News and Views

By Nora Meeks

The Wesleyan way of discipleship is clear in stating that Christians profess and teach God's love through not just our words but our actions. The celebration of ministries service held Wednesday night recognized this principle by recognizing 10 people and four churches from across the Baltimore-Washington Conference who have devoted the past year or more in service to their church family and wider community. These awards and recognitions celebrated discipleship, bold witness, deep compassion, and action in ministry carried out by clergy and laity.

The recipients included Brady Ward, an Eagle Scout from Good Shepherd UMC in Waldorf, who received the Foundation for Evangelism award. Ward built a prayer garden to provide people from the church and beyond a place to pray and be close to God. This garden serves as a place for reflection and was influenced by Ward’s experience from the Appalachian Service Project. 

Rev. Dong Eun Lee from Mays Chapel UMC in Timonium received the Wellness and Missions Award for the church’s widespread and international impact of their wellness ministry. This ministry provided backpacks with meals for school children at Mays Chapel Elementary School through Feeding Empty Little Tummies (FELT), Supported the Duparc Farm and nearby community through Tend My Sheep Haiti, and Provided ministry and services to the Hopi Native American Reservation in Arizona.

Conference members celebrated the commissioning of three new BWC Earthkeepers, the Rev. Andre Briscoe, Elizabeth Stemley, and Clorie Tilden. Five people were recognized as Certified Lay Ministers: Teresa Adams; Regina Cole; Danielle Lee-Breedy; Chandra Edmonds; and Debra Hawley.

Essex UMC received the Advocacy and Action Award for their serving of God's people through restaurant style meals being served to more than 100 unhoused neighbors each week.

The service concluded with the recognition of 21 retirees and the passing on of their mantels to this year's ordinands. Citing the story of Elijah passing on his knowledge to Elisha, saying “Tell me what I may do for you before I am taken from you,” and Elisha says “give me your spirit twofold.”

As the final hymn was sung, each of the retirees on stage placed their blue mantels over the shoulders of an ordinand, symbolizing that as this group of leaders and changemakers leaves the church, they are welcoming a new generation of leaders. Bishop LaTrelle Easterling reminded conference attendees in her benediction saying “these people are not the church of the future, but the church of right now.” 

Celebration and Commissioning of BWC Earthkeepers          
Rev. Andre Briscoe
Elizabeth Stemley
Clorie Tilden  

Celebrating our Certified Lay Ministers       
Teresa Adams
Regina Cole
Danielle Lee-Breedy
Chandra Edmonds
Debra Hawley 

One Matters Award: 
Sharp Street United Methodist Church in Sandy Spring 

Foundation for Evangelism: 
Brady Ward, Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Waldorf 

Advocacy and Action Award:
Essex United Methodist Church in Essex 

Wellness and Missions Award: 
Mays Chapel United Methodist Church in Timonium 

Young People’s Ministry Impact Awards: 
Eastern United Methodist Church in Baltimore
Mackenzie Greenwood (North Carroll Cooperative Parish) 

Retiring from active service
Dauba D. Adams
Phillip R. Ayers
Wanda Bynum Duckett
Stephen L. Larsen
Charles F. Riggleman
Carletta D. Allen
Miguel A. Balderas
Michael P. Fauconnet
Kenneth A. McDonald
Phillip R. Roberson
Erik J. Alsgaard
Jerry M. Cline
Gladman Kapfumvuti
Jeanne A. Par
Gwendolyn F. Rodriguez
John Ampiah-Addison
Gregory Coates
Ann R. Laprade
Elizabeth J. Richards
William G. Thomas
Robert E. Walker Jr. 

Those to be Ordained or Commissioned as Deacon and Elder
Marjorie Hurder Burhman
Kristin Weschler
Dawn Brooks-Tharps
Jonathan Rikard Brown
YouJung Jung
Raphael Kimba Koikoi
Daein Park
Tommy Murray
Dionne Hall
Daniel C. Wood, Jr. 
Anna Kathleen Schwartz
Shaw Brewer
Sharee Wharton
Bisi Adebesin
Emily Louise Farnell 
Shelly R. Hawkins