LYNC Adds Presence at Council of Bishops Gathering
Love Your Neighbor Coalition (LYNC) representatives will be on the ground when the Council of Bishops Leadership Gathering happens in Calgary, Canada, October 20-24, 2026.
Although not participants in the gathering, LYNC leaders will be present to share justice-seeking values and contact information for the coalition's 15 member organizations with the participants during breaks, at hotels, or in other informal situations. The hope is to build connections and relationships with participants as the church moves forward toward the General Conference in 2028.
If you are unfamiliar with the leadership gathering, here is some background on the event.
After key legislative changes and new regional structures were approved at the 2024 General Conference, the Council of Bishops and Connectional Table shared an updated vision statement of the church: “The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.”
Using the vision statement as a framework, the Council of Bishops scheduled a Leadership Gathering in Canada for bishops, clergy, laity, young adults, and global participants. In preparation, planners received churchwide input. They convened three online webinars and an all-church survey in seven languages. LYNC sent two letters to the bishops. The first expressed concerns about international participation and favoritism by bishops, and the second letter shared core values for LYNC and advocated priorities for the denomination. LYNC leaders feel these core values should be part of any conversation about the future of the denomination.
In addition, international participation is limited by the impact of the Ebola virus. Obtaining visas for Canada is also challenging for East and West Africans because there area limited number of Canadian embassies in Africa where visas must be obtained.
LYNC leaders endorse the planners’ efforts to be diverse, reflected in the gathering goals:
At least one young adult (under 35) from every episcopal area
Robust representation from African, European, and Filipino contexts
Formalized visa support processes
Multilingual translation services
An additional $50,000 in sponsorships to reduce financial barriers for Central Regions participants.
However, international participation is limited by external factors: 1) the impact of the Ebola virus, and 2) obtaining visas for Canada is challenging for many East and West Africans since their countries do not have a Canadian embassy. This means they must travel to and spend nights in another country. This impacts international participants and observers.
The list of invited participants is available at https://tinyurl.com/UMCParticipants. While diverse, at least two-thirds of the participants will be from the United States of America. As the UMC seeks equitable representation at future events, locations outside of North America may need to be considered. LYNC recognizes that ensuring a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for all is very hard work. That's why it’s so important that we make it central to any gathering of the church.
As we United Methodists live into a polity that reduces barriers rather than litigates exclusion, LYNC is hopeful that shared mission, expansive theology, and imaginative programming will be hallmarks of a denomination full of leaders who are free to live out the Good News of Jesus, who embodied love and grace, even as he challenged greed and exclusion.
You can be part of the LYNC presence in Calgary
LYNC needs your help to support the costs of sending volunteers, printing promotional information, offering hospitality and creating a LYNC presence in Calgary.
Please donate today so we can underwrite the costs of this outreach effort to new leaders in denomination.