10/24/2026
What kind of church are we helping the next generation inherit—and what are we willing to do now to make that future possible?
That question brought Bishop Kristin Stoneking, the Rev. Sara Lattimore, Maggie Taylor and Conference Co-Lay Leader Wes Reynolds to Calgary for the Council of Bishops Leadership Gathering, Oct. 20–24.
United Methodists from four continents gathered in person and online for worship, honest conversation and imagination about the church’s future. More than a third of those attending were under 35, bringing younger voices directly into that work.
Participants began by naming challenges facing the church, then explored practices and possibilities for moving forward. Among the themes:
🌱 Deepening faith through prayer, listening and relationships that transform how we live and serve.
🤝 Strengthening worldwide belonging, sharing leadership and learning from people whose experiences challenge our assumptions.
🌎 Recognizing the resources already among us—people, gifts, relationships, money and property—and putting them to work for God’s mission.
❤️ Connecting our witness to Jesus with courageous action for our neighbors and a wounded world.
Bishop Stoneking described groups imagining the church they hoped to inhabit in 2050, then working backward toward the steps needed today. She highlighted greater priority for children and youth, releasing resources held in buildings to bless communities, and sharing our worldwide abundance so every part of the church can thrive.
The gathering developed ideas and recommendations for further work; it did not adopt new church law. Those recommendations will inform the bishops’ ongoing leadership and reflection across the wider church.
Our Mountain Sky participants helped bring the experience home through reflections on bridges, belonging and the courage to take a first step—even onto a glass floor high above Calgary!
Thank you, Bishop Stoneking, Sara, Maggie and Wes, for carrying Mountain Sky’s experiences into these conversations and sharing what you are learning. The invitation now reaches all of us: How might we put these possibilities into practice in our own communities?
Explore the coverage and hear the conversations for yourself:
• Ideas for the future church https://tinyurl.com/475nv9tw
• How the gathering began https://tinyurl.com/3e7mucfn
• Practices for a thriving church https://tinyurl.com/4ub7zzhd
• Background and next steps https://tinyurl.com/yc4nemaf
• Session recordings and gathering resources https://tinyurl.com/mvxpkmm9
