st. matthew's united methodist church

14900 Annapolis Rd, Bowie Maryland 20715 Call Us 301-262-1408

Logo of St. Matthews United Methodist Church. It features a stylized cross with a mosaic design above the text St. Matthews United Methodist Church in blue and green.
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Midweek Messenger

Midweek Messenger for May 29, 2025

Schedule Highlights

Worship Schedule: St. Matthew’s Worship Schedule

Other Meetings and Events: St. Matthews June Calendar

Children’s Church: Room 116 after the Children’s Message. Children from birth to 10 years old are welcome to join us! Our lessons follow the lectionary in a kid-friendly manner.

Sunday School Classes

 

  • Children’s Sunday School meets each week in Room 222 following worship service. Children ages 3 to 18 are welcome to join us.
  • Adult Sunday School meets at 11:00 AM in the Parlor. All are welcome!
  • The 8:45 AM class remains on hiatus for the time being.
  • During July & August, following the Garden Service, our customary round of presenters will lead Summer Sunday School.

 

Tuesday Bible Studies

Join our Bible studies every Tuesday:

 

  • 9:45 AM Bible Study with Isaac in the Parlor.
  • 7:00 PM Bible Study with Rev. JW Park on Zoom. Join the Lenten Study, which is using the study book, In the Footsteps of the Savior by Max Lucado. The Zoom link will be sent out prior to the meeting.

 

The Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival is This Saturday!

St. Matthew’s is participating in the Annapolis PRIDE Parade and Festival on Saturday, May 31, at 11:00 AM, and will have a booth in the festival, which starts at 12:00 noon. All are invited to participate in any way you can. If you are unable to walk the parade, we will have a truck to ride in. For maps of the parade route and festival grounds, follow this link: Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival Maps.

Parade details include:

 

  • Please wear your Love is Love St. Matthew’s tee shirts (over other layer(s) if temperatures require more coverage). St. Matthew’s will distribute clear rain slickers to its participants as needed, so the tee shirts will be visible, even if rainwear is required.
  • Parade organizers recommend parking at the Navy-Marine Corps stadium. Parking at the stadium costs $15 for all-day parking and $30 for oversized vehicles. Stadium parking accepts NO CASH and must be paid by credit card only! Enter the parking lot through Gate 1 off of Rowe Blvd on Farragut Rd.
  • For parade marchers, free parking is available at the Calvert St. Garage. 19 St. Johns St. City transport will take them back to the garage after the parade. (Note that, in spite of the availability of free parking, organizers are recommending paid parking at the stadium. They did not explain why, but they did indicate that the area around St. Johns may be very congested, with street closures and unusual traffic patterns.)
  • Annapolis Pride provides FREE shuttle buses that will take you from the stadium parking to the parade start and Maryland Hall. After the parade, they will mostly shuttle you between Maryland Hall and the stadium. Some of the shuttle buses are ADA accessible; however, you may need to wait for another shuttle until an ADA accessible one arrives.
  • Please arrive in time to join the St. Matthew’s group as close to 10:00 AM as possible but no later than 10:30 AM. When you exit the shuttle bus, ask an event volunteer to direct you to the St. Matthew’s parade gathering place. You may need to tell the volunteer that St. Matthew’s is in Group 7, Parade Position 36, and is Participant P-2025pf.

 

The St. Matthew’s booth at the festival will be in Bates Field. The exact location will depend on what’s available when we arrive to set it up. Individuals who are working at the booth should bring a reusable water bottle and money for any food they want to purchase while there. Contact lgbtqadvocacy@stmatthews-bowie.org if you have any questions. Check out the festival website at 2025 Annapolis Parade & Festival | Annapolis Pride.

The Garden Service Returns Next Sunday

The Garden Service and Coffee Hour will begin once again on Sunday, June 1, and continue through September 7. All are welcome to join us as we worship al fresco!

New Directory Starting Up This Sunday!

Come to Fellowship Hall with your best smile for your new directory picture. If you want, you can use the previous picture or submit your own. See us in Fellowship Hall between services, starting June 1.

United Women in Faith (UWF) Prayer Breakfast

The Washington East District of the UWF is holding their annual prayer breakfast on June 21, 2025, from 9:00 am – Noon (doors open at 8:30 am) at Lexington Park United Methodist Church, 21760 Great Mills Road, Lexington Park, MD 2065. (Please note that the memorial service for our beloved member, Olive Domingo, is scheduled for the same date.) A $20 donation per person is requested. Check donations may be made payable to WED UWFaith and mailed to Deborah Proctor, 12512 Lytton Ave., Brandywine, MD 20613. Payment can also be made using Zelle at 301-274-2544. A portion of the funds collected for the Prayer Breakfast will be donated to a Baltimore-Washington Conference and/or WED project. Registration is required and must be completed by June 3, 2025, at this link: Washington East District (WED) 2025 Prayer Breakfast Registration. Please notify Lisa Klein via email after registering at lisasklein68@yahoo.com.

Interfaith Trivia Night

The Interfaith Coalition of Bowie (ICB) invites you to our second Interfaith Trivia Night with a chance to win a grand prize of $800, which will be split between the winning team and the local faith community of their choosing. Join us at the Bowie Community Center on Stonybrook Drive on Saturday, June 7, for a fun night of food, games, and fellowship. Doors open at 7:00 PM and the game begins at 7:30. To register to attend, click here: ICB Trivia Night Tickets. This event is made possible through a generous grant from Prince George’s County Council Member Ingrid Watson’s office and is part of the ICB’s yearlong celebration to showcase the rich tapestry of our multicultural community.

Admission is FREE to Attend the Car Show!

On Saturday, June 14 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, come and view all the vintage cars in our parking lot while listening to live music! Then visit the crafters in Fellowship Hall and enjoy some delicious food! The event is on, rain or shine! For more information, email uwf@stmatthews-bowie.org.

Come Join the Christian Book Club

The Christian Book Club will meet on ZOOM on Tuesday, June 17 at 7:00 PM to discuss How We Learn to Be Brave by Mariann Edgar Budde. The author is the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. All are welcome.

UMC Council of Bishops Issues Four Letters on Justice and Peace

At their meeting in Chicago on April 28, the Council of Bishops announced the issuance of four letters calling on United Methodists to read about and react to the following issues:

 

  • A Call for Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo
  • A Plea for Ceasefire and Justice in Palestine and Israel
  • A Call to Reject Violence Against Transgender Persons
  • A Stand Against the Dismantling of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policies

 

Follow this link to read the announcement and access the four letters: Council of Bishops Announcement of Letters on Justice and Peace.

New Vision for The United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church is sharing a new vision for the future of our connection. Read the vision statement and watch a video explaining how the vision will guide United Methodists in our continuing mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world here: The Vision of The United Methodist Church.

Baltimore-Washington Conference (BWC) Resounded with Joy

On May 13-15 members gathered in Baltimore for the 241st session of the BWC Conference (Baltimore-Washington Conference Overview). Voting on a series of eight resolutions (see Overview), the members passed a series of widely diverse measures that address matters within the church and around the world. Among its major accomplishments, the Conference also voted on four proposed amendments to the church’s constitution that were approved last May at the 2020/2024 General Conference (Vote Taken on Constitutional Amendments). In order to take effect in the church, two-thirds of the aggregate vote on each amendment from every annual conference needs to be achieved. Thus, the final vote results won’t be known until November.

Little Free Pantry Update

Please place your donations for the LFP in the bin in the coatroom or in the box outside by the narthex door. Thank you very much for your generous donations! The LFP always needs cereal, canned chicken and other proteins, canned fruit, and side dishes like mashed potatoes or rice. Beth Obear (bobear18@comcast.net) for Beth Lingg and the Little Free Pantry.

Bowie Food Pantry Update

At this time, the Pantry is most in need of low-sugar cereal, personal care items (soap, toothpaste, shampoo, etc.), and toilet paper. Please leave donations in the shopping cart in the coatroom. Thank you!

To ensure that your item is included in the Midweek Messenger, please send it to enews@stmatthews-bowie.org by noon on Wednesday. Anything received after that may be held for the next week’s edition.

Pat Layfield, Editor

Special Appendix for Federal Employees and Others Affected by Federal Government Actions

St. Matthew’s continues to lift up in prayer those who are laid off from the Federal government, those who work for or have lost their jobs as Federal contractors or grantees, those who fear losing their jobs, members of the military and their families, and other people who are suffering negative consequences due to the uncertainties surrounding Federal government actions.

No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. (1 Cor 10:13, NRSV)

The links and descriptions provided below are for informational purposes only, for the convenience of those who are experiencing challenges due to the changes within the Federal government. Please understand that St. Matthew’s does not intend for any of the information included here to be interpreted as providing any legal or financial advice. For such advice, please consult a qualified professional.

State and Local Assistance Websites

 

 

Upcoming Job Fairs

 

 

Important OPM Information

 

  • OPM Policy Memorandums: Latest and Other Highlighted Memos, listing OPM policy pronouncements, including recent policies concerning an Executive Order on probationary periods, Schedule C terms of employment flexibilities, pay and leave legislative changes, policy memos implementing other Executive Orders, etc.  For a comprehensive list of Chief Human Capital Officers’ Council Transmittals, use this link:  Transmittals | CHCOC
  • OPM policy regarding Reinstatement: Reinstatement – OPM.gov
  • OPM policy regarding Severance Pay Severance Pay
  • OPM policy regarding Insurance Benefits (Health, Dental/Vision, Life, Flexible Spending, and Long-term Care) when separating for reasons other than retirement: Life Events: I’m leaving Federal Service (not retiring)
  • OPM policy regarding Termination, Conversion and Temporary Continuation of Coverage (part of Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Handbook, which starts at the top of the same page: FEHB Handbook)
  • Instructions for downloading your E-OPF (Official Personnel File), which YOU WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO DO VIA YOUR GOVERNMENT NETWORK COMPUTER BEFORE LEAVING YOUR AGENCY! (Sample instructions from the Department of Commerce, which should generally work in any agency are available here: HRConnect Day Manager Self-Services (MSS) QRG), If you have your eOPF log-in information that you received when you were hired, log in to the eOPF system using that information and follow the prompts and links. Otherwise, or if you have any other questions, contact your servicing Human Resources (HR) office or personnel department within the Federal agency or organization you work (or worked) for to obtain information on how to access and use eOPF. Be sure to obtain and keep copies (preferably hardcopies) of your SF-50s, years of service, last timesheet, your last leave and earnings statement, and your most recent signed performance plan, including any performance evaluations.

 

The Baltimore-Washington Conference (BWC) of United Methodist Church is hiring for several positions, each of which is open until filled (BWC Open Positions). Each job posting contains instructions for applying for the position. In addition, several United Methodist Churches in the BWC have posted Help Wanted ads on the BWC website: Area UMCs’ Help Wanted Ads

Miscellaneous Resources

 

 

Federal Retirement Information

 

 

 

Congressional Support

 

  • Congressman Steny Hoyer has a webpage designed for affected Federal employees (Federal Employees | Congressman Steny Hoyer).
  • Both of the US Senators from Maryland have informational webpages for Federal employees: Chris Van Hollen (Resources for Marylanders Affected by Trump Admin Policies | U.S….) and Angela Alsobrooks (Resources for Federal Workers – Senator Angela Alsobrooks).
  • Newsletters from both US Senators contained the following suggestions for Federal employees: (1)  Keep a record of everything, including hard copies of performance reviews, SF-50s, and years of service; (2) Consult with your supervisors for guidance when you receive an order or request from outside your agency, such as a directive from OPM; (3) Pursue legal advice from an attorney specializing in federal employee law or from your union (4) File a complaint if you are targeted. If you are a current or former federal employee or applicant, you may have a right to file a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) or an appeal with the Merit Systems Protection Board. If you are in a bargaining unit, you should communicate with your union first, as it is possible that they have a different, negotiated set of grievance procedures.