Council of Bishops Leadership Gathering

Leadership Gathering October 20-24, 2026

The Council of Bishops is hosting a leadership gathering in Calgary, Canada October 24-26, 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 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. Stay tuned for registration information.