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The Rev. Charles W. Lightner, a retired Elder in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, passed away Aug. 28. Condolences can be sent to his wife, Harriet Lightner, at 12 Free St., Machias, Maine 04654.

We pray for Dr. Carla Works, a professor of New Testament, who was installed as the Dean of Wesley Theological Seminary today. “Dr. Works will lead us soulfully and with a joyful spirit in the tradition of the Wesley deans as player-coaches by continuing to teach while she deans,” said Wesley President McAllister-Wilson.

In the wake of Hurricane Idalia, the United Methodist Committee on Relief is providing disaster assistance in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. Contribute to the recovery efforts.

On Sept. 7, Bishop LaTrelle Easterling's podcast, "Thursdays at the Table," begins its second season with a conversation with the Rev. Willie Jennings, a professor at Yale and the author of The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race. You can listen to the first part of their conversation now, "The Creator and the Created."

The BWC's Creation Care Team offers resources and opportunities for United Methodists to put their faith into action as caretakers of God's creation. Learn more.

Celebrating Deaf Ministry: The Baltimore-Washington Conference has a rich history of ministry with the Deaf community. In September, we celebrate the contributions of those who are Deaf and hard of hearing and expand efforts to be in ministry with them. Learn more.

The Rev. Kenda Creasy Dean will be the speaker at the Next Level Speakers Series, hosted by Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, on Oct. 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Wyoming UMC, 216 Wyoming Mill Road in Dover, Delaware. Dean, a United Methodist clergywoman serving as a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, is one of the premier church innovators in the nation and author of Innovating for Love: Joining God's Expedition through Christian Social Innovation.

There are three options to attend this one-day event. You may register for the in-person experience, attend virtually, or purchase a video copy of the event to enjoy at your convenience. In-person registration closes on Oct. 6. If you are choosing virtual or video, registration closes on Oct. 13. Learn more and register.

Churches interested in becoming more vital should consider participating in a Congregational Vitality Pathway. Beginning Sept. 13, churches can submit their Intent to Apply forms.

The Congregational Vitality Pathways are initiatives to assist leaders and churches in discovering their next faithful step. No two churches are exactly alike and that is wonderful. Likewise, the journey isn’t the same or set in stone and the destination depends on each church and its context. We all have to start somewhere. Consider taking your first step today. Intent to apply opens Sept. 13: www.pdcbwc.org/vitality-pathways.html

Developing Missionally Vital Leaders is the theme of this fall's first Training Tuesday webinar on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. Learn about resources to grow in leadership and find out how you can become involved with the BWC's new Leadership Development Academies: Fresh Expressions Academy, Church Planter Discernment Academy, Journey to Beloved Community, Certificate in Congregational Leadership program and the non-anxious leadership training. Register.

Register now for a day of fun and fellowship at United Methodist's Got Talent: Beginning at 11 a.m. on Sept 30, youth and youth leaders of BWC and Pen-Del will spend the day together at Camp Pecometh enjoying games, inspirational talks, music, and a talent show. All youth are invited to attend. Performing is not required. Youths interested in performing must fill out an audition form. The cost is $5 per person for lunch, snacks, games and more. For every four people registered, the fifth is free using the discount code Talent! Register.

Applications for Congregational Development Grants are now being accepted. All materials must be uploaded by Oct. 1. Do you have an innovative and exciting idea for a new faith expression or new worship service? A plan for a new ministry that will help your congregation go to the “next level?" Or are you developing a way to reach new people who are not yet a part of any church? The BWC's Congregational Development Grants can assist you in launching your new ministry initiative, congregational renewal project, or leader development ministry. Learn more and apply.

The Gender, Race, and Ministry study is a two-year effort by the BWC’s Board of Ordained Ministry to explore how one’s race and gender impact one’s experience of ministry. The final report offers a window into ministry experiences in our conference as well as key recommendations for strengthening our collective capacity to flourish in ministry. BOOM invites all members of the annual conference to learn more about the study and its findings through an online presentation, which will include time for questions and discussion. Join the conversation on Oct. 5 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for a webinar presentation of the report findings. Register now.

BMCR meeting: The Baltimore-Washington Conference caucus of Black Methodists for Church Renewal will host the 54th Annual Meeting of the Northeastern Jurisdictional BMCR at the Maritime Conference Center in Linthicum, Oct. 5-7. The theme is “Remaining Steadfast: Forging Ahead.” Local leaders are also seeking vendors and exhibitors. Learn more and register before Sept. 30.

The Church Planter's Discernment Academy is a nine-week virtual discernment Academy to lead potential planters through a comprehensive assessment process to help participants discover their leadership style, strengths and weaknesses, intercultural competency and learning style, and then to incorporate those discoveries into their leadership practices. The Academy begins Oct. 9, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. and ends the week of Dec. 4. Register.

An online course on “The Non-Anxious Leader: Family Systems Basics,” led by the Rev. Jack Shitama, will be held Oct. 9 - Nov. 5. The class will explore how effective leadership depends on being able to separate your personal anxieties from the issues that affect your church or organization. It is being offered free to lay and clergy members of the BWC. The deadline to register is Oct. 2. Successful completion of this course results in 3.0 CEU’s. Learn more and register.

Clergy Day Away: The Board of Ordained Ministry invites all pastors who are looking for opportunities to be refreshed by good company, the beauty of creation, and spiritual practices to a Clergy Day Away on Oct. 26 at Camp Manidokan in Knoxville for a time of fellowship and play. Learn more. Register.

This fall, the BWC is launching a new Fresh Expressions Academy built around creativity and bold hope that reaches out in innovative ways to people who are not in our churches. View an invitation from Rev. Michael Beck, director of Fresh Expressions for The United Methodist Church, and embark on a whole new kind of faith adventure. The opening training day is Nov. 4, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Register.

Clergy Ethics & Boundaries Training: The Board of Ordained Ministry invites clergy of the conference to a virtual workshop entitled “Impact of Pornography and the Intersection with Child Sex Trafficking and Abuse” on Thursday, Nov. 9, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via Zoom. This workshop, presented by the Director of Safe Communities, Linda Crockett, delves into the world of pornography and its impact on congregants, children, our communities, and ourselves. Participants will explore the deep connections between pornography and the growing problem of domestic child sex trafficking and child sexual abuse in our own communities. Learn more and register.

What does the church need to unlearn? Explore some provocative suggestions at the Mission-Shaped Church blog.

Becoming a CLM: The BWC's Lay Servant Ministries program has extended the application deadline to Sept. 30 for the 2023-2025 cohort of Certified Lay Ministers. Classes will begin in October. If you or someone you know is interested in or has heard the call of God to serve as a Certified Lay Minister, check out the application packet. Questions may be directed to Linda Flanagan, the Conference Director of Lay Servant Ministries. Learn more.

Administrators in Ministry (AIM) have postponed their Sept. 15 meeting to April 24.

St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute is offering a "Trauma and Healing" workshop on Monday, Sept. 11, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The workshop will provide an introduction to the spectrum and nature of trauma and the many ways that healing can occur. The cost of the workshop is $40, and registration is required. Attend in person or by Zoom. Learn more and register.

Earthkeepers Training: United Methodists seeking to launch and grow environmental projects in their communities are encouraged to become General Board of Ministries Earthkeepers. Training will be offered Oct. 5 - 8 in Birmingham, Alabama (where Thea Becton will be one of the trainers); Denver, Colorado; and Hartford, Connecticut (where the Rev. Cary James will be one the trainers). Learn more and apply.

The Why Worship Conference for pastors and worship leaders will be held Oct. 21 at Wesley Freedom UMC in Eldersburg. 1 CEU awarded through the BWC. Learn more and register at  WesleyFreedom.org/worshipcon.

The United Methodist Appalachian Network is hosting a free fall webinar, “Building Bridges of Hope: The Role of Rural Churches in Building Recovery Ecosystems," with the Rev. Matthew Johns, director of Faith-based initiatives for The Fletcher group. The virtual session will be Oct. 27 at 10 a.m.  

Wesley Grove UMC in Woodfield will host its Fall Community Yard Sale on Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Glen Mar UMC in Ellicott City will host a Health Fair and Blood Drive on Sept, 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Discover booths that will share health education information, conduct preventive screenings, raise awareness of health risks, and demonstrate healthy habits.  

Asbury UMC in Washington, D.C. will celebrate its 187th anniversary on Sept. 16 and 17. The celebration will include an art exhibit: "Amazing Grace! Imaginings," featuring the collected artworks of Grace Coolidge Hines. A conversation with the artist will be held Sept. 16 at 3 p.m. A jazz concert, featuring the acclaimed jazz ensemble, FAME, is scheduled for Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. and Bishop LaTrelle Easterling will preach at the 10 a.m. worship service on Sept. 17.

Howard Chapel-Ridgeville UMC in Mt. Airy will hold a Shred Event and Battery Recycling on Sept. 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. The limit per shredding is three banker boxes per car.

Ebenezer UMC in Fallston will host a free Embracing Healing Saturday on Sept. 30 from 2 to 6 p.m. Participants will learn about healing prayer, reflexology, journaling, reiki and sound meditation for the balancing of body, mind and spirit.

Auction: The Christian Women of Bedington UMC in Martinsburg will hold their 44^th annual auction Wednesday, Oct 4, at 6 p.m., with soup and sandwiches at 5 p.m. The auction will include handmade quilts, home-baked goods and crafts, Christmas items and more. 

Stone Chapel UMC in New Windsor will celebrate its historic 240^th anniversary on Oct. 22. Bishop LaTrelle Easterling will preach at a 2 p.m. worship service. On Oct. 7, the church will host Saturday Night Bluegrass, featuring the Carroll County Ramblers, at 7 p.m.

Pie sale: St. Luke’s UMC in Martinsburg, W.Va., is currently making and selling its famous pies. All pies are sold frozen. Pick-up days are Tuesdays between 9 a.m. and noon. Call the church office at 304-263-2788 to order a cherry, blueberry, peach, or apple pie for $11. The church will hold its 53^rd Annual Arts & Crafts Bazaar on Nov. 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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

The BWC is seeking a Program Director with a creative and caring spirit to develop high-quality programming at Manidokan Camp & Retreat Center, a 426-acre property along the Potomac River with year-round accommodations for 130 people in addition to tenting and rustic camping accommodations. See a job description. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. For consideration, send a cover letter and resume to Meredith Petty at director@manidokan.com.

See church classified ads now online.