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Daniel McCrae, a former lay member to the Baltimore-Washington Conference from Journey UMC, (formerly United Methodist Church of the Redeemer) died July 29. Condolences may be sent to his wife, Mrs. Carolyn McCrae, at 5118 Boydell Ave., Oxon Hill, MD 20745.

The Rev. Kirstin Shrom-Rhoads will leave her position as the Director of Manidokan Camp and Retreat Center on Sept. 30 and return to ministry in a local church setting. We celebrate Kirstin’s ministry at Manidokan. A search for a new director has begun. Learn more.

We pray for the Rev. Rodney Hudson of Ames Memorial UMC who was assaulted last week in Baltimore. Following the experience, he spoke out as a witness calling for greater crime prevention in the city, which is experiencing an escalation in violent crime. Read a report.

The nonprofit Interfaith Power & Light has recognized Emmanuel UMC in Laurel as a Cool Congregation for reducing its carbon footprint by at least 20 percent. Learn how your congregation can reduce your energy use and carbon emissions.

We celebrate that the office of Multiethnic Ministries at Global Ministries awarded the Baltimore-Washington Conference $10,000 for a project to design and facilitate “Multi-racial/ethnic Congregational Conversations.” This project will create brave spaces for multiethnic groups of lay and clergy three times a year to address the issues they face in their churches and communities.

Dana Davis Stafford and her family would like to thank the people of the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Conferences for their prayers, support, and expressions of sympathy following the recent death of her mother the Rev. Dorothy Davis Clark. They pray we may all continue to keep Dottie’s spirit alive by being a light for others.

Journey to Beloved Community is an eight-session online course that focuses on six actions you and community partners can take to create inclusive spaces of belonging and becoming. An orientation will be held Thursday, Sept. 15. The classes run Thursday evenings from Sept. 22 to Oct. 27, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Registration closes Sept. 12.

Learn more.  Register.

It's Your Story to Tell! - Storytelling for Advocacy Training is a special event led by SPACEs in Action, on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the BWC Mission Center and online.

Participants will be guided to articulate what they value and then connect their problems or issues into bold solutions and actions through storytelling. During the training, you’ll create a story brief, practice, gather feedback, and sharpen your skills, tone, pace, and style. Get storytelling tips from the SPACEs In Action team, gain new tools and techniques, and create a community that will help you bring your vision to life, allowing you to create stories that influence and inspire change. See a promotional video. Learn more and register.

Urgent assistance needed to aid migrants: Since April, the governors of Texas and Arizona have bussed more than 7,500 migrants to Washington, D.C. This political tactic of sending busloads of people each day to Union Station has become perilous. The BWC and Capitol Hill UMC are partnering with secular groups and other faith communities to address enormous needs. Individuals and congregations are encouraged to give generously. Contribute online at https://www.bwcumc.org/migrantcrisisdonations.

It’s pie season once again at St. Luke’s UMC in Martinsburg. The church’s pie makers are busy making their famous homemade pies. They make them each Tuesday from July to early November. Each pie is sold frozen and costs $10. Blueberry, cherry, peach, apple and mincemeat are available. Call Nancy at 304-263-5589 to order.

Canva class: United Methodist Communications facilitators will be leading Outreach and Design Using Canva, a four-week online learning experience that can empower you to create and share a variety of inspirational content online. Sessions will be Aug. 15-Sept. 9 and the cost is just $29.99. Register by Aug. 10. 

The United Methodist Appalachian Ministry Network's 50th Anniversary Celebration and Assembly will be held in Wheeling, W.Va. Oct. 5-7. For 50 years, members of UMAMN have provided resources and support to hundreds of local churches and ministries serving the people of Appalachia.

Living Well: All clergy are strongly encouraged to enroll in the seven-month Living Well program that fulfills the clergy renewal and assessment requirements in Para. 349.3 of The United Methodist Book of Discipline. The program, which includes two retreats and monthly meetings, focuses on a holistic understanding of heart, soul, strength, and mind, and helps participants create ministry development plans. The sessions are, Aug 23-25 at Camp Pecometh; Sept. 27-29 at Camp Manidokan and Oct. 25-27at West River Center Learn more and register.

Quality of Life Retreat ministries for people living with HIV/AIDs will hold a retreat for Latinx people on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you would like to participate in this live event, please contact the registrar at qualityofliferetreatshiv@yahoo.com or call 443-440-2312. Lunch will be provided to all participants.

Ayreheart, a progressive folk trio, will perform Friday, Aug. 12, from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Spirit Center at Glen Mar UMC, 4701 New Cut Road, Ellicott City. Admission is free. Learn more.

September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month: Project SPIRIT Sickle Cell, Inc., which receives support from the Baltimore-Washington Conference, offers congregations the opportunity to learn more about sickle cell traits and the spiritual implications of living with sickle cell disease. For more information, contact Rev. Lorraine Brown at 240-784-1351.

MFSA and BWARM Gala: The BWC chapters of the Methodist Federation for Social Action and Baltimore-Washington Area Reconciling Methodists will hold their annual gala Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon, hybrid style, on Zoom and at Trinity UMC in Frederick.

Calling all sight-reading singers: Lovely Lane UMC in Baltimore will hold a Choral Festival on Nov. 6 at 4 p.m. to celebrate its 250th Anniversary. They are seeking 200 choristers. There will be two rehearsals; the first at Colesville UMC on Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; the second on Nov. 5 at Lovely Lane UMC. The cost for music is $30. Singers may register by sending the following information to the church (lovelylane.bcs@gmail.com) by Aug. 29: name, email, phone number, postal address and vocal part.

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