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See and share a video Advent prayer.

The Rev. Owen B. Womack, a retired Elder in the Baltimore-Washington Conference who served as a pastor for more than 60 years, died Dec. 5. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 11 a.m. at Middleway UMC in Middleway, W.Va. The viewing will be Dec. 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Brown's Funeral Home in Martinsburg, W.Va. See his obituary.

Mary Ebinger, a pastoral counselor and former leader in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, who was the widow of the Rev. Warren Ebinger, died Nov. 30. She was 93. A memorial service is planned for late March at Asbury Village in Gaithersburg.

In the Peninsula-Delaware Conference, a recent Strengthening the Black Church webinar delivered insights for all congregations seeking to grow in vitality. Learn more.

Dumbarton UMC in Dumbarton will observe its sestercentennial on Christmas Eve, but the congregation has celebrated 250 years of history and hope all year. Read about the history of this oldest Methodist church in the D.C. area.

Catonsville UMC is excited about sharing the news of its free Wednesday Warm Welcome Lunch, when volunteers cook, serve, and share meals with the community. They recently began offering coats, hats and other winter clothing. We pray for their ongoing ministry.

We celebrate the ministry of Adele Banks of Asbury UMC in Washington, who was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award Dec. 10 by the Washington Association of Black Journalists for her “exemplary contributions to the journalism field and for positively impacting local and national communities.” Banks is the projects editor and a national reporter for Religion News Service, covering topics including religion and race, the faith of African Americans, and partnerships between government and religious groups.

Still recovering from a deadly shooting this fall, students at Frostburg University are turning to United Campus Ministries. Read the story.

"A Blue Christmas is a time of turning. In the darkness, we take time to receive and return to the gift of freedom as we struggle to show others God’s renewed presence in community," writes the Rev. Laura Tingley, chair of the Baltimore-Washington Conference Wellness and Missions team. See a number of liturgical and other resources your church can use to better understand and observe Blue Christmas.

The next Training Tuesday webinar will focus on the new stats program, the Ezra statistical reporting system. The Training Tuesday webinar, on Dec. 13 from 7 to 8:30 p.m., will help you become familiar with reporting statistics and the new system. Everyone who will work on statistics is strongly encouraged to attend. During the webinar, participants will walk through annual conference stats, demonstrate the program's features and answer questions. Learn more and register.

The BWC’s immigration ministry is holding a drive to collect winter coats and sweaters in adult sizes small, medium and large, for migrants new to the U.S. Items may be dropped off at the Mission Center, 11711 E. Marketplace in Fulton, on Dec. 14 from 3 to 7 p.m. All items must be new or gently used. See a video about this mission opportunity.

Disabilities Ministries gathering: The General Board of Church and Society, General Commission on Religion and Race, and the Disability Ministries Committee of The United Methodist Church invite you to join them for a gathering of all Disability Ministry chairs and coordinators, Church and Society chairs, Peace with Justice coordinators, and other disability rights advocates for a one-hour, Connection-wide online discussion. The conversation will be held Jan. 18, from 3 to 4 p.m. on Zoom. Register.

Every moment we have a decision whether to create more or less inclusion, diversity, equity and antiracism (IDEA). This eight-session course will focus on six actions that you and community partners can take to grow in building beloved community and hence create spaces of belonging and becoming. You will learn how to have contextual, brave conversations that matter, learn evidence-based strategies for bias reduction, and become rooted in theological and Wesleyan principles that undergird this work. The spring iteration of Journey to Beloved Community will begin on Feb. 2, 2023. Learn More & Register Here.

Annual College Scholarship Application Window Opens Dec 15: Once again, the Baltimore-Washington Conference will award scholarships for qualified students currently attending college, as well as high school seniors who plan to attend college in the fall of 2023. The application process opens on Dec. 15 and closes on March 30. A variety of scholarships are offered to fit the diverse needs of our students. To be considered for a scholarship, students must complete the full online application, which includes uploading their current transcripts. In addition, the student must provide contact information for their pastor and one additional church reference. The pastor and reference will be contacted and asked to submit information on the student’s participation in the local church. The entire process will be done online for ease of the student, pastor, and reference. Learn more.

Addressing Violence in Church: Eastport UMC in Annapolis will host a training on Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events. The CRASE presentation by the Annapolis Office of Emergency Management and the Annapolis Police Department is designed and built on the Avoid, Deny, Defend (ADD) strategy and provides guidance and a proven plan for surviving an active shooter event. All are welcome to attend this training on Jan. 15 from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

Looking forward to Lent: Even as we approach the miracles of Christmas, many pastors are looking toward the Lenten season, which begins Feb. 22. This year, the BWC will study a new book by Bishop Sharma Lewis of the Virginia Annual Conference.

"We all long to engage in a deeper, more transformative spirituality," said Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, who recommend the book for the BWC's study. "This insightful Lenten resource, with its call to the practice of contemplative study and prayer, provides the means to achieve that depth. We are indebted to Bishop Lewis for this gift."

Order your copy.

Salem UMC will host a Visit with Santa event for the community on Dec. 17 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in the church community hall at 12 High Street in Brookeville. Little ones will talk to Santa, make candy, decorate sugar cookies, sing holiday songs and enjoy light refreshments. On Monday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m., the church will hold a service of music, poetry and Scripture to offer a moment of peace in this sometimes frantic season. The service will feature the music of Alan Naylor, a classically trained musician and well-known actor. 

See the denomination's Christmas message, Connect with Joy.

Project SPIRIT, which provides assistance to those with Sickle Cell, is holding an online fruit fundraiser.

The Annapolis District UMM will host a potato drop on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 7 to 9 a.m. at Eastport UMC. Learn more. Churches may reserve their potatoes at UMMrsvp.org.

Journey UMC will host its last Grief & Suicide workshop on Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. at its Temple Hills campus at 1901 Iverson Street in Temple Hills. Breakfast will be provided. The church will also host Friday Night with Santa on Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. and a Christmas Concert on Dec. 18 at 4 p.m. For more information, call the church office at 301-894-8622.

Rollerskating event: Asbury UMC in Jessup will host a roller skating event for youth and young adults on Friday, Dec. 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Skate Zone, 1082 Route 3 South at Capitol Raceway Road in Crofton. Tickets are $20. Contact Shanita Pearson at 240-342-1722.

Wesley Seminary’s online Heal the Sick certification program will be conducted Jan. 15-March 25. The registration deadline is Jan. 3. Scholarships are available through the BWC's Health and Missions Board. For more information, visit www.wesleyhts.org, and click on “Online Health Minister Certificate.”

Mental First Aid: The Wellness and Missions Team will host Adult Mental First Aid with United Methodist Churches on Feb. 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register. Additional sessions will be held March 17-18, and April 20-21.

Winter Youth Retreat: Youth groups of Annapolis District churches are invited to participate in a Winter Youth Retreat at West River UMC, hosted by Calvary UMC in Annapolis. The retreat will be held Jan. 13-15, and will provide a place to celebrate Christ’s love with other youth in the area and build a stronger community of faith. The cost per participant is $165 and includes lodging for your group and meals. Each church is responsible for providing appropriate adult chaperone coverage for your youth. For more information or to register, contact Joe Gryder.

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