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A Celebration of Life Service for the Rev. Mary Jane Coleman will be held at 4:00 pm on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at Wesley Freedom UMC, 961 Johnsville Road in Sykesville. All are welcome. Rather than robing, clergy are invited to wear their stoles to celebrate Mary Jane’s ministry. See her obituary.

Betty Ammons, the wife of the late Rev. Harold Ammons, died June 8. The family will receive guests on June 17 from 10 a.m. until noon at the Hubbard Funeral Home at 4107 Wilkens Avenue in Baltimore. A funeral service will follow at noon. Interment is private.

On June 8, vandals broke into Fowler UMC in Annapolis and caused significant damage. The church was able to hold worship Sunday. The pastor, Rev. Jerome Jones, reflects, "Sometimes you have to endure, but as you endure, it refines your faith and helps you to produce a greater hope.” Read the story.

ACTION ALERT: Today is the last day of the seven-day youth survivor sit-in at the U.S. Capitol to bring awareness to the harm done to children by gun violence as Congress debates S.25 Assault Weapons Ban of 2023. United Methodists are encouraged by the Council of Bishops to pray and then demand, insist on, and push for positive change from our elected officials. Learn more and express your support for the ban on assault weapons.

On the final day of the Baltimore-Washington Conference session, the focus was on young people. Anna Schlieckert shares her reflections. Also, see stories about the Service of Ordination and Commissioning and the Service of Remembrance.

We pray with our partners in the affiliation in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference, who met

in their annual session last week and voted on the disaffiliation of 92 churches. See the story

See the latest clergy appointments, which go into effect July 1.

A new Certificate in Congregational Leadership (CCL) program uses online learning to provide a comprehensive approach to developing leadership excellence in the local church. It is designed to accommodate the busy schedules of bi-vocational pastors, Certified Lay Ministers, and others interested in growing in their knowledge and faith.

The courses can be taken either individually for personal enrichment or certification. Participants seeking certification must take the four required courses and at least one elective. Courses, each requiring approximately 10 hours of work, are structured so that all the work can be done independently.

The courses focus on church administration, sacraments, pastoral care, Wesleyan theology, time management, and United Methodist history and doctrine.

To access the core courses, you will need an Assembly account for this online learning platform. If you do not have one, you can register directly on the site. 

Step Out: Discerning A Call to Ministry: Are you wondering if God has huge plans for your life? Join the Step Out: Discerning A Call to Ministry event on June 24 at Wesley Freedom UMC in Sykesville from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Step Out is a day of worship, breakout sessions, and personal reflection. Pastors and youth leaders are encouraged to accompany participants as their support team. Learn more and register.

Summer Concert: Enjoy the music of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Mid-Atlantic region’s most talented middle and high school musicians, at Glen Mar UMC on Sunday, June 18, from 7 to 8 p.m. The concert is free. Glen Mar UMC is located at 4701 New Cut Road, Ellicott City. Learn more.

Music Festival: Journey UMC in Temple Hills will host its annual summer music festival, Music on the Hill, with music, vendors and food on Friday, June 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, please contact the church office at 301-894-8622.

EarthKeeper Training: The BWC has 20 commissioned EarthKeepers and is seeking more United Methodists to lead grassroots environmental projects that are action-oriented, antiracist, bold and entrepreneurial. EarthKeepers is a training program that equips the laity and clergy to launch and grow environmental projects in their communities. The next in-person Global Ministries EarthKeepers course is Oct. 5 - 8 in Birmingham, Alabama; Denver, Colorado; and Hartford, Connecticut. The cost of the program is underwritten by the Board of Global Ministries (except your transportation the location). Learn more.

The postponed 2020 General Conference will be held April 23 - May 3, 2024, at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was recently announced that there will also be a new window to submit petitions to the General Conference. Petitions must be received by mail, email, or via the official online General Conference 2024 Petition Submission Form by the Petitions Secretary no later than 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 6. Learn more about preparing petitions.

Level Up is a video series that provides lessons in church leadership using best-selling secular writings by the Rev. Jack Shitama of the Center of Vital Leadership. This week, Shitama explores "Why Church Leaders Need a Growth Mindset."

Celebrating History: Strawbridge Shrine, near New Windsor, celebrates its annual Colonial Days on June 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free, family-friendly event features skill demonstrations, music and tours of the shrine where Methodism began in America in 1760.

Disciple Bible Study goes digital: Since its launch in 1987, it has drawn more than 3 million participants. Now, with the new BeADisciple Study App, people can complete daily readings on their digital devices and attend weekly meetings from anywhere in the world. Beta testing of the app will begin Aug. 1. Read the story

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

See the church classified ads, now online.