AN District News.....UMC Buzz...... February 28, 2019
A brief word from Bishop Easterling
Beloved,
As the Special Session has drawn to a close, we are all in need of time to process a whirlwind of an afternoon. I invite us to center ourselves in God's deep and abiding presence.
May the words of the Epistle to the Romans found in Chapter 8 strengthen us for the days ahead. The Apostle Paul wrote, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
We will reflect upon the outcome of the Special Session on Saturday, March 2, in a live-streamed town hall meeting, beginning at 9 a.m. Until then, may we hold one another in prayer.
Blessings and peace,
Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling
BWC Scholarship application closes March 7, 2019!
Once again, the Baltimore-Washington Conference will be awarding scholarships for qualified students currently attending college, as well as high school seniors who plan to attend college in the fall of 2019. The application process opens on Jan. 3 and closes March 7, 2019.
A variety of scholarships are offered to fit the diverse needs of our students. To be considered for a scholarship, students must complete the full online application which includes uploading their current transcripts. In addition, the student must provide contact information for their pastor and one additional church reference. The pastor and reference will be contacted and asked to submit information on the student’s participation in the local church. The entire process will be done online for ease of the student, pastor, and reference.
For details about the individual scholarships or to apply for a scholarship, please visithttp://www.bwcumc.org/administration/local-church-resources/scholarships/.
BWC Legislative Advocacy and Action Day in Annapolis - March 7, 2019, 8:30 -3PM!
Join us in Annapolis for our Annual Legislative Advocacy and Action Day co-sponsored by the BWC Advocacy and Action Board and The United Methodist Women. Newbies and interested advocates, join us as we address aspects of: Health Care Reform, Criminal Justice Reform: From School to Prison Pipeline, and Immigration Reform. To register or for more information, please contact Judy Smith at . The cost for this event is $10.
Resolutions to the 235th Session of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference
All resolutions set to come before the 235th session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference are due to the Conference Secretary by April 1, 2019. The session will be held May 29-June 1, 2019.
Resolutions should be submitted using the BWC Resolution Submission Form available at: http://tiny.cc/bwc-resolution-form
Please note:
You must first consult with Mark Gorman, Chair of the Rules Committee, prior to submitting resolutions pertaining to Rules of the Session.
For resolutions that have budget implications, you must first consult with Phil Potter, Chair of CFA prior to submitting the resolution.
Southern Region Annual Leadership Day April 13, 2019
The Southern Region will host our annual training for clergy and laity on April 13, 2019 at Nichols-Bethel UMC, 1239 Murray Rd, Odenton MD. This year our keynote speaker will be Matt Lake, Lead Pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Williamsport, PA—an urban congregation that consists of a mix of traditional and contemporary worship experiences. First Church also currently hosts a network of fresh expressions of ministry called the Acts Network in which people meet in places such as homes, gyms, and coffee shops.
Criminal Justice Mercy and Ministries Resources and Survey for Faith Communities
The Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church has a new CJAM website that has been created for congregations to become more aware and resourced in this vital area. You are invited to go to, http://www.bwcumc.org/ministries/advocacy-action/criminal-justice-and-mercy-ministries/ check out the resources and take the questionnaire so that we can better connect with you in this area. To go directly to the survey, please visit http://www.bwcumc.org/ministries/advocacy-action/criminal-justice-and-mercy-ministries-questionnaire/.