We’re thrilled to announce that the 2026 Annual Gathering of the Alliance of Baptists will be held April 16–19, 2026 at Lake Street Church of Evanston in Evanston, Illinois!

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Registration

Early bird rates are available through January 5, 2026. After that, rates will increase to the full registration amount! Make your plans now and save your spot!

Early Bird Registration: $250

Full Registration (after January 5): $300

Online Participation: $75

Student Rate: $100

The Alliance is committed to making our gatherings accessible. If the full registration fee would prevent you from participating — due to travel costs, congregational budget limitations, or personal financial constraints — please indicate that here. A staff member will follow up confidentially with scholarship and alternative pricing options.

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Our Theme

If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.

The Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your needs in parched places and make your bones strong, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail.

Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.

Isaiah 58:9b–12, NRSVUE

Isaiah tells us that God does not ask for shallow piety or polite charity, but for a people who break the yoke of oppression, who spend themselves on behalf of the hungry, who repair ancient ruins and restore streets once abandoned. This is not soft work. It is truth-telling, wall-tearing, life-reorienting work. It is repentance. Not as guilt-nursing, but as returning: turning back toward the heart of God so that justice can take root in us again.

To reckon with our roots means naming the soil we stand in: the legacy of white Christian Nationalism, the deep taproot of white supremacy, the ways our tradition has twisted the story of God to justify power rather than liberation. It means acknowledging how we have benefited from systems that deform God’s creation, harm our neighbors, and fracture our own souls. And it means telling the truth about the world we inhabit now: a nation where the machinery of empire still turns. Where families are separated and exiled, where ICE raids terrorize communities, where borders are weaponized, communities are policed and surveilled, creation exploited, and fear is used as currency.

This reckoning is not about shame, but about truth for the sake of transformation. Christian freedom requires the courage to confront the stories we inherited, the temptations of innocence and exceptionalism, and the false securities that privilege builds. Repentance demands that we tell the truth about what has shaped us so we can step into a future rooted not in fear or dominance, but in love, courage, liberation, and responsibility. If we will turn, if we will return, God will meet us there. Re-centered. Re-rooted. Ready to repair what has been broken.

Repent: turn back to the God of justice and mercy.

Repair: join God in mending what empire has shattered — bodies, land, relationships, memory, hope.

Reclaim: our humanity, our faith’s liberating core, our prophetic imagination and public witness.

Only then, Isaiah promises, will our light break forth like morning. Only then will we become what God has always called us to be — repairers of broken walls, restorers of streets where all may dwell.

Join us for this year’s Annual Gathering as we reckon with our roots so that we might reclaim a better story and a better tomorrow for ourselves and future generations.

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Our Host

Lake Street Church is a powerful partner for our 2026 Gathering for many reasons. The congregation has been deeply involved in reparations and reconciliation work for over a decade and has officially served as a Sanctuary Church since 2014. Their unique and ongoing partnership with Second Baptist Church of Evanston offers a meaningful witness to what shared ministry, truth-telling, and antiracist solidarity can look like. Conveniently located just seven miles from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, a short walk from Lake Michigan, and an easy train ride from downtown Chicago via the Red Line, Lake Street Church offers both accessibility and a deeply rooted spiritual and justice-centered context for our time together.

Evanston itself holds historical significance as the first U.S. city to implement a municipal reparations program, which launched in 2019 to address the lasting impacts of anti-Black housing discrimination. Today, it remains the most fully-realized local reparations effort in the country.

To learn more about Lake Street Church of Evanston, visit their website. We also recommend these thoughtful reflections from Lake Street’s pastors, Rev. Dr. Michael Woolf and Rev. Jillian Westerfield:

Repairing the Redlined Body of Christ 

What Reparations is Costing My Church 

Lake Street Church of Evanston, Second Baptist Church hold interfaith panel on reparations

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Lodging

*The room rates listed reflect pricing from late October. Rates may shift, so please visit each hotel’s website for the most current information. We recommend booking early to get the best available rate.

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Tentative Schedule

Thursday, April 16

We invite everyone in town to join us for the Baptist Beer Garden — yes, you read that right, and yes, it’s become a cherished Alliance tradition. Before the Gathering officially begins, we’ll ease in together by catching up with familiar faces, meeting new friends, and enjoying beverages of choice (Coffee? Soda? A good local brew? You do you). It’s relaxed, welcoming, and a lovely way to kick things off. All are welcome, so come toast to community with us.

Friday, April 17 + Saturday, April 18

You can expect most programming to run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. A few sessions may start a bit earlier or wrap up a little later — keep an eye out for the full schedule, coming soon.

Sunday April 19

The Alliance Gathering typically concludes with worship. You can take that into account when planning your travels.

A more detailed schedule will be available soon. Keep an eye on your email and check the Alliance website for the most up-to-date information.

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Have a Workshop Idea?

Do you have wisdom, experience, or a creative practice to share at the 2026 Annual Gathering? We’re inviting workshops that bring this year’s theme—Reckoning with Our Roots: Repent. Repair. Reclaim.—to life. Whether you’re exploring rituals of repentance, the work of repair in your community, or reclaiming the liberating story of Jesus in the face of empire, we want to hear from you.

Proposals are due December 15, and selected presenters will receive free registration to the Gathering.

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Interested in Sponsoring AG26?

The Annual Gathering is never possible without our incredible sponsors. If you’re interested in learning more about how to sponsor the 2026 Annual Gathering, please email info@allianceofbaptists.org.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When will the early-bird rate end?

January 5, 2026.

When does registration close?

The last day to register is April 1, 2026.

Can I register for just one day?

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate single-day registration. We hope you join us for the portions of the gathering you are able to attend and use the hybrid option for the portions you cannot attend.

Will there be any events hosted on Thursday, April 16, 2026?

Typically, the Alliance has hosted a welcome happy hour the day prior to the gathering. We encourage you to take this into consideration when making your hotel and flight arrangements. Additionally, the Board of Directors have typically met on the Thursday prior to the board meeting.

Will there be a chaplain retreat on Thursday, April 16, 2026?

We’re excited to announce two gathering opportunities for endorsed clergy in 2026, designed to make it easier for more of you to participate:

First, there will be a Spring In-Person Gathering during the Annual Gathering in Evanston, Illinois! There will be an evening of fellowship and connection over a shared meal together. Watch for details about whether this will be Friday or Saturday evening.

And second, we will be hosting a Fall Virtual Retreat! In fall 2026, we’ll host a 3-4 hour virtual gathering that includes continuing education opportunities, allowing you to participate from wherever you are. If you have any questions about this change, please reach out to Carole Collins at carole@allianceofbaptists.org.

When will a full schedule be made available?

We will continue to share the updates we have to the schedule and the keynote speakers and preachers when that information is available. For the most up-to-date information, pleae check the website.

Is there a hotel block?

No. There is a list of recommended hotels (above) based on location and affordability. Please take into consideration the cost of parking at the different hotel options.

Will meals be provided?

Meals will not be provided. We will be providing a longer-than-typical lunch break to provide transportation time to and from nearby restaurants. We encourage you to explore all of the local fare options prior to arriving to Evanston. If you experience limited mobility, we encourage you to explore delivery services. Throughout the programming, there will be opportunity for light snacks and beverages in the fellowship hall.

Will there be a hybrid option?

Yes, a hybrid option will be available which will include all keynote speakers and worship services. Workshop options will also be made available online. More information about our online capacities will be made available in the coming months.

My organization is interested in sponsoring the gathering. How do we sign up to sponsor or host an exhibit table at the gathering?

The Annual Gathering is never possible without our incredible sponsors. If you’re interested in learning more about how to sponsor the 2026 Annual Gathering, please email Brett Harris at brett@allianceofbaptists.org.