Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

We welcome Sajjard Rifkey as the new Discipleship Ministries Assistant for the Baltimore-Washington Conference.  

Jones Memorial UMC in Washington, D.C., celebrated Earth Day by planting 900 plants in their pollinator garden and giving away native plants. The church is one of 15 local congregations participating in Sacred Grounds, a program to connect faith and the environment by planting native plants at congregation grounds and their members’ homes. They encourage other churches to pledge to plant native plants. Learn more.

The Rev. Hal Recinos, a BWC pastor and professor at Perkins School of Theology, was recently featured in a UMNS article that shares how poetry empowers him to "stay awake in the Gospel."

BWC and denominational leaders, Revs. Tony Love and Neal Christie recently attended the United Methodist Africa Forum (UMAF) in Johannesburg. The UMAF supports the unity of The United Methodist Church in Africa. Read a press release from the event.

 

We pray for Bishop Easterling, the BWC Cabinet, and all of the clergy and churches who will be experiencing a change of appointment this year. See the appointment list.

You’re invited to take a sacred journey of discovery and faith as part of the BWC’s Pilgrimage Week, May 1-6. The Baltimore-Washington Conference has 16 historic sites and 33 component sites within our bounds.

Today's video features an introduction from the Rev. Bonnie McCubbin, the BWC's Director of Museums and Pilgrimage. This week's featured sites include Mt. Hebron and Getting Meeting House, Mt. Zion UMC in Georgetown, Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Baltimore, and Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Baltimore.

The week will close with an in-person Social Justice Pilgrimage on May 6 at 8:30 a.m. It will start at the Mission Center in Fulton and explore five historical sites in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. The featured sites include The Methodist Building, Mt. Zion UMC and the Mt. Zion/Female Union Band Cemetery in Georgetown, Sharp Street Memorial UMC, and Old Otterbein UMC in Baltimore. The tour costs $75 and includes lessons on pilgrimage, informative tours of each site, opportunities for spiritual reflection and lunch. Today, May 1, is the last day to register. Learn more and register. For more information, contact the Rev. Bonnie McCubbin.

See last year's pilgrimage videos on Strawbridge Shrine, Old Otterbein, Dumbarton, Lovely Lane and Sharp Street UMCs and Cokesbury College.

Registration for the Second Saturday Serve Kickoff is now open!  Second Saturday Serve is an initiative of the Baltimore-Washington Conference Volunteers in Mission to engage more people in service. Bring the entire family to West River Camp on Saturday, May 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to put your faith into action.

Volunteer In Mission teams will clear and blaze trails; clean sleeping areas and play spaces; organize, sort, and stage equipment; and paint. The cost is $25 per person. This financial contribution supports project materials, lunch, and $5 administrative cost for insurance. Scholarships are available for VIM team leaders registering with a team. For more information, contact  VIM@bwcumc.org.

Campus Ministry Chaplain Sought: Frostburg State University Chaplain Trey Daniel is leaving to begin a new academic program at Candler School of Theology. Applications for the Frostburg chaplaincy are being accepted through May 22. See the job description.

Bishops meet: In their first in-person meeting since 2019, the Council of Bishops (COB) will meet April 29 to May 5, to tackle the future of The United Methodist Church, welcome new bishops who were elected in November last year, and work on other topics such as disaffiliations and fighting racism. The meeting will be live-streamed daily, Monday through Friday, via COB Facebook, (facebook.com/umcbishops) except when the bishops will be in closed-door executive sessions.

Wespath is hosting an interactive, virtual event for clergy on May 17 at 2 p.m. to provide information and insights about benefits, well-being and investments to help pastors better navigate their career and retirement. Learn more and register.

The Judicial Council recently ruled on two issues concerning the Northeastern Jurisdiction. At the specially called NEJ meeting, held via Zoom last October, two requests were sent to the Judicial Council. One for a Declaratory Decision and one for a Review of a Ruling of Law. See Declaratory Decision Number 1478, See Decision Number 1481.

'Here I Am': The BWC seeks to discover people whom God might be calling to use their gifts to serve and lead in district and conference ministries so that "more transformed lives, transform lives." Learn more about opportunities to live out your discipleship. The deadline for submitting a Leadership Interest Form is May 10.

Level Up is video series that provides lessons in church leadership from the Rev. Jack Shitama of the Center of Vital Leadership. This week, Shitama explores how you can't lead without trust. A new video premieres each Monday.

Mission-Shaped Church is a weekly blog that helps leaders grow in discipleship. Written by the Revs. Bill Brown and Lauren Harris, who lead the BWC's innovative evangelism ministries, the blog is an important resource for those seeking to grow in their understanding of faith and "move from maintenance to mission."

Assisting migrants with personal needs: As migrants continue to arrive in Washington, DC, we ask you to support our new neighbors. Donate now to help purchase much-needed undergarments for children and adults.

Donate Now:

Yard Sale: Wesley Grove UMC, at 23640 Woodfield Road, just three miles south of Damascus, will hold its annual Spring Community Yard Sale on May 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Gospel Concert: The Common Bond Quartet will perform a gospel concert at Mt. Tabor UMC, 24115 Laytonsville Road in Gaithersburg, on May 20 at 6 p.m.

Prayer Breakfast: The Greater Washington District United Women in Faith will hold a Prayer Breakfast on May 6 at 9:30 a.m. at Silver Spring UMC. The fee is $15 per person and includes a donation to a related UWFaith Mission. To register, send a message to UMWGWD2022@gmail.com.

Celebrating History: Strawbridge Shrine, near New Windsor, celebrates its annual Colonial Days on June 17 from 10 a.m. to noon. This free, family-friendly event features skill demonstrations, music and tours of the shrine where Methodism began in America in 1760.

Learn more about 100% of churches at 100% vitality.

See the church classified ads, now online.