May 2, 2024

Dear Friends,

Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed. Alleluia! At Calvary UMC, we are celebrating all fifty days of the Easter season in community with new members joining last Sunday! Thanks be to God!!

Our faith-to-life application homework from worship on April 28 was to pray for the UM General Conference 2024 - that God’s will is done. Also, from the Acts 8:26-40 scripture passage, with the persons God places in our path, we’re to follow the verbs: go, join, listen, and ask.

The UM General Conference 2024 began in Charlotte NC on April 23 and ends tomorrow on May 3, 2024. May we continue to pray for the delegates and all attendees. Online information can be found at www.resourceumc.org. Next week, I’ll send a summarization of what’s occurred at UM General Conference 2024.

Yesterday at UM General Conference 2024, a 93% vote resulted in the removal of restrictive language related to ordination (added in 1984) to the Book of Discipline . This means all persons who are called of God into ordained ministry may pursue the UM path of discerning that calling. Also, items related to weddings were added: The Superintendent shall not penalize any clergy or local church for performing or refraining from performing (or holding) a same-sex marriage (on their property). Calvary UMC is blessed with people who hold differing beliefs on this subject and others. Some receive this vote with joy while others receive it with sadness. No matter our specific beliefs on this subject, I pray that - at best - we can agree to disagree while still loving God and loving neighbor as self (Mark 12:30-31) as we continue to serve in community. As always, I am available to listen and pray with you as we continue to follow God’s will at Calvary UMC.

This Sunday, my husband Wes and I will not be at Calvary in worship. Instead, we’ll be full-time grandparents at a Remission Celebration for our 12-year-old grandson, Landon, in Olney, Maryland from 11 AM- 3 PM. This celebration was planned two months ago, so I asked a dear clergy friend of mine, Rev. Dr. Sarah Dorrance to lead worship with Holy Communion this Sunday at Calvary UMC, May 5, 2024. Also, tomorrow at Children's National Hospital in Washington DC at 12 :15 PM, Wes and I are delighted to be witnessing Landon ringing the bell in celebration of his remission from Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma!

I’ll be back in the church office as usual on Monday, May 6, 2024. Thank you all for your dedicated prayers as we give God the glory for it all!

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Linda

Rise Against Hunger 2024 is THIS Saturday, May 4th. This will be a volunteer opportunity for the entire family. We hope to prepare over 20,000 meals for people in impoverished countries who may not know when, or if, they will have another meal. There's still time to sign up and join in the fun!

Simply click the link below to sign up:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjuQdcgfSjEo17yFPQVd6EZ1_GJFCuhnrE5W8hw9OrKo3cZg/viewform?usp=sf_link

We will gather in the Fellowship Hall at 9:00 AM to begin this journey of love, service, fellowship, fun and joy. We should be finished in under two hours so please sign up and help us help others.

Contact Bill Lovelace at wlove81162@aol.com for more information.

Grief Support Group

The Grief Support Group will meet May 7, 2024 at 7:00PM in the Parlor. If you know a friend or relative that has experienced a loss, please suggest they consider joining the support group. If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne Drury at suzanne41.sd@gmail.com or Bill Thompson at bcthompson@verizon.net. 

Backpack Buddies - updated food needs

Last day of school for AACPS is June 11, 2024. Don’t miss your chance to help keep the children at Mills Parole Elementary School from being hungry on the weekends. Updated specific food items needed are: Shelf-stable milk and

microwaveable dinners. Your support of this ministry is greatly appreciated. Contact Barbara Jedrey for more information at jeds13@aol.com. 

AID REQUESTED FOLLOWING KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE

The Baltimore-Washington Conference is an active member of Maryland Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). The church's assistance has been requested to support the 136 foreign nationals residing on the seven ships in the Port of Baltimore following the collapse of the Key Bridge.

Most of the individuals on the ships are non-English speaking. The individuals are able to come ashore during the day but cannot “reside” on U.S. soil. They must return to the ship each night. There is a very specific list of items we are asked to provide.

Skilled individuals from the Seafarers Union are working with the seafarers. The list of requested items is limited based upon the requests and the storage space limitations.

Requested Items include:

· Restaurant gift cards ($25) – Starbucks, Royal Farms, Ledo Pizza, Subway, McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts

· Smart Trips Cards ($25) – trips to/in and around DC.

· Visa gift cards ($25)

· Movie gift cards – Harbor East Cinema and/or Imax @ MD Science Center

· Aquarium Day Pass

· Granola Bars

· Individually packaged sandwich crackers

· Individually packaged dried fruit and/or nut pouches

· Decks of playing cards



You can drop off your donations at Julie Taylor’s office or Calvary’s front office labeled Julie Taylor by May 12.

Wesleyan Youth Choir Concert

The Wesleyan Youth Choir, a choir of students in grades 7-12 from the First United Methodist Church in Athens, GA will share a program consisting of traditional, contemporary, and multi-cultural selections. Calvary will be the first stop on their East Coast Choir Tour, and then on to Baltimore, MD, Raleigh, NC, and Surfside Beach, SC. The choir is under the direction of Janis Maxwell and accompanied by Raina Wood. The concert will be in the sanctuary on Monday, May 27th at 5:00PM. All are invited! Contact Gaby Garzon at musicdirector@calumc.org for more information.

Fill My Cup Café

Come help with Calvary's Fill My Cup Cafe! It's fun and easy to do: just pick up breakfast treats for 30 people (Calvary will reimburse you and

coffee and beverages provided) set up, enjoy breakfast and coffee with your church family and visitors, and clean up. Training included. Click the link below to sign-up. Contact Julie Taylor at community@calumc.org for more information.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4EA4AD2DA0F5C34-48892899-fill#/

Calvary Center School

Registration is now open for the 2024-2025 school year. 

CCS provides half-day preschool and optional full-day extended care for 3- and 4-year-old children in a Christian setting. CCS is known for the qualifications of our experienced teachers and the social-emotional and academic readiness of our "graduates" for kindergarten. Our campus features several outdoor classrooms and many outside activities every day. Very flexible scheduling. 

Military child care provider, and military and sibling discounts available. 

Please see our information at www.calumc.org/ccs-about and on Facebook and Instagram. Click the link below to go straight to the registration forms on our website. Please contact Claire Zarrilli at calvarycenter@calumc.org or

410-268-3812 with any questions and to request a tour.

https://www.calumc.org/registration

Have you included Calvary United Methodist Church in your will?

Have you prepared or updated your will? “Later” can be too late. Don’t delay having your will drawn. Make sure your estate plans are in place so that your wishes will be carried out to benefit your family - and your church.

Altar Flower Dedications Sign-up - new list!

The 2024 list is ready for you to sign up to dedicate flowers in honor of your loved one! Use the link below.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E45A4AA2EA7FFC34-46863077-altar#/

The dedication cost is $65 for a large floral arrangement. The flowers can go home with you after the Sunday service or can be used in our Flower ministry that sends smaller bouquets to friends/family of Calvary who could use a floral pick-me-up. For questions please contact Tracy Leahy at tracyleahy1@gmail.com.

Last Sunday, we welcomed new members, Leigh McGuire, Chelsea Gifford, and Marcy Wilson, prayed farewell over Claudette Cozad as she moves to be with her daughter in Florida, and enjoyed the Children of Calvary and our own, Betty Hepler, who taught us to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Compost!

Praise be to God!

To access the monthly bulletin board at BWC, click here.