May 13, 2024 | "Transformed Lives Transform Lives"

Prayers of the People

We invite you to begin praying for the upcoming Annual Conference Session as we focus together on Romans 12:1, 9-12.

Restructuring will offer opportunities for missional vitality

At Saturday's PreConference Briefing, clergy and lay members heard the Restructuring Plan for the Baltimore-Washington Conference. The plan, which has been several months in the making, begins to unfold with information gathering this June. See the plan.

Briefly, the Restructuring Plan calls for:

• Five to 12 local churches grouped in a collaborative hub in a shared, geographically-based mission field. Each hub will have a designated Connecting Church to facilitate collaborative work and vitality.
• A group of hubs organized in one of six non-geographic districts based on population density creates new opportunities to network across perceived boundaries and learn from one another in similar yet diverse contexts.
• The hubs and districts are organized into two administrative regions supported by a centralized administrative team.

Several short videos have been created to assist with the interpretation of the Restructuring.

• Overview of Restructuring
• Living a Vision
• Hubs Create Crucibles of Ministry
• Non-Geographic Districts Move us Outside the Box
• Two Regions – A Ministry of Administration
• A Timeline for Change and Growth

An FAQ from the PreConference session is now online. Videos from the CFA, Board of Pensions and Health Benefits and Commission on Equitable Compensation have also been posted.

Gifting Hope: BWC outreach to Adullum Healthcare

This year, in the lead-up to the 2024 Annual Conference Session in May, members of the Baltimore-Washington Conference will create a trajectory of hope by supporting the Adullum Community Healthcare Center at New Waverly UMC in Baltimore. Adullum recognizes that health and faith are inseparable parts of human wholeness and that access to health care is a basic human right. In an innovative ministry of outreach, compassion and medical expertise, they are transforming the city.

Using an Amazon wish list, individuals, small groups, and congregations are asked to purchase much-needed supplies that will be used by Adullum’s medical staff to provide care to their patients. You are also invited to contribute funds, which will go to salaries and other needs. See a story about the Rev. Dr. Irance Reddix-McCray and Adullum.

Discipleship Opportunities

Join United Methodists at Camden Yards on May 29: As part of the fellowship activities, 1,000 United Methodists will gather at Camden Yards at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29, to watch the Baltimore Orioles play the Boston Red Sox. Bishop LaTrelle Easterling will throw out the first pitch. There are approximately 350 additional tickets in our block for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis. Purchase your tickets. The tickets will be sent electronically to each person’s email.

The BWC’s Young People’s Ministry will hold a Mental Health Symposium on May 18 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the BWC Mission Center in Fulton. The symposium, with speaker Lauren Jenkins, will provide youth and young adults ages 13 - 35 with a space to raise awareness about mental health and suicide, have meaningful discussions on the power of resilience and faith, and explore the importance of hope and connection through creative expressive activities. Register.

The BWC will host a pilgrimage exploring the life of Robert Strawbridge and the power of the laity on Saturday, June 8. Visit five historical sites across Maryland, including Lovely Lane UMC, Lovely Lane Museum & Archives, The Strawbridge Shrine, Stone Chapel UMC, and Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Baltimore. The tour costs $50 and includes lessons on pilgrimage, informative tours of each site, opportunities for spiritual reflection and lunch. For more information, contact bmccubbin@bwcumc.org or archives-history@bwcumc.org. Scholarships are available. Register.

Colonial Day at Strawbridge Shrine: Colonial Day will be held on June 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Strawbridge Shrine, 2650 Strawbridge Lane in New Windsor. Tour the historic 1760 home of Circuit Rider Robert Strawbridge, the first person to bring the Wesleyan Methodist movement to America. The day will also feature tours of two additional log buildings, exhibits/demonstrations of colonial skills, games for children, and period music. Tour guides are needed for the event. Training, a brief script and costume will be provided. Call the curator at 443-289-0191 to sign up.

Step Out: Discerning A Call to Ministry Are you wondering if God has huge plans in store for your life? Are you sensing that God might have a career for you in ministry? Are you ready to Step Out and see where God is calling you? Then join us for our Step Out event on June 22 at Wesley Freedom UMC in Sykesville. You will hear from leaders in our church and have the opportunity to ask questions about all the ways you could serve God! Learn more and register.



A.I.M. (Administrators in Ministry) is excited to announce, Walking by Faith, an in-person meeting on Thursday, June 13, from 10 am- 2 p.m. All administrators in the UMC connectional structure are invited to participate. The event, which will take at the Conference Mission Center, will include sessions on various topics in support of administrators taking their administry to the next level. The plenary speaker is Rev. Denise Norfleet-Walker, pastor of St. Paul Praise and Worship Center and Elderslie-St. Andrews UMCs in Baltimore. The cost is $35 for A.I.M. members and $60 for non-A.I.M. members (the non-member cost includes a prorated A.I.M. membership for the remainder of the calendar year). Learn more and register. 

Ignite Your Leadership Journey with SCD 2024: The School of Congregational Development is returning to Chicago this summer as SEE//CREATE//DISCIPLE (SCD), which will be held Aug. 4 - 7 at the Hyatt Regency in Schaumburg, Ill. Learn more and register. Contact Rev. Bill Brown, Director of Innovative Evangelism, if you have questions. Scholarships are available.

Discover new ways to serve: The Baltimore-Washington Conference offers many opportunities for people to live out their discipleship. One way to put your faith in action is to serve on a Conference committee, board, or commission. Learn more.

The Monumental Brass Quintet will perform at Glen Mar UMC in Ellicott City on Friday, May 31, at 7 p.m. Critics have hailed this quintet as an “amazingly diverse ensemble that performs with exceptional emotional intensity.” Admission is free. Learn more.

See church classified ads now online.

An individual contacted Magothy UMC to inform them that they have three organs in good condition that are available to give to a church or good home. Contact secretary@magothy.org or 410-255-2420.