Here is a message from our Bishop regarding the new structure for the Baltimore Washington Conference:
Beloved of God,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Risen Savior, Jesus the Christ.
It is with great excitement and joy that I share the new structure of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, as well as the new names for our districts with you. As we transition from eight districts to six, we do so with a renewed call to mission, ministry and our baptismal covenant. This sacred realignment is not merely administrative; it is a movement of the Spirit, a response to the living waters that continue to flow through our hearts, our churches, and our communities. We will experience revival as we gather in new districts and hubs to form lasting relationships and wade into the deep of mission and ministry together.
And make no mistake, this is not a diminishment; rather, it is a deepening. It is not a retreat; rather, it is a redirection. We are being called to move forward, not in fear but in faith. Whether it is the waters of the womb or the waters of baptism, we are always being called to birth something new, to be reborn and transformed. Beloved, we are never called into what was, but always forward into what God is making new.
Just as the waters of baptism do not remain still but ripple outward, so too must our conference evolve to become more agile, more faithful, and more attuned to the needs of the present age. This new structure is an expression of our deep desire to be good stewards of our mission, our resources, and the call to be a bold and courageous Church for the 21st century.
On the Creating Vital Change webpage, you will find an alphabetized list of churches, followed by the name of their hub, district and district superintendent in that order. You can also discover your partners in ministry online in the listing of hubs in alphabetical order, with the Connecting Church in bold. While hubs represent your connectional hub for missional action planning, it isn’t meant to disrupt any existing ministry partnerships you may have. In addition, you can see a map of the new districts.
I give thanks for the leaders, clergy, and laity who have prayed, planned, and partnered to make this new day possible. I give God thanks for the Connecting Churches and Pastors whose enthusiasm and commitment will lead us into greater vitality. I give thanks for each district superintendent who will shepherd this transition with care and clarity. And I give thanks for you — the saints of the Baltimore-Washington Conference — who, having been claimed in the waters of baptism, continue to live out your calling with courage and compassion.
Living waters cleanse, they renew, and they unite. They remind us that though we may be many, we are one body, baptized by one Spirit into one hope. May we flow together, one stream, one Spirit, one mission, toward the Beloved Community that God still dreams for us.
In the Name of the One who fills us with Living Water,
Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling
Resident Bishop, The Baltimore-Washington Conference