LAC-UMC Welcomes African Methodist Leaders | News

The Liberia Annual Conference (LAC) of The United Methodist Church (UMC) opened the 2026 Africa College of Bishops Meeting with a Thanksgiving Service, marking the start of a week-long gathering of African United Methodist bishops in the country regarded as the birthplace of Methodism on the continent.

Held at First United Methodist Church in Monrovia, the service drew bishops and their spouses, district superintendents of the Liberia Episcopal Area, clergy, church leaders, government officials, and ecumenical partners. It is the first time the Africa College of Bishops Meeting has convened in Liberia, and church leaders described the occasion as a moment of deep significance for United Methodists across the country.

The gathering carries the theme “Deepening Ecumenical Engagement, Expanding Continental Influence and Strengthening Institutional Sustainability,” drawing its biblical foundation from Isaiah 54:2: “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.” The service also honored the church’s long history of contributions to Liberia through education, healthcare, agriculture, evangelism, and community development.

Bishop L. Jonathan Holston of the Alabama West Florida Episcopal Area in the United States delivered the Thanksgiving Service message. He encouraged worshippers to remain steadfast in faith and to root their lives in Christ’s teachings, framing the moment as a turning point for the global church. Drawing on the account in Acts 1, Holston said the African church is no longer a mission outpost but “the epicenter of the worldwide church,” and that the continent stands in a season of preparation and transition.

He called on believers to embrace three commitments: to love boldly, by widening the church’s welcome to a new generation without letting tribal divisions or regional politics narrow its reach; to serve joyfully, resisting fear and scarcity even amid economic uncertainty and global crises; and to lead courageously, strengthening spiritual foundations even as the church expands its influence.

Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr., resident bishop of the Liberia Episcopal Area and president of the West Africa College of Bishops, presided over the service. He described Liberia as a mother figure in the history of African Methodism, telling the congregation that those who leave home always have reason to return and pay tribute. He also praised the Liberia Annual Conference’s resilience through past hardship.

Bishop Mande Muyombo, president of the Africa College of Bishops and resident bishop of the North Katanga Area, thanked Liberian United Methodists for their hospitality toward visiting delegations. He reaffirmed the church’s commitment to the Book of Discipline in guiding governance and marriage practices across Episcopal Areas, and urged members to remain united, faithful to Scripture, and devoted to the church’s mission despite ongoing challenges.

Muyombo also announced that Bishop Ruben Saenz, president of the Council of Bishops, would arrive in Liberia on September 1, and invited the Liberia Episcopal Area to prepare a fitting welcome.

Also present were Conference Lay Leader Tolbert G. Nyenswah, Men’s President Samuel Swen Kun Jr., Women’s President Josephine Snorton, and delegations from the Youth and Young Adult Fellowship. The service closed with renewed calls for unity and fellowship among United Methodists across Africa as the week’s meetings continue.