Three hundred forty three messengers and 70 guests gathered for the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware’s 174th annual meeting, Nov. 8-10 at the Sheraton, Towson. This year’s theme was “Connect…A conference celebrating the Great Commission.” Keynote speakers focused on connecting to God, to one another, to each other, to the community and to the world.

The yearly “family reunion” was shortened and revamped this year, focusing on truly “connecting” through break-out conference sessions, a workshop, special brunches and dinners and fellowship breakfasts and even a Baltimore mission tour where participants climbed to the roof of a Baltimore row home and prayed over the city. There was also a corresponding online devotional focusing on the “Connect” theme, with articles written by various BCM/D staff and church leaders.

Next year the convention will celebrate its 175th anniversary. Wow!

Photos from Connect 2009

More photos can be found online in the BCM/D photo archive, including photos from the Pastor’s Brunch, and the Baltimore Mission Tour.

BCM/D Featured Ministries

We also unveiled 11 new commercials each featuring one of our ministries. They are all featured below and can also be found on the BCM/D Video archive.

Get More Information

To hear more about the Annual Meeting, read the BaptistLIFE article

In an ever-changing environment today’s leaders must commit to excellence in our various leadership roles, sharpening their skills as leaders. Proverbs 27:17 tells us, “As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.”

“As Iron Sharpens Iron” (AISI), the BCM/D’s new leadership series, premiered in October. The Leadership Event with Mike Huckabee attracted 350 ministry and lay leaders from across Maryland and Delaware. The conference featured three keynote speakers, who spoke on the major principles of leadership, specifically ethics, integrity, and character.

Speakers included:
Mike Huckabee: Former Arkansas Governor and host of “Huckabee” on the Fox News Channel
Rod Hairston: Chaplain for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens
Andy Westmoreland: President of Samford University

We Had Questions, They Had Answers

During the question and answer period after each speaker’s presentation, attendees asked tough, real-life questions on leadership, and our keynoters gave honest, down-to-earth answers.

Between speakers, The Church at Severn Run praise team provided invigorating praise and worship. Gov. Mike Huckabee even joined in, rockin’ the bass during several worship songs.

Participants also received a pre-autographed copy of Gov. Mike Huckabee’s soon-to-be released book, “A Simple Christmas.” Huckabee personalized each book (or whatever else was on hand for him to sign) and posed for pictures with everyone who asked.

What Everyone is Saying…

So far the feedback has been phenomenal. Participants are emailing, Twittering, Facebooking, and calling us because they want to know about the next AISI event. Here’s some of the comments we’ve gotten so far…

First class all the way guys. Excellent conference!

I thought it was a great event and I enjoyed all the speakers. As a Women’s Missionary Union leader I found it helpful and uplifting. Keep them coming!

It was excellent!

You can even listen to what conference attendee Barbara Williams had to say: Listen now!

Photos from the Conference

Thank You!

Thank you for making this possible! Because you gave to the Cooperative Program, the BCM/D can provide high-quality conferences and events for our leaders at a fraction of the cost. Thank you!

What Did You Think?

Did you get to attend the Leadership Event with Mike Huckabee? We want to know what you thought! Leave us a note in the comments section!

Here at the BCM/D we believe prayer is pretty important (as if you didn’t already know). That’s why we were ecstatic when 200 people from different cultures and different linguistic backgrounds gathered to pray with us this September at our Asian Concert of Prayer. Surrounded by powerful praise, we prayed aloud in four different languages, including Korean, Chinese, Filipino, and Vietnamese.

The event was held on September 13th at Hanuri Korean Church in Silver Spring, MD. Twenty-five churches from across Maryland and Delaware were represented. Was your church one of them?

Thanks to Robert Kim, BCM/D Missionary for Asian Church Planting and Evangelism, and everyone who helped plan the event. It was stellar!

Tell Us About It

Were you there? We’d love to hear about it in your words. Leave us a comment below.

Photos from the Concert

Our BaptistLIFE Design Editor Shannon Baker gathered some amazing stills of the event. Check ‘em out below:

Last Monday, spectators gathered for a tour of the newly remodeled Shepherd’s Rest and to witness the BCM/D Executive Director, Dr. David Lee, and BCM/D President, Rev. Byron Day dedicate the facility in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

All About Shepherd’s Rest

Shepherd’s Rest is a peaceful vacation house available FREE to BCM/D ministers and their families. Each year, pastors may book two separate 3-night stays or one 6-night stay.

Located on the beautiful grounds of the BCM/D’s Skycroft Conference Center in Middletown, MD. Shepherd’s Rest has three bedrooms, two full baths, a washer/dryer, fully-outfitted kitchen, and (this is Dr. Lee’s favorite part) two flat screen TVs. There is a deck just off the kitchen with a breath-taking view from the mountain.

Guests of Shepherd’s Rest are welcome to enjoy the seasonal amenities of Skycroft including the outdoor pool and the Rec Center. Whenever the cafeteria is serving food, guests are welcome to eat meals free of charge (double-check with Skycroft staff to see if/when the kitchen will be open during your stay).

Remember, your contributions to the Cooperative Program make possible this ministry dedicated to strengthening our ministers and their families. Thank you!

Want to schedule your free stay at Shepherd’s Rest?

Call Skycroft at 800-536-6759.

Check out some pictures of Shepherd’s Rest

A few pictures are below, but an online virtual tour of the new facility will be available this November.

Our 3rd Hispanic retreat for women saw over 60 ladies from 12 churches across Maryland and Delaware gather together at the BCM/D’s Skycroft Conference Center.

Ladies spent time listening to speakers, prayer-walking, sharing testimonies, and engaging in fellowship. They even got to experience a night of pampering! We’re talking facials, hand-massages—the works!

“Hispanic women rarely feel empowered, and these retreats are one of the few opportunities for the women to come out encouraged…” shared one participant. This is the point their guest speaker Yolanda Calderon emphasized, that women realize God made each one of them for His special purpose.

For more information, read the article on page 9 in the October BaptistLIFE.

Photos from the overnight retreat…

Our annual Ministry Leadership Training Conference, Horizons, went OVER the top this year! OVER 50 classes offered in OVER 15 areas of ministry drew an attendance that reached well OVER 120 people. Shall I continue? Attendees came from OVER 25 BCM/D churches and OVER ALL 11 of our associations were represented.

The conference offered classes for leaders in Men’s Ministry, Worship, Audio/Video, Church Finances, Family Ministry, and… well, why don’t you take a look. As if all those “OVERs” weren’t enough, we also had some really cool food. No really! A huge fruit well (complete with a watering bucket), fruit flowers, and even fruit swans!

Did You Attend Horizons this Year?

Tell us what you thought in the comments section.

Can’t Wait to Come next Year?

Well we can’t wait to have you! Check out the Horizons page for more info!

Check out some photos from this years conference (including the fruit swan)…

This year, our 42 campers experienced paint-balling, canoeing, woodworking, and more. Over 15 churches were represented, FIVE of which were non-baptist (which we’re really psyched about).

Take a look at what the boys did…

Many Thanks!

Thanks to the 29 fathers who helped make this event possible by serving as counselors.

Thanks to Maryland/Delaware Baptists who helped make this event possible because you gave to the Cooperative Program.

This year the girls enjoyed time with missionaries, worship, singing, quiet times, crafts, games, swimming, hiking, hayrides, skits, s’more-making meeting new friends, and much more!

Did we mention the 120 ft slip n’ slide? That’s right, we said 120 feet!

Can’t wait to see you there next year! Visit the Girls-Camp page for more information.

Generation O is the 7-week vlog series that takes a close-up look at Generation O. BCM/D Missionary for Youth Maina Mwaura hosts each week as we discover who they are, what makes them tick, and why so many decided to vote for Obama. Maina released Episode 1 last Tuesday. Episode 2 will be released June 2. You don’t want to miss this!

Generation O – Why a Vlog?

When Maina decided to produce Generation O his thinking went something like this, “It’s a generation that’s been talked about a lot, but at the same time we know so little about it. Over the next several weeks lets look closer at who these people are.”

What is a Vlog, anyway?

What is vlogging you say? Vlog stands for “Video Log.” Now smush those two words together and you get “Vlog.” Vlogs are simple video recordings that convey information, an opinion, or just something fun. They have a wide variety of uses and can appeal to many different audiences.

iBCM/D Goodies

• Generation O series
• BCM/D Youth Ministry
• Maina’s on Facebook

Every year the BCM/D celebrates unity and diversity at its Language Music Celebration with music, worship, and of course, food. This year the event boasted more than 400 attendees representing 8 different language groups from churches across Maryland and Delaware.

Join me as we go inside the celebration with its director Rolando Castro, BCM/D Hispanic Church Planting, Evangelism and Language Ministries missionary. Learn about the celebration, hear what you missed and find out how you can get involved next year.

Remember, this celebration is made possible every year by gifts to the Cooperative Program from Maryland and Delaware Baptists.

BCM/D Goodies

• 2009 Language Music Celebration Photos
• 2008 Language Music Celebration Photos
• BCM/D Language Ministry Page
• Global Mission Church is the church where LMC was held