By Becky Ullom Naugle
Twenty-eight youth advisors from across the country gathered at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colo., in October for the first-ever NYC Advisor Preview event.
Youth and advisors will gather July 18-23, 2026, at the YMCA of the Rockies for the 2026 National Youth Conference of the Church of the Brethren.
To help prepare and empower advisors to lead groups of youth to attend NYC, Youth and Young Adult Ministries director Becky Ullom Naugle thought it would be helpful for advisors to get a glimpse into what awaits.
Attendees experienced the type of lodging NYC will use and sampled meals in the dining hall. A tour helped advisors get their bearings and make a mental map of the campus. Highlights included the auditorium where worship will be held twice a day, the indoor swimming pool, and the variety of recreation opportunities available.
The three-day gathering included a continuing education component led by Charles “Chuck” Hunt of the Fuller Youth Institute at Fuller Seminary. Hunt led a discussion of the issues affecting the lives of young people and their faith formation, often referencing the book Faith Beyond Youth Group: 5 Ways to Form Character and Cultivate Lifelong Discipleship.
Eager to share ideas with each other, participants swapped fundraising ideas and soaked up details about conference logistics. An afternoon of free time—during which people hiked, checked out nearby ice cream offerings, and even napped—rounded out the agenda.
Fourteen of the denomination’s 23 districts were represented at the event by at least one adult advisor: Atlantic Northeast, Atlantic Southeast, Illinois/Wisconsin, Northern Indiana, Mid-Atlantic, Missouri/Arkansas, Northern Plains, Southern Ohio, Pacific Southwest, Middle Pennsylvania, Southern Pennsylvania, Shenandoah, Virlina, and Western Plains. If you would like to connect with the representative from your district, call the Youth and Young Adult Ministries office for contact information.
Early bird registration for NYC 2026 opens on Monday, Jan. 5. Cost is $625. Registration fees will go up on March 1 and again on May 1 so register early and save!
Check out the NYC website and social media for all the latest updates at www.brethren.org/nyc
Watch a video with the “logistics and specifics” information presented at the advisor event at www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbWdI7lg6OI
For questions, contact the NYC office at cobyouth@brethren.org or 847-388-3902.
— Becky Ullom Naugle is director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the Church of the Brethren.
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Below: The advisors who gathered to preview NYC 2026 represented 14 of the 23 Church of the Brethren districts.
