Name of conference: Great Plains Conference
Location of conference gathering: Younes Center North, Kearney, Nebraska.
Dates of conference gathering: May 27-30
Did the gathering have a theme or slogan, and if so, what was it?: Serve Joyfully, the second in a three-year focus on the new United Methodist Church vision statement.
Officiating bishop: Bishop David Wilson
Guest speakers and memorable points or quotes by speakers:
- Dr. Ashley Boggan, general secretary of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History: “Our primary force of witnessing is joyful service. John Wesley, the most cautious person in our past, was able to find joy.”
- Bishop Carlo Rapanut, ordination service speaker: “God is about to do a new thing or is already doing a new thing in the church, and he wants you to be a part of it.”
Main actions enacted by the conference: Approval of a new strategic plan for the conference.
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Is the conference planning any new initiatives? The strategic plan.
Did the conference take any action related to the upcoming General Conference? No.
Did your conference approve redistricting or redrawing of conference lines? No.
Is your conference planning to merge with another conference or conferences? No.
Number of churches that closed because no longer sustainable:
- Kansas: Cheney, Culver, Fall River, Great Bend King, Kensington, Lebanon, Rosalia and Wilmore.
- Nebraska: Alda, Amelia, Franklin, Macon and Omaha Olive Crest.
Has your conference adopted a reaffiliation policy and if so, did any churches return? No.
Any special annual conference set: No.
Resolutions adopted by the conference:
- Supporting migrants, immigrants and refugees in the face of deportations and ICE raids.
- Encouraging discussion through sermons and studies of the Kairos Palestine II accord.
- Supporting members of the transgender community while state governments in both Kansas and Nebraska attempt to suppress their rights through driver’s license and restroom access restrictions.
- Designating the third Sunday in September as Disaster Response Sunday, with a special offering going to the conference Disaster Response Fund.
Names of delegates for both General Conference and jurisdictional or regional conferences, and designation of lay or clergy: n/a
Number of people ordained, commissioned or received into associate membership, and average age: 23 ordained; average age: 44
Number of clergy retired: 22
These are the numbers based on the stats report from 2025:
- Membership stands at 142,761, down 4,089 from the previous year.
- Worship attendance stands at 38,041, down 6,905.
- Church school attendance stands at 10,357, up 122.
- Professions or reaffirmations of faith for 2025: 1,669, down 262 from 2024.
- Adults and young adults in small groups for 2025: 26,248, down 1,546 from 2024.
- Worshippers engaged in mission for 2025: 31,584, up 148 from 2024.
— David Burke, Great Plains Conference content specialist.