Council of Bishops Leadership Gathering
Leadership Gathering October 20-24, 2026
The Council of Bishops is hosting a leadership gathering in Calgary, Canada October 20-24, 2026. “This gathering is about faithful leadership for such a time as this. We are being called to reimagine the Church—not to preserve what is familiar but to fulfill God’s calling and vision for our future. We will lean into the Spirit’s leading with boldness and humility, centering Christ in all we do, so that the witness of The United Methodist Church might be renewed, relevant, and rooted in justice, love, and hope," said Bishop Tracy S. Malone, president of the Council of Bishops.
The Leadership Gathering Design Team invites leaders across the connection to participate in this survey as part of the ongoing preparation for the 2026 Leadership Gathering. Your voice will help inform how the church listens, discerns, and leads together in the years ahead.
The Council of Bishops is inviting all United Methodists to participate in a historic denomination-wide survey and join in a series of webinars to prepare for this October’s Leadership Gathering.
In the lead up to the gathering, the Council of Bishops is working with United Methodist Communications to host a series of three webinars open to all United Methodists. The first webinar is January 24 and will explore the foundations of Wesleyan theology and how they shape United Methodist identity today.
The purpose of the Leadership Gathering will be to gather hope, vision and imagination for the future of the UMC from across the connectional landscape.
Participants will include all active bishops and COB officers; three leaders from each Episcopal Area selected by the bishop in consultation with the lay and clergy leadership of the Episcopal Area; and the general secretaries.
The 2026 Leadership Gathering is expected to overflow with fresh energy—thought-provoking keynotes, creative workshops, worship that awakens new possibilities, and opportunities to form life-changing connections. Bishops and leaders will rally around breakthrough ideas, share wisdom, and craft bold responses to the challenges ahead.
Building on the momentum of the 2020/24 General Conference, this gathering calls the church to awaken hope, amplify vision, and set the stage for a renewed movement of faith.
In the lead up to the gathering, the Council of Bishops is working with United Methodist Communications to host a series of three webinars open to all United Methodists. These webinars will focus on how the vision statement’s call to “love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously” connects back to the denomination’s mission and Wesleyan theology. The webinars are free and recordings will be made available publicly. Each will be roughly an hour and half in length.
"Love Boldly" Webinar on Theology
This webinar explores the foundations of Wesleyan theology and how they shape United Methodist identity today. Participants will reflect on core theological commitments, shared beliefs, and how theology informs who we are as Wesleyans and as The United Methodist Church.
Date: January 24, 2026 - 10:00-11:30 AM ET
"Serve Joyfully" Webinar on Missiology
This webinar examines Wesleyan approaches to mission, with attention to mutuality, formation, and decolonial perspectives. Participants will engage how mission is practiced in relationship, shaped by context, and grounded in a call to serve with humility and joy.
Date: February 21, 2026 - 10:00-11:30 AM ET
"Lead Courageously" Webinar on Ecclesiology
This webinar focuses on Wesleyan understandings of leadership and church life. Participants will explore the connection, shared leadership, and ways the church is reimagining structures and practices to support faithful and courageous leadership in a global context.
Date: March 21, 2026 - 10:00-11:30 AM ET
