United Church

BAUST UNITED Church of Christ is pulling out the stops Saturday for a Fall Festival and Dinner.For years, people from Washington, Baltimore and Carroll have flocked to the church hall on Old Taneytown Road for a fried chicken and country ham dinner prepared by the women of the church."

An upstairs room at Asbury Methodist Church is stuffed with memorabilia and documents of the Annapolis church, from faded photos of generations of church leaders to mugs commemorating the recent 200th anniversary. The filing cabinets that line a back wall in this informal exhibit space contain a trove of church records - births, deaths and marriages among them. The glass cabinets elsewhere in the room hold other items, including a tea kettle that a century ago sat on a wood-fired stove in the church, used to boil water for tea for the pastor and his visitors.

ATLANTA - The United Church of Christ became the first mainline Christian denomination to officially support same-sex marriages when its General Synod passed a resolution yesterday affirming "equal marriage rights for couples regardless of gender." The resolution was adopted in the face of efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban gay marriage. It was both a theological statement and a protest against discrimination, said the Rev. John H. Thomas, the president and general minister of the denomination, which has 6,000 congregations and 1.3 million members.

It was a typical Sunday worship service with a twist. The congregation at Ames United Methodist Church in Bel Air, the same lively and prayerful group that planned the hugely successful Yolanda Adams concert a couple weeks ago, was offerering hearty praise songs and worshipping together Sept. 2, in the church's Baltimore Pike sanctuary. Pastor Jay Blake, their annointed and ebullient leader, had just finished delivering a thought-provoking sermon. Challenging them that faith without works is dead, he implored the assembly to gather after the worship service for a brief road trip.

There wasn't a rope line. They didn't need bouncers, either. On the second Sunday of Advent, about 20 souls came for service at the First and St. Stephen's United Church of Christ in Towson. It was a diverse group of worshipers -- older people, younger people, white people, black people, gay people, straight people, Democrats, Republicans. There might even have been a Redskins fan in the congregation, and that would have been all right with the church, too. This is a denomination, after all, that launched a national advertising campaign with a message apparently so controversial -- we accept all worshipers -- that CBS and NBC refused to broadcast it. The 30-second ad shows two bouncers working a rope line in front of a nameless church.

Church officers to be installedThe Rev. Rod LaWall will give the sermon, "We Feel Close to This Baby!" at 10:15 a.m. Sunday at Grace United Church of Christ, 49 W. Baltimore St., Taneytown.The church also will install officers for 1993 during the service. The Brown Bag children's session and junior church will be held in the parish hall. Information: 756-2302.Interim pastor gives final sermon SundayThe Rev. Dave Rogers, interim pastor, will give his final sermon at 11 a.m. Sunday at Emmanuel (Baust)

The Rev. Harvey G. Schlichter, a pastor for 39 years and chronicler of the foibles and eccentricities of northeastern Carroll County towns, died April 5 of cancer at the Longview Nursing Home in Manchester. He was 71.He was simultaneously pastor of St. Mark's United Church of Christ in Snydersburg, Lazarus United Church of Christ in Lineboro and Trinity Church of Christ in Manchester from 1950 until he retired in 1989.He wrote "Two Centuries of Grace and Growth in Manchester," published in 1960.

On June 18, 2003 CARTER G. WOOD, beloved husband of Shirley B. Wood, step-father of Gregory Brown, brother of Ruth W. Fuller and Virginia W. Bowers-Fenty. He is also survived by one sister-in-law, two brothers-in-law and other relatives and friends. Friends mat call at Nutter Funeral Home Inc., 2501 Gwynns Falls Pkwy, on Tuesday from 3 to 8 P.M. Family will receive friends at Heritage United Church of Christ, 3106 Liberty Heights Ave., on Wednesday 10:30 to 11:30 A.M. with funeral services immediately following.

On March 14, 2003, MARYANNA WATERS (nee King); beloved wife of Louis Waters; devoted mother of Richard Waters; dear mother-in-law of Isabel Conley. Visitation at the Kaczorowski Funeral Home, P.A., 1201 Dundalk Avenue, on Sunday from 7 to 9 P.M. and Monday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. Funeral Service in United Church of Christ, 3200 Dillon Street, on Tuesday at 11 A.M. Interment in Oak Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her name to United Church of Christ.

Dr. Gregory Emery, an anesthesiologist and former Baltimorean, died July 14 of heart failure at Pendleton Methodist Hospital in New Orleans. He was 50 and lived in San Jose, Calif. Dr. Emery was the first black student to attend Gilman School in Roland Park, said his mother, Anne Emery of Baltimore. By the time of his 1968 graduation, three other blacks had gained admission, and all graduated the same year. He then attended Loyola College and earned his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

United Methodist Church of Savage presents "Riches 2 Rags" Friday, May 18 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 19 at 2 and 7 p.m., at 9050 Baltimore St., in Savage. This musical, created by Dennis and Nan Allen, takes the story of Job and places him in modern day times. Can "a good man" stay good through life's hard knocks? Cost is non-perishable food items for the Savage Food Pantry. For information, contact 301-725-7530 or office@umcsavage.org . http://www.umcsavage.org .

There will be a free food and clothing distribution event Saturday, May 19 at First United Methodist Church of Laurel, 424 Main St. The clothing distribution, sponsored by Grace Community Church, will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The food distribution is sponsored by Priority Partners and the Capital Area Food Bank, and will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Pick up free food and learn about getting no- and low-cost health care benefits for...

The Ames United Methodist Church Scholarship Committee has applications available for the 2012 Ames United Methodist Church Scholarship for graduating high school seniors residing in Harford County. To request a copy of the scholarship packet and for more information, email Ames UMC Scholarship Committee, amesumcscholarshipcommittee@live.com . Completed applications must be postmarked by April 15. All incomplete applications and those that are incomplete will be rejected and returned to the applicant with no further action taken for consideration by the scholarship committee.

The United Methodist Church of Savage is hosting Breakfast with the Easter Bunny Saturday, March 24 from 8 to 11 a.m. at 9050 Baltimore St., in Savage. Cost is $3 for one pancake, scoop of eggs and sausage; $6 for two pancakes, two scoops of eggs and two sausages. Beverages included. Bring your camera for pictures with the Easter Bunny. Call the office, 301-725-7630, with questions.

Monkton United Methodist Church invites the public to a dedication ceremony for the church's new front steps. The congregation will dedicate new brick steps leading up to the front doors on Feb. 19 at 10:45 a.m.. Light refreshments will follow. The church, built in 1870, is a Baltimore County landmark and is in the My Lady's Manor National Register Historic District. The church's original members often arrived in wagons or on horseback. Its crumbling steps recently were replaced with help from a Baltimore County Historic Trust grant.

Laurel police report felonies, arrests and property crimes. Prince George's County police report violent crimes and property crimes. Anne Arundel County police report major crimes. Howard County police report major crimes, break-ins and car thefts. City of Laurel Ninth Street, 200 block, Jan. 11. Police on routine patrol observed riding lawn mower tractor and snow blower outside building, and identified them as items reported stolen Jan. 8 from St. Mark's United Methodist Church.

On May 10, 2003, WALTER S. (Poe), beloved brother of Mildred Gronberg, Edward, Jr., Calvin, Warren, Kenneth and Alfred Kellner, and the late Charles, William and Carl Kellner, son of the late Edward, Sr. and May Kellner. Also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Memorial Services will be held at the United Evangelical United Church of Christ, East Avenue and Dillon Street on Friday at 11 A.M. Interment in United Evangelical Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please make contributions to: The United Evangelical Church of Christ, East Avenue and Dillion Street (21224)

Lazarus United Church sets servicesLazarus United Church of Christ, 5101 S. Church St., Lineboro will hold Sunday school for all ages beginning at 9 a.m. Sunday with morning worship following at 9:45 a.m."Widow's Determination" will be the subject of Pastor Verna Call's sermon. Sixteen new members of the church will be accepted into membership during the morning service.Other church activities scheduled Sunday include participation in the Crop Walk by the Youth Fellowship, who will walk from Westminster to help feed the hungry, and a confirmation class meeting at 6 p.m.Information: 374-1304 or 239-0887.

Rev. Millard Byrd Knowles, pastor of Old Otterbein United Methodist Church from 1992 through 2006 and later pastor of visitation/pastor emeritus at Perry Hall United Methodist Church, died Thursday following a series of strokes. He was 82. "He could tell any biblical story with an emotion and a passion that made you feel like you were right there," said Rev. Jeff Paulson, a longtime friend and colleague of Mr. Knowles, who had a doctorate in biblical storytelling from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.