August 5, 2024 | "Transformed Lives Transform Lives"

Prayers of the People

We pray for the Rev. Jason Jordan Griffith and the congregation of Union Memorial UMC in Baltimore. On Saturday, the church building sustained damage when it was struck by lightning. The Rev Jordan Griffith reports that “no one was hurt and that the Baltimore City Fire Department responded quickly to put out what could have been a devastating aftermath! … ‘The Intersection’ is still a place of wholeness for today and hope for tomorrow!" he said on Facebook. "Keep us in prayer as we get back up and running in the next few days!”

A $75,000 BWC grant is bolstering the construction of a new school in Hanwa, Zimbabwe. The school is part of a 27-year Volunteers in Mission project led by Charlie Moore and Community UMC in Crofton. It is part of an ongoing partnership between United Methodists in Zimbabwe and the BWC. See a postcard home from the Rev. Erik Alsgaard, who is serving on the VIM ZIM team.

The Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Area is planning an all-new, life-shaping youth conference, Ignite 2025, which will be held March 7-9 in Ocean City, Maryland. Registration opens Sept. 15. As the planning process begins, leaders are seeking feedback from young people and youth leaders.

Take the Ignite survey

Discipleship Opportunities

Hiroshima-Nagasaki Memorial Service: The BWC Creation Care and Peace with Justice Advocacy and Action Ministries will hold a special worship service to acknowledge the increasing threat to humanity of nuclear war and advocate the negotiated, phased and verifiable abolition of nuclear weapons. The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Memorial Service will be held at the BWC Mission Center in Fulton on Aug. 6 from 11 a.m. to noon. Learn more and register.

Gun Buyback: United Methodists are encouraged to promote and participate in the second annual Gun Buyback, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Baltimore, St. Joseph’s Monastery Parish, and the Baltimore Police Department on Saturday, Aug 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Edmondson-Westside High School parking lot. $100 will be given for handguns, rifles, ghost guns, and shotguns, and $200 will be offered for semi-automatic and fully automatic assault weapons. This will be a no-questions-asked, drive-up event. Transport unloaded weapons in your vehicle’s trunk from which police will retrieve them. There is a limit of three guns per vehicle. Ammunition is not included. Walk-ups are not permitted. The drive will be held while funds last.

ASL Workshop: The Rev. Leo Yates will host a Deaf Ministry 101 workshop at Saint Mark UMC in Hanover on Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to noon in conjunction with Deaf Awareness Month. Register Here. See a Flyer. Contact Rev. Leo Yates with any questions.

Fall Day Away for Clergy: The Board of Ordained Ministry's Culture of Call Committee is hosting a Day Away for Clergy on Oct. 17 at Camp Manidokan Near Harper's Ferry. The day will include time for fellowship, relaxation, renewal, and optional art, hiking, and zip-line experiences. It can also be extended for an overnight stay. Learn more and register.

Poetry readings, crab festivals, concerts, comedy shows, walks to freedom and more:

See a listing of local church events.

Discipleship Ministries Fall Calendar

More Discipleship Opportunities

The next EarthKeepers training event will be held Oct. 3-6 at the Maritime Center in Linthicum. This ministry from Global Ministries enables people to live out their passion for the natural world, God’s creation and environmental justice. Global Ministries EarthKeepers is a training and incubator program that provides a collaborative space for United Methodists to develop and grow environmental projects in their communities. Topics include eco-theology, antiracism, community organizing, and project planning. During the training, all participants will plan a bold and action-oriented project. The trainers include the BWC’s own, the Rev. Cary James and Thea Becton. Youth, ages 13-18 may participate with an adult. Learn more and apply.

Lay servant ministry classes: The Washington Region will host four lay servant ministry classes on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Aug.4, from 2 to 5 p.m. in person at First UMC at 6201 Belcrest Road in Hyattsville. Learn more. Space is limited to 10 seats per class.

ASL Lay Servant Course: An Introduction to Lay Servant Ministries, the Basic Course, will be offered in ASL for deaf laity on Sept. 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. and on Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Magothy UMC, 3703 Mountain Road in Pasadena, Md. Karen Miller, a Certified Lay Minister, will teach the class, which is open to people from the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Area. The cost is $40; scholarships are available. Register.

Women of Faith Fundraiser: The BWC’s United Women in Faith's Legacy Endowment Fund Team will hold a "fun" Fundraiser at the BWC Mission Center in Fulton on Saturday, Aug. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will focus on “Build Your Body, Build Your Legacy.” The cost is $18.69, commemorating the year the group started. The event is open to all. For more information, contact Terri Booth or Daisy Farmer.

The BWC has openings for Campus Ministry Interns at United Methodist ministry HUBs on the campuses of Towson, Morgan State, and University of Maryland College Park. HUB stands for Here U Belong. The interns will help shape and create ministry with support from invested and gifted adults. The time commitment is six to eight hours a week during the school year. The pay is $16 an hour. Complete this form to apply for this position at Morgan State, Towson, or University of Maryland College Park.

Explore more events and opportunities to grow in faith and vitality.

Learn more about 100% of churches at 100% vitality.

See church classified ads now online.