January 2026

January 26, 2026

Greetings in the name of Christ–Emmanuel, God with us!

I continue to be inspired by the ways that United Methodists throughout Arkansas and Oklahoma are loving boldly, serving joyfully, and leading courageously in our various communities and settings. People’s lives are being transformed by your Spirit-filled work, and I am grateful.

As you may have heard, the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church has launched a historic engagement initiative in advance of the Council’s 2026 Leadership Gathering, “Emboldened by the Spirit: Imagining a Church Yet to Be.” The Gathering will convene October 20-24, 2026, at Knox United Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, bringing together nearly 300 participants, including bishops, clergy, lay leaders, and young adults from across the world.

The engagement initiative is designed to expand participation in the event, giving every United Methodist a direct voice in shaping this conversation about the denomination’s future. At the heart of this initiative are three participation pathways:

• A denomination-wide survey,
• A worldwide webinar series, and
• A newly coordinated website.

Together, these pathways are intentionally designed to gather and share the hopes, wisdom, and vision of United Methodists across the worldwide connection.

Denomination-Wide Survey

Available in seven languages—English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Korean, and Tagalog—this mobile-friendly survey invites you to share:

• What you hope the Church will prioritize in its conversation and planning,
• Your vision for the Church 50 years from now, and
• The message you want Leadership Gathering participants to carry forward.

The Gathering’s design team has publicly committed to crafting the event around the thoughts and hopes that United Methodists share. As suggested by the designers, I am encouraging pastors across the connection to explore setting aside time during Sunday worship for congregations to participate collectively in the survey using QR codes. This shared moment of discernment is intended to spark a movement of “gathered hope” across our church. Alternatively, you can share the link to the survey on your social media channels or in church newsletters.

Click here to access the survey

Webinar Series (January–March 2026)

Three interactive webinars are scheduled, which will explore core Wesleyan themes with diverse panelists from around the world. All sessions are open to the entire denomination, and feedback is welcomed by the planners.

The first webinar – Love Boldly – took place on Saturday and was recorded for you to view. I was grateful to find it a rich, inspiring exploration of who we are as a worldwide church in the Wesleyan tradition.

The next two webinars are scheduled as follows:

• “Serve Joyfully” — February 21, 9-10:30 a.m.
• “Lead Courageously” — March 21, 9-10:30 a.m.

These too can be viewed in real time or at your convenience, by accessing the website hub described below.

Central Website Hub

This coordinated website, supported by United Methodist Communications and Wespath, will serve as the central access point for:

• Survey participation
• Webinar registration and access to recorded sessions
• Monthly updates and resources
• Event information and livestream details

Click here for the Website link

A Final Word of Hope

Friends, there is a whole lot right now that’s filling up our hearts, our prayer time, and our many forms of service. Yet in the midst of challenge, I find hope in our connection and the expressions of Christ’s gospel love across our church, in very diverse contexts. Engagement with this survey and conversation is a way to set our people’s sights on who we are called to be, together, going forward. I hope you will find your participation to be fruitful.

Grace and peace,
Bishop Laura Merrill
Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conferences
The United Methodist Church