The United Methodist Church will split its 2028 General Conference across two continents for the first time in its history, hosting concurrent sessions in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Harare, Zimbabwe. The decision aims to ensure that delegates who cannot secure U.S. visas are not excluded from the denomination’s primary legislative process in May 2028.
By establishing a secondary site in Africa—the continent with the church’s largest membership—the Commission on the General Conference is attempting to solve a recurring crisis of access. For many delegates, the hurdle isn’t a lack of will, but the rigid reality of international travel laws and visa complexities that remain outside the church’s control.
Commission Selects Harare to Avoid Visa Denials
The Commission reached this decision on October 27, 2026, during a virtual fall meeting. While the church’s leadership admitted that splitting the conference is not the ideal way to conduct “holy conferencing,” they determined that equity had to take priority over tradition. The 2028 event is expected to host the largest representation of non-U.S. delegates in the history of the denomination, making the risk of widespread visa denials a critical threat to the legitimacy of the proceedings.
Harare was not a random choice. According to the Commission, the city was selected because of its strong United Methodist presence and its ability to offer easier visa access for delegates coming from other African nations. Interestingly, Harare had originally been slated as the 2028 location before previous postponement changes shifted the primary site to Minneapolis.
“As the global travel landscape continues to change, and technological restraints remain a reality in many areas, we must be nimble and creative in our work to allow for maximum participation in the legislative process,” stated Rev. Andy Call, Commission chair.
Rev. Andy Call
Church Builds Digital Infrastructure for Dual-Continent Session
The Commission has already begun coordinating with United Methodist Communications to build the necessary digital infrastructure to ensure delegates in both Minneapolis and Harare can work together concurrently.
For the Minneapolis site, the church has committed to providing lunch and a $30 per diem to supplement meals. However, the financial and logistical arrangements for the Harare site remain unsettled. Because venue contracts in Zimbabwe are still being negotiated and the concurrent schedule is still in flux, the church has not yet determined how delegates in Africa will be fed or supported.
A Shift Toward Global Decentralization
The decision to include Harare is part of a broader effort to move the church away from a U.S.-centric model. The Commission has already reaffirmed its commitment to host the next General Conference entirely outside the United States. There is also a push to move these dates away from the U.S. political calendar to encourage higher participation from young people.
To manage this transition, the church is updating its internal machinery. The Commission is currently reviewing a new consensus-based decision process and simplifying conference rules to remove duplications. They are also implementing CALMS, a new legislative management software designed to handle the complexities of a global vote.
Production and technology will be paramount to the 2028 dual-location General Conference in Minnesota and Zimbabwe.
Planning Phase Enters High-Intensity Window Before 2028
The planning phase is now entering a high-intensity window. An Alternative Task Team has been vetting site options since November 2025, and the full Commission is scheduled to meet virtually again in April 2027. Between now and then, a specific one-day virtual session will be held solely to discuss the “two-site experience.”
As the church prepares for this historic first, one significant gap remains: the exact venue in Harare has yet to be finalized. Until those contracts are signed and the meal plans are set, the vision of a global conference without logistical delays remains a goal rather than a guarantee.
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