Discipleship Opportunities

The Baltimore-Washington Conference offers a number of opportunities for learning and growing in faith and discipleship. Scroll down this list of some of the offerings to put your faith into action.

Local Church EventS

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid Training : Eastport United Methodist Church (926 Bay Ridge Ave. Annapolis, MD 21403) will be offering free Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training August 21 and 22 from 1-5 p.m. This initiative aims to equip community members with the vital skills needed to support the mental well-being of young people in Maryland. The 8-hour YMHFA course provides comprehensive training to understand typical adolescent development for youth aged 12-18 and learn about the common mental health challenges experienced by young people. If you're interested, email for more information and to sign up.

  • Missions & Music Fundraiser : Bethany UMC will be hosting a special evening of live music, dinner, and community fun—all for a great cause, Friday, August 22, 7 - 10 p.m. Event Highlights include live music from 7 –10 p.m., a delicious dinner buffet, desserts, and beverages, a silent auction and raffle. Proceeds Support Bethany UMC's Music Ministry and Bright Mind Enrichment, an award-winning, volunteer-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to community wellness and tech innovation for underserved communities. Tickets are $15 per person or $120 for a reserved table for 8. Purchase Tickets.

  • Back to School Bash : The Journey of Faith, 2900 Smallwood Drive W., Waldorf, Maryland, invites you to join us as we collaborate and partner in the community with Enoved at the Back to School Bash on Saturday August 23, 2025

  • Ice Cream & Cake Social : The Journey of Faith, 2900 Smallwood Drive W., Waldorf, Maryland, invites you to join us at our Ice Cream & Cake Social and Local Author Book Signing on Saturday, August 30, 2025

  • Hyattsville Community Health & Wellness Fair : First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville invites you to our Community Health Fair September 6, to find out information regarding your health. For more information: 301-927-6133 or

  • Blood Drive : Be a Hero during September – National Sickle Cell Awareness Month By Donating Blood. Macedonia UMC, Christopher Gipson Sickle Cell Moya-Moya Foundation, and American Red Cross Location - Nichols Bethel UMC, 1239 Murray Road, Odenton, MD 21113 will host a blood drive on Saturday, September 6 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. To schedule your lifesaving donation, please visit redcrossblood.org and enter Sponsor Code: imocgipson.  Alternatively, call 1-800 RED CROSS (800-733-2767). 

  • Community yard sale : Liberty Grove UMC in Burtonsville will host a community yard sale on Saturday, September 6, 8 a.m. -1 p.m. as well as our Thrift Store (open every Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.).  Spaces are still available for anyone who wants to set up a table ($20 per space) and are filling up quickly.  Contact us at  .

  • Back to School Night of Celebration : The Journey of Faith, invites you to join us as we partner with St. Joseph’s Church, 4590 St. Josephs Way, Pomfret, MD 20675, September 7, to celebrate our students return to school. Learn more at journeytofaithmc.com.

  • High Tea Fundraiser : Journey of Faith invites you to its high tea fundraiser on September 27 from 3 to 5 p.m. contact Linda Harris 804-497-9948 or Rosemary Pinkney 301-233-3916 to register.

  • The Sanyuka Children’s Choir : Ames United Methodist Church is thrilled to announce that we will be hosting the Sanyuka Children’s Choir from Uganda on Sunday, September 28, at 3:30 p.m. at our Bel Air campus (112 Baltimore Pike, Bel Air, MD 21014). This vibrant, joy-filled choir is on their U.S. “Ebenezer Tour” and will be sharing songs of hope, powerful testimonies, and the lively spirit of Ugandan worship through music and dance. Their visit promises to be a moving experience that unites faith, culture, and global compassion.

  • Tag Team Revival : The Journey of Faith, 2900 Smallwood Drive W., Waldorf, Maryland, invites you to join us for our Tag Team Revival on Friday, November 21, 2025.

  • Winterfest Craft Bazaar : Liberty Grove is hosting Winterfest craft bazaar on Friday December 6th and Saturday December 7. Applications are currently being accepted for local crafters who want to be vendors at this event.  Crafters may contact Joyce or Debbie for more information or to request an application at  .

  • Sight & Sound Theatre - “Joshua” : Christ UM Church Outreach Ministry, has planned a bus trip to Sight & Sound Millennium Theatre in Lancaster, PA on April 25, 2026 to see “Joshua”. The cost for the 11:00 a.m. matinee is $225.00 with a deposit of $45.00  (Non-Refundable). The cost includes Coach Transportation, a floor seat at the theater, Family Style Buffet lunch at Hershey Farms, and refreshments, games and drawings for prizes on the bus.  If you have any questions, please contact Phyllis Slater (301) 653-7345 and Summer Broadwater (240) 419-9328.

Across the Connection

The Network of Biblical Storytellers will hold their international conference Aug. 6-8 at the Maritime Center in Linthicum. The theme of the event is “Searching for Peace in Troubling Times: The Abiding Wisdom of 2 Kings 5-6." The keynote speaker is Tavis West. Learn more and register.

See all People

Early Educators Conference: The BWC's Directors Roundtable will host an Early Childhood Educators Conference on Aug. 7 at St. Andrews UMC, at 48 Wallace Manor Road in Edgewater. The cost is $75. The theme is "Choose Joy." Registration opens May 1. Register.

The Global Young People’s Convocation will be held this year July 7-11 in Dublin, Ireland. Learn more and pre-register.

Deepen Discipleship

Patterson scholarships: St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute is offering two Patterson scholarships for United Methodists in the greater Baltimore area to explore Scripture and theology at the seminary level. The scholarships cover two-thirds of tuition for six courses—or full tuition for students with demonstrated financial need. Students may choose foundational courses, electives, or the Certificate in Biblical Studies. (The six courses could count as one-third of an EI master's degree, or 25% of UMC ordination requirements through our MDiv partnership.) Contact Galen at for details.  

Love like Jesus

Building Beloved Community: Throughout the nation, DEI programs and initiatives are under attack. The Baltimore-Washington Conference has long been committed to upholding the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. These core principles are not only grounded in our lived experience as the Body of Christ, but they are also deeply embedded in the theological teachings of Scripture, our United Methodist traditions and the broader Christian call to justice. The pursuit of equity, diversity, and inclusion is integral to living out the Gospel’s radical message of love, unity, and justice for all people, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, ability, or social status. See our Call to Prayer and Action.

Join the 2025 Baltimore County Christian Workcamp on July 20-26. Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are needed to assist with providing home repairs. Register.  |  Learn more.

The Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Area Mission u 2025, sponsored by the United Women of Faith and the Wellness and Missions Ministry, will be held Aug. 1-2 at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Annapolis. The theme is “Practicing Hope Together.” 

Multiply your impact

Develop Leaders

New Certified Lay Minister Class Applications are now being accepted – Applications for the next class of Certified Lay Minister, the Baltimore-Washington Conference Class of 2025-2027 are now being accepted.  Learn more and see the online application.  The deadline to submit your application is July 1. The next cohort will start in September and is a two-year commitment. Questions can be directed to Linda Flanagan, Conference Director of Lay Servant Ministries.  
Please Note: Those interested in taking the CLM modules online through Beadisciple.com must also complete the application process above before registering for the online modules and meet the BWC requirements during the training.

A new Certificate in Congregational Leadership (CCL) program uses online learning to provide a comprehensive approach to developing leadership excellence in the local church. It is designed to accommodate the busy schedules of bi-vocational pastors, Certified Lay Ministers, and others interested in growing in their knowledge and faith. The courses, which take about 10 hours of work, can be taken for either personal enrichment or certification. Participants seeking certification must take the four required courses and at least one elective.  The courses focus on church administration, sacraments, pastoral care, Wesleyan theology, time management, and United Methodist history and doctrine. To access the core courses, you will need an account in  Assembly, the conference's electronic learning platform. If you do not have one, you can register directly on the site.