Liberia UMC to Host Global Meetings-Bishop Quire Announces Major Methodist Events

In a period when Liberia is seeking renewed moral leadership and international partnerships, faith institutions continue to play a quiet but influential role in shaping national reputation. The decision for Liberia’s United Methodist community to host two major continental church gatherings in 2026 signals more than a routine ecclesiastical calendar event; it reflects confidence in the country’s organizational stability and spiritual leadership within African Methodism. Such conferences often extend beyond worship, touching issues of governance, reconciliation, education, and social service that affect communities across the region. As Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr prepares the Liberia Annual Conference to welcome delegates from across Africa, the gatherings also highlight how religious diplomacy can strengthen Liberia’s global engagement. THE ANALYST reports.

The Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church (LAC/UMC) has announced that it will host two major international United Methodist gatherings in 2026, a development that underscores the LAC/UMC’s growing prominence in regional and continental Methodist leadership.

Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr., Resident Bishop of the Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, described the church’s selection as a significant vote of confidence in the Liberia Annual Conference’s spiritual maturity, organizational capacity, and long-standing contribution to the mission of The United Methodist Church in Africa.

He stated that in September 2026, the City of Monrovia will host the Africa College of Bishops Meeting, a continental assembly that brings together United Methodist active and retired bishops from across Africa. The meeting will focus on fellowship, prayer, strategic reflection, and engagement on issues critical to the mission and future of the Church on the continent.

“Hosting the Africa College of Bishops Meeting is a rare honor and a strong affirmation of the Liberia Annual Conference’s standing within the wider African and global United Methodist connection,” Bishop Quire explained.

Later in the year, in December 2026, the LAC/UMC will again serve as host to a Special Session of the West Africa Regional Conference, following approval by the Africa College of Bishops. This historic gathering will convene delegates and leaders from the Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria Episcopal Areas, as well as representatives from the Mission Districts of Senegal and Cameroon.

Bishop Quire noted that the Special Session will be convened to address and finalize conference boundary matters within The United Methodist Church in Nigeria. It will also consider the possible election of an additional bishop for the Nigeria Episcopal Area—an issue of major significance for the future governance and pastoral oversight of the Church in West Africa.

Hosting these high-level meetings highlights the Liberia Annual Conference’s capacity for hospitality, effective organization, and spiritual leadership. It also reflects the trust placed in LAC/UMC by the broader United Methodist connection during a season of transformation within the global Church, he said.

Together, the two international conferences are being described as major milestones for the Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. They are expected to strengthen partnerships, enhance the Conference’s international visibility, and renew collective commitment to the Church’s mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

To ensure the successful planning and execution of these landmark gatherings, Bishop Quire has announced a special task force committee. The committee will be responsible for coordinating preparations, mobilizing resources, and overseeing logistics to guarantee that Liberia delivers conferences of the highest standard.

Bishop Quire asked church leaders and members across the country to support the process through prayer, collaboration, and active participation as LAC/UMC prepares to welcome the global United Methodist community in 2026.