CM District News, Events and Updates ~ November 9, 2020
EventS
NOVEMBER EVENTS
November 21 (8:45 am) -- ZoomRetreat2020: “When COVID-19 Crosses Paths with HIV”
This event will focus on eliminating stigma and discrimination, putting people at the center and grounding our responses in human rights to end the colliding pandemics of HIV and COVID- 19. To register and learn more, email Angel at
or call 443-440-2312. Space is limited.
November 20 & 21 (rescheduled) -- The Next Level Leaders Academy
The event will be led by Bob Jennings, the former president of Lincoln University and Alabama A&M University; Don McLaughlin, the senior pastor for North Atlanta Church of Christ in Atlanta; and Lia McIntosh, who is an International Coaching Federation (ICF) certified coach. The cost is $30. Participants will receive 2.8 CEUs. For more information, contact Lauren Harris (
)
November 29 & December 27 -- Two Special Worship Services
As a gift to the clergy and people of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, Bishop LaTrelle Easterling and the Cabinet will create and share two special worship services that can be used by local churches on Nov. 29, the Sunday following Thanksgiving; and on Dec. 27, the Sunday following Christmas. Links to the services, which can be downloaded, will be provided to pastors two weeks before they will be broadcast. Congregations may use them as they wish. The worship experiences are a gesture of gratitude to all who are continuing to minister during these challenging days to thank them for advancing God's purpose and plan in their communities of faith.
DECEMBER EVENTS
RESOURCES
Camps Offer Family Friendly Activities On-site this Fall
Get a day out or an overnight to relax and recharge:
• Manidokan Offerings - http://www.bwccampsandretreats.com/manidokan/fall-2020-at-manidokan/
• West River Offerings - http://www.bwccampsandretreats.com/westriver/fall-2020-at-west-river/
Randolph-Macon College Pre-Ministerial Program for Youth Discerning Call to Ministry
Do you know a bright, inquisitive high school senior who is sensing a call to ministry? Randolph-Macon is committed to nurturing young adults who are sensing a call to Christian vocation. Weekly meetings allow students to more deeply discern their calling prior to selecting a seminary and to gain valuable leadership experiences in ministry during the undergraduate years. Find out more and apply at: http://www.rmc.edu/academics/pre-ministerial. Applications are due Feb 8, 2021.
During Bishop LaTrelle Easterling's conversations on the regions, United Methodist leaders shared questions and ideas. Those resources have been gathered for your information.
Online Worship: As churches improve their abilities to conduct hybrid worship -- in-person and online --the following platforms may prove helpful:
• StreamYard
• Streamlabs
• Church Online Platform
• Church Streaming.TV
• Sermon by Phone
We Rise United: Individuals and churches journeying together in the creation of Beloved Community are invited to sign the Anti-Racism Commitment. Monthly resources are being shared with all those who sign -- https://www.bwcumc.org/ministries/advocacy-action/racial-justice/commit-to-becoming-an-antiracist-church/. Find resources on Racial Justice here—https://www.bwcumc.org/ministries/advocacy-action/racial-justice/
Who Are We? An 18-week small group journey from head to heart explores our identity as children of God, United Methodists, and the people of the Baltimore-Washington Conference. This study is an outstanding resource for churches seeking to grow deeper in their understanding of identity, faith, and discipleship. See the Study and begin your exploration of "Who Are We?" -- https://www.bwcumc.org/resources/who-are-we/
During Bishop Easterling's conversations on the region's last week, several books were recommended by people throughout the Conference that can be used for personal
study, book groups, or small-group conversations. They include:
- America's Original Sin by Jim Wallis
- Beyond Racial Gridlock: Embracing Mutual Responsibility by George Yancey
- Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Black and White: Disrupting Racism One Friendship at a Time by Teesha Hadra and John Hambrick
- Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
- The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone
- How to Be an AntiRacist by Ibram X. Kendi
- Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall
- Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
- Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho
The next annual session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference will be held Oct 25-27, 2021.
Improving Your Church's Web Presence
Sometimes we're overwhelmed by all that's involved in (re)building or maintaining a church website. Because a site requires a mix of time and skills, it's hard to know
where to begin. In part one of three screencast sessions, you'll learn how to improve your web presence by identifying the ministry needs and the multiple audiences
served by your church's website. Take the first step -- https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/improving-your-churchs-web-presence-part-1
Re-Entering Well 
Resources
• Find the Re-Entering Well Guidelines (https://www.bwcumc.org/article/re-entering-well-guidelines/)
• View the Re-Entering tip sheets (https://www.bwcumc.org/article/re-entering-well/)
BWC News
• Find current BWC news and share your stories at https://www.bwcumc.org/news/
Church Resources
• Where do you go to get a grant or loan for your church? There are resources to help you and your church. Visit https://www.bwcumc.org/administration/local-church-resources/
Coronavirus Resources
• A number of resources are available to assist local churches in their response to the Coronavirus—https://www.bwcumc.org/article/coronavirus-resources/