UMAC 2027 Registration Now Open

3 hours ago

2 min read

Get ready to gather "side by side" with communicators across our United Methodist connection!

Registration is now open (www.umcommunicators.org/annual-meeting) for the United Methodist Association of Communicators annual meeting February 25-26, 2027 at Bethany UMC in Austin, Texas. An early bird registration fee of $300 is available from today until Dec 31. (The rate is $250 for local church communicators.)

The UMAC 2027 event is for United Methodist communicators from local churches, annual conferences, agencies, and affiliated organizations.

Our theme is "Side x Side," as we celebrate the ways we work together to amplify the mission, ministry, and vision of The United Methodist Church and explore ways to strengthen our work.

About UMAC 2027

Our two-day meeting will begin Feb 25 with worship led by Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey and will conclude Feb 26 with our Awards Gala.

We'll hear from keynote speakers, including:

Rev. Rachel Kessler, “The Nerdy Priest”

Known on TikTok as "The Nerdy Priest," Rev. Rachel Kessler will share how she's weaving her pop culture hot takes, 60-second sermons, and Christian witness into an authentic social media presence.

Garrett Bucks & Rev. Lindsey Joyce

On the topic of building community, Rev. Lindsey Joyce, a United Methodist pastor in Chicago, will share about the rapid response network she helped establish in her neighborhood. And writer and organizer Garrett Bucks will tell us about his marathon of 50 cookouts, potlucks, sewing circles, and hootenannies.

Tracy Simmons

Tracy Simmons, an award-winning journalist from the pacific northwest, will talk to us about religion reporting and how she found some of her favorite stories aboard cargo ships in New Jersey, on a police chase in Albuquerque, in dusty Texas church bell towers, and in tent cities in Haiti.

Ashley Gish

Innovation Lead for United Methodist Communications, Ashely Gish, will share about how our denomination is taking part in (and learning from) conversations on AI in our work and world.

UMCom Shop Talk

In partnership with United Methodist Communications, this year’s UMAC gathering will include Shop Talk, where we learn more about communication priorities and plans across The United Methodist Church.

We'll also break into small groups for workshops on a range of relevant topics.