District News

News & Events  

2019 CHURCH CONFERENCE INFORMATION
Download the schedule and agenda to learn when your Church Conference will be held and where.  Please keep these points in mind as you prepare for Church Conference season: 
•  View the checklist to learn what's required for Church Conference and begin to download required forms.
•  Church Conference reports are due 10-days prior to your Church Conference.   
•  Update the Committee Leader Toolbox in Arena to ensure those who are responsible for completing reports have permission to do so.  
•  Only the following reports are due at Church Conference.  Bring a set of reports for the Presiding Elder to review and/or sign.

1. Candidate for Ordained Ministry Church Conference Recommendation and List of Candidates for Ordained Ministry (if applicable).  Have paper ballots available for voting purposes (see sample template)
2. Certification of Compliance  
3. Certified Lay Minister/Lay Servant/Lay Speaker Annual Reports (bring copies of reports and course certificates)
4. Clergy Compensation Report (5-page document required)
5. Inactive Membership Report  
6. Nominations Report (download from the Arena Committee Leadership Toolbox)
7. Pastor’s Report (summary) 
8. Report of the Deacon (summary)    
9. Retired Clergy, Honorable Location & Voluntary leave of Absence Form (summary)

•  Photocopy reports as single-sided documents, ONLY use paper clips and put in a file folder.  We need to scan signed copies for record-keeping purposes.
•  Have your Church Council Recording Secretary present or an alternate to take minutes during your Church Conference.  Minutes are due in Arena 14-business days after your meeting.  Download instructions to learn how to post minutes in Arena.

OCTOBER OFFERINGS

Gatherings with Bishop LaTrelle Easterling
Join Bishop Easterling at these gatherings.  Light refreshments will be provided.
•  October 29—Bishop’s Day on the CM District:  Clergy at 2p & Laity at 6:30p, St. John United, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., Columbia, MD 

•  October 11-14—2019 Immigration Border Immersion to San Diego, California & Tijuana, Mexico
 We are seeking ten pastors or laity and ten young people (18-35 yrs. old) who want to have a transformational experience, learn about migration, immigration, and root causes. Chosen applicants will have the opportunity to listen to God through the voice of the immigrant and be part of the change as you implement and take actions in your local communities.  The cost of $830 per person includes- flight, five meals (October 11th- Dinner | October 12- Lunch + Dinner | October 13- Lunch + Dinner), onsite transportation, and double occupancy hotel room. Scholarships are available.   

•  October 12 (9a-noon)—Fall Youth Worker Training, Understanding Mental Health 101
This training will provide you with the basics of mental health, what it may look like, how it can affect you,  how to manage it as well as managing your own self-care amid caring for others.  You will also learn information about the different populations that are affected and how to help.  Led by Kyndra Davis, LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker).  Cost: $10.  Register online, deadline October 10.

•  October 13—"Who Are We?" Study Invitation  
This 18-week curriculum is comprised of three, six-week studies, which will enable participants to reflect upon who we are as the people of God, the people of the movement called Methodist, and the people of the Baltimore-Washington Conference.  Find out more about the curriculum, watch an informational video, learn how to convene a study group.  Find more information online at https://www.bwcumc.org/resources/who-are-we//

•  October 18-19 (9:30a–noon)—reCALL Summit 3.0, St. Mary’s Seminary and Ecumenical Institute
Held strategically in Baltimore, Maryland and rooted in John 10:10 and Micah 6:8, reCALL Summit 3.0 will use various forms of art to explore the roots of privilege, power and poverty in the American experience.  Join us, featured keynote speaker Dr. David Hooker Anderson, and a host of other thinkers for this powerful discussion. Registration Cost: $99.  Register online at https://arenaweb.bwcumc.org/default.aspx?page=3452&event=5396. Lodging: Limited number of rooms available at St. Mary’s Seminary at a rate of $87.00 per night. 


NOVEMBER OFFERINGS


Training Tuesdays:  Online Training for Key Church Leaders
•  November 5 (7p-8:30p)—Training for SPRC members  
•  November 12 (7p-8:30p)—Training for Trustees  
•  November 19 (7p-8:30p)—Training for Finance  
•  November 26 (7p-8:30p)—Training for Church Council  
•  December 3 (7p-8:30p)—Training for Nominations & Leadership Development
•  January 7 (7p-8:30p)—Training for Unified Board

•  November 4-7 (8:30a-5:30p)—RESCHEDULED:  Youth Life Coach/Recovery Coach Academy
There is an increase of individuals seeking help from trauma, mental illness and/or addiction at a younger age. Life/Recovery Coaches who speak the language of a younger general can greatly impact their access to sustained long-term social and emotional learning recovery. Life/Recovery Coaches promote recovery by removing barriers and obstacles to social, emotional, and growth mindset learning and serving as personal guides and mentors for young people who are seeking help with life transitions and their journey to adulthood.
 
•  November 8 (8:30a-3:30p) &  November 9 (8:30a-3:30p)—From Franchise to Local Dive: Multiplying Your Church by Discovering Your Contextual Flavor  
Jason Moore will lead a workshop to assist churches in learning to multiply ministry by starting a new worship service, new campus, or some other expression of faith.  Learn more.  

•  November 9 (10a-noon)—Small Church Interest Group Meeting
Contact Audrey Hill ( ) for more details.  This event will be held at Marvin Chapel UMC, 5101 Woodville Road, Mt. Airy. 

•  November 14 & November 16—Ministry Hatchery
Begin with an idea for a new kind of ministry that meets a tangible need with and in your community, spend 48 hours with experts and coaches in an incubator environment and leave with a polished pitch to apply for grants and obtain other types of support.  BWC teams are eligible for a $500 discount per team. Your investment of time and money will get replenished through increased donors, grants and the fruits of your new ministry. Don’t miss this opportunity for launching your ministry strong!  Questions? Contact Cheryl Cook at  .

•  November 17 (DEADLINE) —The United to Love Moral Courage Award
The United to Love Moral Courage Award celebrates middle and high school youth who put their faith into action even when doing so is uncomfortable or unpopular. Moral courage can look like an activist and/or a concerned citizen who works to establish climate justice, address poverty, gender equality, human rights, immigration rights, racial justice,  and so much more. Use this form to nominate yourself, tell us your story, upload your video and pics. Your act of justice may inspire someone else to be love in action in their part of the world and ignite a movement for good.

•  November 18 (8:30a-3:30p)—Bishop's Pre-Advent Day Apart
Registration is now open for the Bishop's Pre-Advent Day Apart with clergy.  The presenter is Dr. David A. Hooker, who teaches and works in the field of conflict transformation and peace building.  The host church is Calvary UMC (403 S. Main St. in Mt. Airy) and registration includes lunch -- $30/retired clergy and $45/active clergy.  Register online.

DECEMBER OFFERINGS
 
•  Due December 1—Pastor and SPRC Evaluations 
•  December 5 and December 9 (save the dates)—Statistical Report Training 

MORE Opportunities 

Online Courses for Youth Leaders
Two online courses are available to teach adults how to mentor young people listening for and pursuing a call.  Each course is 3-weeks and $45.  More information and enrollment is available at www.beadisciple.com/timothy.

St. Mary's Ecumenical Institute 
The Baltimore based Institute announces a new scholarship/internship covering both the cost of four courses and book expenses for one year. Preference will be given to a United Methodist interested in the MDiv partnership with Lancaster Theological Seminary. For more information, contact Kaye Guidugli at . 

Spiritual Direction Opportunity 
Life is filled with paradox: times of great joy and times of great suffering; times of certainty and times of indecision. Of course, the list could go on and on, but in all times God is present with us and wants us to know that. Making the time to seek God, to explore the question “What do I hear from God in this situation?”, and to explore the complementary question “Who am I called to be in this situation?” describe the core of a Spiritual Direction relationship.  Cathie Leimenstoll is a retired Elder from the Tennessee Conference and moved to Maryland seven years ago to be near family. She will soon become a certified Spiritual Director in May. At no charge, she is approved to begin meeting with people who are interested in spiritual direction. Her commitment in this is to be a non-anxious companion with a person during a specific time in his/her spiritual journey, to pray with and for the person, to offer resources when appropriate, and to listen deeply to the individual and to the Holy Spirit who is ever-present when two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name. It is a privilege to walk with one another as we seek a deeper relationship with the God we serve in all our life-situations.  If you would like more information about such an opportunity, email and use the subject line Spiritual Direction.

Introducing Winter Grace Senior Ministries, Inc.   
WGSM is a non-profit organization with a mission to “Enrich and Empower the Lives of Older Adults through Christian Initiatives Connecting People, Ideas, and Resources.” WGSM seeks to assist churches in starting and growing their Older Adult ministries with a holistic approach that addresses the wide variety of needs of Older Adults and their families. Ministry for, by, and with Older Adults values the dignity and worth of each individual, encourages engagement of the gifts and talents of each person, and grows disciples of Jesus Christ until a person’s last breath for the transformation of the world. Additionally, WGSM connects Older Adults and their families to the resources in the community that can help each Older Adult live each day to the fullest by addressing needs from spiritual to practical. Founder and president, Debbie Burgio, is a candidate for Deacon, recommended by the Board of Ordained Ministry for Commissioning as a Provisional Deacon at the 2019 BWC Annual Conference.  For more information, go to www.wintergrace.org, email or call 443-832-3805.

United to Love: Advocacy and Action Team Sign-ups
We would like your voice at the table. The Baltimore-Washington Conference has six active teams to mobilize across our connection and they are: Creation Care (Climate/Eco-Justice), Gender Equality, Gun Violence Prevention, Immigration Rights, Racial Justice and Wealth Equity. If you are called to serve in one/more of these areas, if this is your passion and/or your faith community is leading in one or more of these areas, we would like to hear from you. Please go to http://www.bwcumc.org/ministries/advocacy-action/ to sign-up so that we can connect with you.

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/.

Are You Called to Lead Beyond Your Local Faith Community?
The Nominations Committee is seeking a few good men and women to serve in key leadership roles including in the areas of Leadership Development, New Faith Expressions, Young People’s Ministry, Abundant Health (including local and global missions, holistic health and ERT), Advocacy & Action, Native American Ministry, Gender Equality (COSROW), and the Board of Trustees. In addition to passion and experience in the above, some boards are seeking persons with expertise in training, coaching, grant administration, project management, and data analysis and evaluation. Please complete this leadership interest form and encourage gifted young leaders (30 or under) to do the same: https://www.bwcumc.org/conference-agency-leadership-nominations/.