News and Views

The United Methodist Church’s top court, the Judicial Council, will meet at the end of April for what is likely to be one of the most-watched decisions in recent memory.

American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr is best remembered, if he’s remembered at all, for being the author of the Serenity Prayer.

The introit at the Celebration of Life service for Bishop Felton Edwin May was Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man.” Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Kayla Waters grew up in two worlds, and we’re all better for it. The daughter of acclaimed jazz saxophonist Kim Waters, Kayla often attended her father’s concerts with her twin sister, Kimberly. Kayla knew, when she was 15 years-old, that she wanted to perform, too.

By Erik Alsgaard UMConnection Staff Lisa Middleton, Food Ministry Coordinator at Silver Spring UMC, looks over some of the selections at the choice food pantry. This is a story of how community outreach is helping to re-birth a church. This is a story of how partnerships between churches and...

The season of Lent is one of the busiest times of the year for local church pastors. In the Baltimore-Washington Conference, there is a tradition of clergy gathering just before Lent to help prepare for what lays ahead.

What are you giving up for Lent? That question is one that has haunted me for as long as I can remember. Growing up Catholic, giving something up for Lent was a given. It usually involved the removal of sweets or chocolate when I was a child. As an adult, it now involves giving up my favorite...

It is said that God loves a cheerful giver. If that’s true, then God must really, really love the people of Epworth UMC in Gaithersburg. During their African Celebration in Worship service Feb. 19, motivated by soul-stirring music from a hot praise band, church members, visitors, and even Bishop...

Apportionment giving by the 628 churches of the Baltimore-Washington Conference remained strong in 2016, according to reports from the conference finance office.

What do you call it when 4,500 youth, young adults and their leaders gather for a weekend retreat in Ocean City, Md.? In the Baltimore-Washington Conference, we call it ROCK. The event, which will celebrate its 25th gathering next year, is consistently the largest group of United Methodists in...