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A funeral service for Elizabeth Hammersla, wife of the late Rev. Edgar Hammersla, will be held Saturday, Feb. 25, at 11 a.m. at Riderwood Chapel in Riderwood Village, 3140 Gracefield Road in Silver Spring.

The Rev. Dr. Teresa Fry Brown was the speaker at Wesley Seminary's Martin Luther King, Jr. Lecture. See the story.

Asbury UMC in Washington, D.C. is hosting an art exhibit, "Memories of a Dusty Road," with the works of artist and scholar Darlene Taylor. See the story.

Bishop LaTrelle Easterling and the Cabinet have begun making clergy appointments, which will go into effect on July 1. We pray for all those who will be changing appointments and the congregations they will serve. New appointments are posted most Mondays. See the appointment list.

In what promises to be a thought-provoking, soul-stirring conversation, Bishop Easterling will host a Next Level conversation on March 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Severna Park UMC. Her guest will be Jacqui Lewis, author of Fierce Love: A Bold Path to Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness that Can Heal the World.

Make the decision to join Bishop Easterling as she explores how Fierce Love can impact our lives, the church and the world. Registration for in-person attendance closes Feb. 22. Clergy participants will receive 0.5 CEUs.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief is working with the International Blue Crescent to provide tents, heaters, blankets, warm clothes, ready-to-eat meals and first aid kits to those who were displaced by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, which killed more than 32,000 people. Learn more. See a video about the relief efforts. Support the relief and recovery efforts for this and other recovery efforts for international disasters by donating to Advance # 982450.

As the Vitality Pathways application deadline approaches, conference leaders have heard from a number of congregations who submitted Intent to Apply forms that they are experiencing some stress in completing all the requirements for the application process. Please know that we hear you. If you have already submitted an Intent to Apply form, please note that we have extended the application deadline to Monday, Feb. 27. Learn more about the Vitality Pathways.

Don't delay: register for next week's Training Tuesday, which will focus on the power of a Non-Anxious Presence: Jack Shitama, Director of the Center for Vital Leadership, will share principles from his book, Anxious Church, Anxious People: How to Lead Change in an Age of Anxiety to help you grow as a non-anxious leader. Join us for this Training Tuesday webinar on Feb, 21, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Register.

Unified Funding Grants application process opens Wednesday: The Baltimore-Washington Conference Congregational Development Grants, offered through the Unified Funding Task Force, help local faith communities by providing grants to launch new ministry initiatives, congregational renewal projects, leader development ministries and opportunities to reach new people. The application period opens Feb. 15 and closes April 1. Learn more.

Pastors of rural churches in the Baltimore-Washington Conference are invited to join Bishop LaTrelle Easterling for a conversation on March 4 from 10 a.m. to noon at Otterbein UMC in Hagerstown. Register.

Rooted, Renew and Restore, a retreat for youth and children's ministry leaders, will be held March 24 - 25 at Wesley Freedom UMC in Sykesville. Early bird registration is open through March 10 at a cost of $100. If you would like to stay overnight on Friday, there is a guaranteed room rate of $104 at the Hampton Inn in Owings Mills; the code is YWC. Learn more and register. Scholarships are available.

Applications for the BWC's 2023-2025 class of Certified Lay Ministers are being accepted. Learn more about the prerequisites, application package, and the pastor's information package. Prospective CLM students must be either a Certified Lay Servant or Certified Lay Speaker. The application process includes meeting with one's pastor, church Staff-Parish Relations Committee and district superintendent before the July 1 deadline. The next class starts in September and is a two-year commitment. Questions may be directed to Linda Flanagan, the Conference Director of Lay Servant Ministries.

The United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries is seeking more U.S.-based Church and Community Workers. These positions are open to both clergy and laity. If you are interested in applying, contact missionaryinfo@umcmission.org 

Maryland’s Official Storyteller, Janice Greene, captivated the Mt. Hope UMC congregation in Sunderland on Feb. 12 with her portrayal of Harriet Tubman during the church's Black History celebration. After the service, the church's outreach ministry created 110 Valentine's Day bags for the Calvert County Nursing Home. 

Black History Month concerts: Mt. Zion UMC in Georgetown is hosting two concerts during Black History Month. The Living the Dream Concert, celebrating the March on Washington, will be held Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. The concert will feature soloist Ayanna Freelon from DC Strings, and composer Ronald “Trey” Walton III from Mt. Zion UMC. Registration is required. A Festival of Spirituals, which may be seen either in person or online, will be held Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. Register.

Non-Anxious Leadership Course: A four-session course on being a non-anxious leader will be offered March 6 through April 2. The registration deadline is March 1. The course, offered by The Center for Vital Leadership, is free to lay and clergy members of the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conferences. Get more information and register. In addition, more information on this topic can be found at Jack Shitama's blog, The Non-Anxious Leader.

Faith in Action: Join BWC and Pen-Del members for the 2023 Legislative Advocacy Days in Annapolis on March 16, and Washington D.C. on March 29, to advocate for United Methodist legislative priorities. Learn more.

Mental Health First Aid: The Wellness & Missions Board invites you to attend a virtual Mental Health First Aid class. Upon completion, participants will be certified for three years. CEUs are available for clergy. Review the choices below and follow the registration link next to your selection. Registration deadlines are not flexible; this ensures participants have adequate time to complete the pre-class work.

For more information, contact abundanthealth@bwcumc.org.

The United Methodist National Planters Gathering will be held April 24 - 26 in Denver. The conference is a chance to learn the best of who we are and what we are creating from one another. The BWC’s Congregational Development ministry will cover the registration cost of some participants, and scholarships are available. For more information contact Bill Brown or Lauren Harris. Learn more. Register.

Sign up to join Bishop LaTrelle Easterling on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Jan. 29 - Feb. 7, 2024. This sacred journey to Israel and the West Bank will be hosted by the Society for Biblical Studies and costs $3,439. The theme of the trip is, "The Land of Jesus: Then and Now."

Learn more and register.

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