LYNC Leaders Share Values and Concerns with COB

The Love Your Neighbor Coalition (LYNC), a 15-group coalition of advocates, released an open letter to the Council of Bishops to urge them to fulfill their leadership role as we all face climate change, war crimes, trafficking, full inclusion, global partnerships, genocide, and more as they prepare for an upcoming meeting of select United Methodist leaders from around the world.

The bishops and select participants met online on April 25 to negotiate logistics for the October 20-24, 2026, meeting in Calgary, Canada. The invitation-only meeting in October is expected to envision the future of the denomination. LYNC is pushing for the meeting in the fall to be transparent with transferable leadership development for the whole denomination. An invitation-only event raised questions of favoritism and conformity with the denomination’s open meeting rules.

The statement concludes:

“In Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr.’s online invitation, he identifies rebuilding of trust and strengthening our connection as key issues. He calls on young leaders and global voices to shape our imagination. The gathering itself will be a test of that trust-building, as church members will expect new movement toward justice that came from the decisions of General Conference 2024. This is an opportunity for those who have been placed on the margins by the church to be centered in inclusion, resources, and voice. We are fifteen organizations representing those on the margins.”

The future of the United Methodist Church belongs to all of us as we follow Jesus. Our policies are moving toward a more inclusive, creative, and just denomination. We believe in partnerships locally, globally, and at all levels. We urge bishops and all United Methodist leaders to work together transparently and with the whole church in mind.