bishop encouraged the men to give thanks to God for what they had, rather than what they didn’t have, even in a time of economic uncertainty. “There are millions who have less than we do,” he said. “There are many things we ought to do.”

That led to the second lesson the bishop shared, that of having a positive attitude. “There can’t be any talk of what you can’t do, United Methodist Men!” the bishop said.

And then Bishop Matthews challenged the men to “get out of the doors” of the church and experience a new ministry, a new mission, a new opportunity. “Would we see the Risen Christ, beckoning us to a new opportunity? The more we allow Christ’s sacrificial life to live in us, the more of Christ’s power flows through us.”

The bishop ended his time by noting that he is praying for the United Methodist Men, and praying that they would put their own prayers into action.

President Weller, a 25-year member of Christ UMC of Baltimore County, was excited by the bishop’s challenge.

“The vision is simply this,” Weller said. “The key word is ‘involvement.’ We’ve been challenged by our bishop this morning, and by several other speakers, to become involved. The key phrase is, ‘The men can do it.’”

Weller characterized The United Methodist Men at the Conference Level as very strong. “We have 18 or 20 men on our executive board, and we cover everything from Scouts to every district in the conference, except one, and we’re working on that at the moment.”

For a local church looking to start a men’s ministry, Weller said that he encourages men to simply start gathering. “Gather together on at least a monthly basis,” he said. Even small-membership churches can do that, especially by partnering with other, near-by churches. “That way, you can get a larger number of people together, rather than the two or three who might gather at a single church.”