NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE

The Church of the Brethren National Youth Conference 2026 will take place July 18-23 at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado. The theme for NYC 2026 is “Light Within Us,” based on Matthew 5:14-16. Youth who have finished 9th grade through their first year of college (or age equivalent) are invited to attend with adult advisors. This will be a week full of fellowship, worship, service projects, recreation, and so much more!13

Registration is open through June 26; visit www.brethren.org/nyc for more information. As of mid-March, about 500 youth and advisors had registered. The cost of NYC is $675 for the late registration period. For any questions, reach out to Rachel Johnson (rjohnson@brethren.org).

The NYC service project this year will involve making fleece tie blankets to donate for children’s hospitals, in partnership with Fleece and Thank You. In addition, NYC youth participants are invited to create and send in various worship elements built around the NYC theme. The plan is to use these worship elements as part of the worship services during NYC, which gives youth the opportunity to help shape what worship looks like. Find the submission form at https://forms.gle/UP9Y5et17G1FANdz5. Contact Rachel Johnson at rjohnson@brethren.org with questions.

*Six Illinois/Wisconsin congregations (Canton, Highland Avenue, Naperville, Neighborhood, Peoria First, and Springfield First) have reported that they expect to have youth and advisors attending this year’s NYC. If you have members planning to attend and have not yet informed the district office, please do so as soon as possible. We will not have enough participants to do a bus, so congregations are working on local transportation options, with most likely flying to Colorado. The district Leadership Team has approved scholarships from the Youth Fund to aid the attendance of our youth participants.