ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2026

Our district Annual Conference briefing will be Saturday, June 20, at 10 a.m., via Zoom. We will share updates and the Annual Conference video, and our Standing Committee representative, Kevin Kessler, will provide insights on business coming to Conference this year and answer any questions. No registration is needed. Join at https://zoom.us/j/92067963849?pwd=t4T9PnPFHSlk30Y59H0qY1O5Psut0j.1. If you need call-in information, please contact the district office.

The 2026 Church of the Brethren Annual Conference will take place June 28-July 2 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, at the downtown Grand Wayne Convention Center. The schedule is altered this year, running from Sunday to Thursday. Equipping sessions will be added Sunday afternoon, and Tuesday morning will feature a time of “sparking, serving, and stirring,” as Conference officers anticipate a lighter business agenda. The theme is “Imagine!” Don Fitzkee will serve as moderator. Don has provided a theme statement at 2026-Annual-Conference-Theme-Statement-updated.pdf.

Attendance for the virtual portions of the Conference are offered at no charge this year, thanks to generous contributions from Living Stream Church of the Brethren and Pacific Northwest District. This gives people who cannot attend in-person the opportunity to engage in business, a number of Equipping Sessions, and the Wednesday evening concert featuring Brethren musicians—all virtually. Those wishing to participate virtually still need to register to gain access to the streaming platform. Virtual attendees are encouraged to make a donation to the ministry of Annual Conference as an expression of appreciation. Donations can be made at www.brethren.org/giveAC.

Annual Conference organizers have announced the preachers for the five daily worship services to be held during the Conference. Each worship service will focus on a theme and symbol from the Church of the Brethren’s biblical heritage. Speakers will be asked to reexamine and reappropriate historic Brethren themes for our time. They include moderator Don Fitzkee, Sunday evening; Beth Jarrett on Monday evening; James Washington on Tuesday evening; Becky Zapata on Wednesday evening; and Caleb Kragt on Thursday morning. The daily worship services will be livestreamed and available free of charge with no registration required, although donations will be appreciated. The worship livestream can be viewed at www.brethren.org/ac2026/webcasts either live–starting with the Sunday evening worship service at 5:45 p.m. Central on June 28–or later via recordings.

The Nominating Committee of the Standing Committee of district delegates to the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference has announced the ballot for the 2026 Conference, topped by Amy Gall Ritchie of North Manchester, Ind., and Gilbert Romero of Glendora, Calif., as candidates for moderator-elect. Complete biographical information for all nominees is online at www.brethren.org/ac2026/business/ballot and will be printed in the Conference booklet.

The business agenda for the conference has been announced. Along with numerous reports and the ballot, the delegate body will receive an interim report from the Review and Evaluation Committee and will consider four items of new business: resolutions on weapons transfer and care for immigrants and refugees, polity adjustments for licensed and commissioned ministers, and the yet-to-be-announced recommended cost of living adjustment for the pastoral scale.

As of last report, the following congregations from our district have registered delegates: Canton, Cerro Gordo, Dixon, Freeport, Highland Avenue, Lanark, Mount Morris, Naperville, Neighborhood, Polo, Springfield First, and York Center, plus our Standing Committee delegate, Kevin Kessler. We encourage other congregations to consider sending delegates to this important meeting in the life of the church. Find more details and register at www.brethren.org/ac2026.