News and Views

St. John's UMC in Lutherville recently lit more than 1,000 luminarias for peace. Linda Worthington reports.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 26, 2018 Delivering Christmas invitations and cheer by the truckload National Christmas tour coming to Baltimore on November 29 Baltimore – Those strolling through Inner Harbor with visions of sugarplums thanks to the famous Christmas Market might also...

It is with profound sadness that I share the passing of Rev. Maurice Moore, the father of Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, and a retired clergy person of this conference. Rev. Moore's faithful service spanned four decades as he served numerous congregations. With an itinerant servant's heart, Rev...

If clergy are addicted to hurry and overdosing on over-commitment, then this year’s Clergy Pre-Advent Day Apart was an intervention. Erik Alsgaard explains in this report.

Change Makers create new kind of church

Posted by Melissa Lauber on Nov 15, 2018

Change-makers gather The church must rediscover its relevance, the Change-makers believe. It has the resources, it has the good ideas. It has the will and the way. What it is missing is imagination. And so, they offer opportunities for people to get out of their contexts and into their...

The Rev. Mark DeVries, an expert in sustainable youth ministry, presents a workshop at Bethany UMC in Ellicott City Oct. 20. The definition of youth ministry, according to Mark DeVries, is “one failure after another, with enthusiasm.” DeVries, the founder of Ministry Architects in...

Campus Ministry relies on Student Day gifts

Posted by Melissa Lauber on Nov 15, 2018

United Methodist Student Day is Nov. 25. On this Special Sunday, churches are asked to take up a Special Offering to support scholarships nationally, and to assist four area campus ministries using this link. Half of the amount collected will go to scholarships and the other half to BWC campus...

Editor's note: Bishop Easterling shared this 'sacred poem' on Facebook on Oct. 27, the day of the Pittsburgh synagogue shootings. I do not know exactly what lies ahead; how far we will have to travel on the road of unrest. I cannot foretell the number of bombs that will have to explode or the...

Lovely Lane UMC brings art into sacred spaces

Posted by Melissa Lauber on Nov 15, 2018

Ever since humans etched their story on caves more than 35,000 year ago, art and sacred space have been intertwined in human history. From its creation in 1884, Lovely Lane UMC in Baltimore has recognized this relationship. Recently, they moved to intentionally strengthen the link between art...

Shrine looks at how history illuminates today

Posted by Melissa Lauber on Nov 15, 2018

Marian Gottee, the Tour Guide Coordinator at Strawbridge Shrine, plays the piano during the Shrine's annual meeting. The called session of General Conference in February is raising many questions about the future of The United Methodist Church. Members of the Strawbridge Shrine Association are...