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May/June response: Assembly 2026 Launches at Program Advisory Group Meeting
Sessions Focus on Justice, Generations, Storytelling
by Audrey Stanton-Smith
United Women in Faith observed International Women’s Day during a weekend of meetings at Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville that included an announcement of Assembly 2026 and a strong call to eliminate institutional racism.
The United Women in Faith Program Advisory Group meeting, March 7-9, marked the United Methodist women’s organization’s first in-person program advisory group meeting since early 2020. United Women in Faith is governed by a 25-member board of directors, and every conference is represented in its 60-person program advisory group. The directors and PAG members serve four-year terms.
Assembly 2026
Among several reports and plenary sessions, participants celebrated a marketing kick-off for Assembly 2026 with the theme “Dream it! Believe it! Do it!” Assembly 2026 is scheduled for May 15-17, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Additional information is available online at uwfaith.org/assembly. Early online registration opens Sept. 1, 2025, and the webpage is being updated as the Assembly lineup takes shape.
“At United Women in Faith’s 2026 Assembly you can dream it, believe it, do it,” Assembly Steering Committee Chair Abby Gutierrez, Rio Texas Conference, said. “Be nurtured by deep Soul Care experiences, be equipped by cutting-edge workshops, be inspired by top women experts in their field, become influencers through networking opportunities, and make an impact through action for justice.”
Eliminating Institutional Racism
Author and activist Garlinda Burton, a PAG member and deaconess in the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference known for more than 40 years of work in denominational and justice ministries, called on United Women in Faith members to act for justice now. During an Eliminating Institutional Racism address, Burton said she is retiring and “moving on to other Jesus work.”
“This will be the last time that I will be presenting anything on racism for United Women in Faith, and I’ll tell you why: The time for talking has passed. The time to act is now. And I’m specifically speaking to my white sisters,” Burton said.
“But to all of us, what are we willing to do in this fraught and dangerous time?” she asked. “I believe that United Women in Faith can make a difference because we’ve been making a difference for 241 years. Before there was even a United Women in Faith, there were Methodist and United Methodist and EUB [Evangelical United Brethren] women who were shaking up the system.”
Burton reminded participants that racism is a rejection of the teachings of Jesus Christ and that institutional racism and the struggle for racial justice are parts of the Methodist legacy.
“We’ve been working, and I’m proud to say that the women of the church have been on the front lines of battle since our inception, and I’m very proud of that. … We’re still not there, though,” Burton said. “We’re still not there because women of color are still doing most of the heavy lifting when it comes to confronting, naming, and acting to expel institutional racism and its enabler, white supremacy. After all our book studies, our talking groups, our meeting groups, our supper clubs, our prayer vigils, we still see a disproportionate amount of the work being laid on women of color to fight the battle of racism.”
Burton called on white women to “move to the front lines of Christian antiracism” by educating white children about racism, demonstrating for immigrant rights, intervening when wrong happens, supporting reparations, patronizing Black-, Indigenous-, and People of Color-owned businesses, and voting against racism.
“If you vote for a candidate who spouts racism, you’re voting for racism. Vote for candidates who speak love and speak inclusion and speak diversity,” she said. “Challenge those who disparage DEI and bust the myth of meritocracy. … Now, white sisters, at this uncertain moment in our world history, it is your turn.”
Burton’s address also included a list of women vital to making strides against racism in United Methodist history, including those involved with Scarritt Bennett Center, the site of the weekend’s meetings.
Plenary Sessions
Devotion moments and plenary sessions throughout the weekend continued themes of standing up for social, racial, and climate justice and sharing the story of faith, using Psalm 78:4 and Joel 1:3 to encourage members to continue telling stories of God’s goodness and their own stories to future generations.
“The story we want to tell when we leave here is about faith and boldness—the courage, strength, and resilience of our foremothers and United Women in Faith today,” General Secretary and CEO Sally Vonner said. “We have come a long way. Every generation has left their mark on the Church and society.”
Vonner cited United Women in Faith’s racial justice timeline as she pointed out positive changes.
“This is women’s history month,” Vonner said. “ … In our foremothers’ day, women were valued through dependence on a man. … Their independence was limited and yet they found a way to navigate unjust systems and boldly stand up for their rights and the rights of others. … This present day is still causing us to navigate patriarchy and unjust systems that try to control rather than invite the gifts of women to address the most challenging issues of the day.”
To help combat those systems, PAG members were encouraged to share their stories and the stories of their foremothers. United Women in Faith communications staff conducted a storytelling workshop in which participants were encouraged to share personal stories and stories of the organization orally, in six-word essays, and through social media posts.
“Are you ready to go home to tell the story of United Women in Faith and how your story connects?” Vonner asked. “We are proud to be part of an organization that has endured generations.”
Vonner and National President Jana Jones encouraged the PAG to accept the passing of the baton from earlier generations and to carry it boldly.
“How is God weaving this together?” Jones asked. “How is God weaving your story to be part of this story of 156 years of women who led us here today? … They took a stand, not for themselves, but for those who would come after, for us, for our next generations. Inspired by their strength and certainty, we pick up the baton to continue their journey of faith.”
In a Sunday morning devotion, Lisa Maupin, Great Plains Conference, called on members to continue acting as boldly as their United Women in Faith foremothers.
“Challenge the injustices of this world,” Maupin said. “Stand out when it is time. Stand up when you are called to do so. Be the person of faith that responds when the world is crying.”
“It is our time. This is our time to be bold, to step up, and to act,” Jones said. “It is our turn, joining our foremothers, creating a solid foundation for generations to come. The baton is in your hands to move forward.”
Audrey Stanton-Smith is editor of response.
