2026 National Gathering Schedule

Protecting People, Peace and Planet

Note: Schedule listed below is subject to change. All times Eastern.

Monday April 20, 2026 (Capitol Hill United Methodist Church)

Sponsoring Organizations and Denominations may host private events prior to Opening Worship.

Optional Pre-Event Activities: On your own outside of venues
4:00pm – 8:00pm Registration Check-In
6:00pm – 7:00pm Refreshments and Networking
7:30pm – 8:30pm Welcome & Opening Worship Service
Guest Preacher: Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, United Church of Christ
8:30pm – 9:30 pm Reception

Tuesday April 21, 2026 (Capitol Hill United Methodist Church)

8:00am – 9:00am Registration Check-In and Continental Breakfast
9:00am – 10:00am Opening Plenary
Keynote Speaker: Bishop Dwayne Royster, Executive Director, Faith in Action
10:00am – 10:15am Break
10:15am – 11:15am Plenary Panel: What is Our Current State of Play?
Speakers: Danilo Zak, Director of Policy, Church World Service; Avery Davis Lamb, Executive Director, Creation Justice Ministries; and Marie Dennis, Senior Program Director, Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, Pax Christi International.
Moderator: Rev. Camille Henderson-Edwards, Senior Executive Director for Advocacy, The United Methodist Church-General Board of Church and Society.
11:15am – 11:30am Break

Breakout Sessions will be held at both Capitol Hill UMC and Washington City Church of the Brethren. Lunch will also be served at both locations.

11:30am -12:30pm Training Breakouts (Session I)
12:30pm – 1:30pm Boxed Lunch
1:30pm – 2:30pm Training Breakouts (Session II)
2:30pm – 2:45pm Break
All Attendees return to Capitol Hill United Methodist Church
3:00pm – 3:45pm Ask Plenary
Panelists: Giovana Oaxaca, Senior Government Relations Manager, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, and Christine Moffett, Program Director for Environment and Energy, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Moderator Galen Fitzkee, Legislative Associate, Immigration & Latin America Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
4:00pm – 4:45pm State Breakouts (Lobby Day Planning)
5:00pm – 6:00pm Closing Worship Service
Guest Preacher: Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, National Council of Churches

Sponsoring Organizations and Denominations may host private events after Closing Worship.

Lobby Day and Earth Day
Wednesday April 22, 2026 (Capitol Hill United Methodist Church and Capitol Hill)

9:00am – 9:30am Coffee & Review of Ask
9:30am – 10:00am Prayer and Depart for Visits
10:00am – 5:00pm Advocacy Visits and Public Witness (Lunch on Your Own)
4:00pm – Interfaith Earth Day Celebration, Cannon House Office Building, Room 340 – RSVP
5:00pm – Departures