Sept./Oct. response: Assembly 2026 Registration Opens September 2

Stacey Abrams, Workshops, Soul Care, Town Halls, and More on Schedule

by Audrey Stanton-Smith

When United Women in Faith’s Jay Rollins thinks about Assembly 2026, he thinks about his mother, a lifelong United Methodist who attended her first Assembly in 2018.

As the spouse of a clergy member, she had attended many United Methodist conferences, but none compared to Assembly in size or atmosphere.

“She told me after the first day of that Assembly that this is the best thing The United Methodist Church does,” Rollins said. “She said she had never experienced anything like this, and that’s because Assembly is different. It’s not a business meeting. That’s not the focus. The focus is on the participant. The focus is on the work of the organization and the work the participant does. And it’s the sheer joy of that many women being in the space together to celebrate, worship, learn, and connect.”

Assembly 2026 plans are underway, and early registration opens September 2 at uwfaith.org/
assembly. The once-every-four-years event takes place May 15-17, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Stacey Abrams—politician, lawyer, activist, and writer—has officially signed on as a keynote speaker. Abrams is best known for her work involving voting accessibility and turnout. She made history by becoming the first woman and first African American woman to hold positions in state and national politics. Abrams will be joined on stage by her mother, the Rev. Carolyn Abrams, retired United Methodist clergy.

This gathering of women committed to faith, empowerment, and making a difference includes events designed to uplift your soul, strengthen your faith, and bring
you together with an unstoppable sisterhood.

“There is nothing like being in a room, live, in person, with thousands of other women and sisters from all over the globe,” said Sarah Brockus, United Women in Faith’s director of events management. “You feel the international presence, and it makes you feel the power of the organization in a way you can’t feel online and you can’t feel in a smaller meeting.”

Register Now

Early registration is strongly encouraged. It’s simple at uwfaith.org/assembly.

“The further out you book, the more economical it is,” Rollins said, adding that travel and lodging accommodations are less expensive when secured early. “This is an opportunity for our members to really get locked in for the most economic price.”

Early registration is $365. From Nov. 30 to April 14, the regular registration fee will be $395. 

“This is a great deal considering you receive five general sessions with riveting speakers, two workshops and two town halls, a vibrant and exciting Experience Hall with a fairtrade marketplace, bookstore, video lounge, and more, plus energizing networking opportunities,” Brockus said.

Early registration also helps women ensure they are registered for the workshops and town hall meetings they prefer, since those events fill on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Registrants will have 40 different workshops from which to choose. And town hall meetings will center around various topics—justice campaigns, international mission, and growth, for instance. 

During town hall meetings, panelists and experts will focus on a topic associated with the work of United Women in Faith, and those in attendance will be invited to engage in meaningful conversation with them.

“There are not just microphones on the stage, there are microphones on the floor, so everyone’s voice is important. You get to come to the mic and ask questions and share your opinions and be a voice that makes change,” Brockus said.

The Venue

Assembly 2026 takes place at the Indianapolis Convention Center.

“One of the best things about the Indianapolis Convention Center is that it has been built with distance from hotels in mind,” Rollins said.

Most hotels are directly across the street, making the center one of the most easily accessible Assembly venues in recent memory, organizers said. Even inside the center, workshop spaces are easy to reach from the general sessions locations.

Even though locations are close, the center allows plenty of space to accommodate the thousands of women expected to attend. (More than 6,000 attended Assembly 2018 in Orlando, Florida.)

“It makes you feel viscerally how big we are and what the possibilities are,” Brockus said. “We are so large and connected and galvanized around a common mission of purpose. And that is the beauty of Assembly.”

In fact, she added, Assembly attendees often say they did not realize how big United Women in Faith actually is.

“They say, ‘I had no idea! I had no idea we do all this, no idea that we’re making this kind of difference in the world.’ And there’s this huge, exciting energy,” Brockus said.

Bring Friends!

Organizers said Assembly 2026 will be the perfect place to introduce new people to United Women in Faith because they, too, will experience the energy and excitement surrounding the event and the organization.

“We are going to have amazing speakers again,” Brockus said. “And we’re going to have great Soul Care moments and moments for the sisterhood to just have fun together. We’ve got new stuff going on that they’ve never gotten to do before because they’ve asked for more.”

Among those events are a silent auction that will include items donated from each conference, town hall meetings, workshops, service opportunities, networking dinners, action cards, and legislative moments.

“Assembly is a place where you can grow and learn and also find care and wellness for yourself,” Brockus said. “If you need a break from the kids, a break from family, you say to your husband, ‘You’re up to bat. I need to go be with my women friends and take care of myself.’ This is the event for you.”

Connect

Assembly 2026 provides opportunities for women to connect with other influential women leaders from all over the globe.

Among those influential women will be author and activist Stacey Abrams and United Methodist Council of Bishops President Tracy Smith Malone, who has committed to attending Assembly 2026 for the entire weekend.

“We’ve had Council of Bishops presidents attend in the past, but never for the entire weekend, so this is wonderful, and we’re so excited to welcome her,” Brockus said.

Malone is also the president of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women and a member of the Board of Trustees of Africa University. 

Also in attendance will be music leader Chanda Rule, Pastor Mya P. Miller, Jennifer Hockenbery, the Rev. Liz Theoharis, and Ragghi Rain Calentine, a member of the Connectional Table and chairperson of the Native American International Caucus of The United Methodist Church.

Stay Tuned

Assembly 2026 leaders and plans continue developing daily, so be sure to visit uwfaith.org/assembly to register early and stay up to date on the latest news. 

Audrey Stanton-Smith is editor of response.

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