The report below, written by Pastor Doug Robinson-Johnson, was submitted to the Harbor District Church Conference of the Baltimore-Washington UMC Annual Conference in October 2026.
Looking Ahead: Deepening Our Ministry in 2026–27
Over the past year, Community UMC has continued to deepen its ministries through Bishop Robert Schnase’s Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations: Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Risk-Taking Mission and Service, Extravagant Generosity, and Intentional Faith Development.
Our January 2026 all-church retreat, based on Calling on Fire: Reclaiming the Method of Methodism, by Dr. Ashley Boggan and Rev. Dr. Chris Heckert, helped us identify four strategic practices to guide our next season of ministry: Field Preaching, Micro-communities, Social Engagement, and Leadership Activation.
As we enter 2026–27, my pastoral priorities are to move these ideas from conversation into practice, building on the ministries already taking root while creating new opportunities for people to participate, lead, and grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Our Ministry Foundation: The Five Practices
Our recent experiences provide a strong foundation for this next chapter:
- Radical Hospitality: Short-term studies of racial justice, belonging, and the United Methodist Social Principles have engaged participants in meaningful conversations. Participation in immigrant-rights advocacy and a Baltimore-Washington Conference day of lobbying has helped extend our commitment to justice beyond the church walls.
- Passionate Worship: Creative visual elements throughout the liturgical year, participation in two Intergenerational Worship cohorts, and expanded fellowship opportunities have helped make worship more engaging and relational. We are also developing Rooted Huddle to better connect tweens and teens with the life of the congregation.
- Risk-Taking Mission and Service: Katie Foster’s CommUNITY initiative has created quarterly opportunities for hands-on service, including food kits, nursing home flowers, and hygiene kits for a Title I elementary school. Meanwhile, 15 missioners and an equally sized prayer team supported the 19th Zimbabwe Volunteer in Mission trip to Hanwa Mission School and surrounding communities.
- Extravagant Generosity: The Zimbabwe mission team raised $140,000 toward completing teacher housing at Hanwa Mission School. Congregational generosity also made it possible to fund a new full-time staff position for Children, Youth, and Family Ministries, filled by Jill Spann.
- Intentional Faith Development: Staff now participate in regular professional evaluations, while the Vitality Team is helping ministries assess their effectiveness and alignment with our mission of forming disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
These are not simply accomplishments to celebrate. They are building blocks for what comes next.
Four Strategic Priorities for 2026–27
Drawing on Calling on Fire, I intend to focus pastoral leadership and congregational energy around four initiatives:
- Field Preaching: Taking the Church Beyond Its Walls
We will experiment with an Outdoor Chapel at CUMC on Wednesday evenings during the fall and spring. This will create opportunities to encounter God in new settings, invite neighbors into our community, and explore forms of worship beyond Sunday morning. - Micro-communities: Building Deeper Relationships
By March 2027, we will work toward forming at least three new Grace Groups. These small communities will provide consistent opportunities for people to share their faith journeys, recognize where God is at work, and support one another through difficult decisions. Our goal is to cultivate relationships that extend beyond Sunday worship and sustain people throughout the week. - Social Engagement: Strengthening Our Community Partnerships
I will partner with and resource staff members Katie Foster, Crystal, and Jill Spann as they expand outreach through the Child Development Center (CDC) and CUMC ministries. The goal is to strengthen connections between the church, families, children, and the surrounding community, ensuring that our mission responds to actual needs and builds lasting relationships. - Leadership Activation: Equipping More People for Ministry
We will use our three learning opportunities to move participants from learning about faith into leading through faith:- Social Principles (Fall): Participants will take greater ownership of learning by leading class sessions on issues of personal interest and social concern, such as Care for Creation.
- My Sacred Story (Winter): Participants will have opportunities to mentor newer Christians, sharing their experiences of faith and helping others discover their own spiritual stories.
- Upper Room Liturgy (Spring): Participants will develop leadership skills by taking on roles in worship planning and leadership.
The larger goal is to move from a congregation where ministry is primarily provided by a few leaders to one where more people recognize, develop, and use their gifts.
Our Shared Work Ahead
In 2026–27, I intend to continue nurturing the Five Practices while helping CUMC become more intentional about these four strategic priorities. This will require experimentation, regular evaluation, collaboration among staff and laity, and a willingness to let new forms of ministry emerge.
Ultimately, our work is not simply to create more programs or fill more spaces on the church calendar. It is to cultivate a congregation in which people grow in faith, build meaningful relationships, serve their neighbors, and discover their own capacity for ministry.
Our calling remains the same: to form disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The opportunity before us is to find new and deeper ways of living out that calling together.
