Commission on General Conference
The United Methodist Church
For Immediate Release
May 12, 2025
Minneapolis to host General Conference 2028
Nashville, Tenn. - The Commission on the General Conference has announced that the 2028 General Conference will be held May 8-18, 2028, at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The news comes after the conclusion of the Commission's spring virtual meeting.
Imagining that there are many curiosities regarding what led the Commission to make this decision for 2028, the Rev. Dr. Aleze Fulbright, secretary of the General Conference, and the Rev. Andy Call, Commission chair, took time to address questions regarding date and location including:
Why Minneapolis?
“The selection of Minneapolis as a General Conference location dates back to 2013. There was a significant investment of time by the former host committee and members, planning, along with financial investments that required the Commission to give strong consideration to naming Minneapolis for 2028,” noted Fulbright. Though starting with a $1.8 million deficit during a season of reduced Church budgets, the new Commission expressed its vigilance in reducing costs without jeopardizing the critical elements of the gathering. They have also enlisted the General Council on Finance and Administration to pursue sponsorship opportunities to help bridge the gap.
Why the dates in May?
“When planning for the General Conference the availability of the convention center/meeting space and local hotels dominate the decision on the dates for when General Conference can be convened. The General Conference (GC) event spans at least three weeks, to include: setting up the infrastructure, before GC meetings, the convening of GC and move out of the facilities post event. There must be the adequate space and lodging to accommodate this major gathering for a large number of people,” shared Fulbright, secretary of the General Conference. “There were inquiries with Minneapolis regarding a late Summer 2028 or other availabilities, for which the convention center was not fully available with the space we needed nor were the lodging needs because of other scheduled conventions.”
Why not outside the United States?
“The members of the Commission on the General Conference have worked diligently to plan and prepare what would normally happen over a longer period of time,” said Rev. Andy Call, Commission chair. “When we met in November, we named a desire to hold a General Conference outside the United States as soon as possible. We also had a thorough conversation about the logistical challenges with planning a General Conference outside the U.S. and the time it would take to adequately prepare for that. We determined that it was not feasible to adequately prepare for that to happen in 2028, but we are committed to exploring every possibility for 2032, to secure a location that is welcoming to all and able to hold a gathering of 3,000 people, with minimal visa challenges.”
Visa planning, delegate counts and other matters
The Office of the General Conference and The Commission are gathering dates, talking through plans and discussing contingencies in regards to the handling of visas. Once these plans are finalized, they will be communicated with appropriate accountabilities. The General Conference website, hosted by United Methodist Communications, is being updated to provide regular updates and transparency in processes, including visa statuses, as the Commission's work continues.
Due to developments around the Church, the Commission decided to delay issuing a final delegate count until more information is available.
Commission member transitions were also reported with The Rev. Alexander von Wascinski from Germany assuming the seat vacated by Bishop Werner Philipp's election, and another vacancy awaiting a replacement decision from the Council of Bishops and Leadership Discernment Committee.
The Commission is already envisioning the future as they seek to clarify processes and provide for the work of the General Conference for 2028 and beyond to meet the needs of The UMC of the future.
The executive committee and subcommittees will continue to meet and plan throughout the year until they gather again in person for the full Commission meeting in November.
In reflecting on Minneapolis’ selection, Bishop Lanette Plambeck, resident bishop for the Dakotas-Minnesota Area of The United Methodist Church proclaimed “What was postponed in 2020 returns in promise and possibility. In 2028, Minnesota will joyfully host the General Conference of The United Methodist Church. Rooted in Jesus, grounded in Wesleyan theology, inclusive of all, and engaged in the work of justice and reconciliation—we are ready to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously as we welcome the world to a place where grace is lived and the future is shaped together.”
“We also look forward to honoring the work and the people of the Minnesota Annual Conference as we prepare to convene in 2028 in Minneapolis,” added Call. “Both the city and the church have changed significantly since 2020, and meeting there will provide an opportunity to celebrate the beautiful diversity of the church and bear witness to what God is doing in our midst.”
###
About General Conference
General Conference is the top policy-making body of The United Methodist Church, which meets once every four years. The conference can revise church law, as well as adopt resolutions on current moral, social, public policy and economic issues. It also approves plans and budgets for church-wide programs.
About The United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a worldwide connection of close to 10 million members in over 100 countries, with a presence in Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States. United Methodists are people of God who share a common mission and values. The church and its members are called to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We reach out to a hurting world through a dedicated focus on mission and ministry. Our tagline "Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors." reflects who we are and how we seek to put our faith into action. Learn more at umc.org.
Media Contact:
Brenda Smotherman
PressCenter@umcom.org