*Pictured: Delon Martens, now former WDC Moderator, leads the 2024 WDC Assembly Delegate Session. Photo by Caleb Gingerich
Approximately 170 people gathered for the Annual Assembly of Western District Conference, August 2-4 at First Mennonite Church and Summit Street Church in Beatrice, NE. Over 155 adults, youth and children attended in-person, plus virtual delegates and others viewing worship services and workshops online.
Credentialed ministers were honored with an appreciation reception, and with a blessing during Friday evening worship. Worship services on Friday and Sunday focused on the assembly theme, In Community We Transform, featuring sermons by Adrion Roberson and Michelle Armster. Roberson teaches at the Kansas Leadership Center, is a pastor and is the Executive Director of KC United! Youth/Family Sports & Education Initiative in Kansas City. Armster is the Executive Director for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Central States and is an ordained minister and a trainer, teacher, and practitioner in conflict transformation, mediation, anti-racism/anti-oppression and restorative justice.
At the delegate session on Saturday, delegates approved membership in WDC for three congregations formerly affiliated with South Central Mennonite Conference: New Life Christian Center, San Benito, TX; Crystal Springs Mennonite Church, Harper, KS; and Hesston Mennonite Church, Hesston, KS. Representatives from each congregation offered a response, followed by a prayer of blessing led by WDC conference ministers. Delegates also approved the release of West Zion Mennonite Church, Moundridge, KS, following the congregation’s decision to withdraw from WDC and join the Evana Network, and received an announcement that Hanston (KS) Mennonite Church had closed this past year due to decline in membership. Other delegate business included welcome to institutional partners, updates from the WDC Listening Process and Dismantling Racism Action Team, reports from the four commissions, financial reports, approval of the 2025 budget, election of new leaders, and bylaw amendments to adjust the fiscal year and Executive Board budget-related duties. In her state of the conference report Conference Minister Heidi Regier Kreider highlighted the assembly theme, noting that God is doing transformative work through congregations’ unique differences and their shared experiences, and also through the mutual sharing of gifts and resources between the conference and congregations.
During delegate sessions, an intergenerational faith formation track took place at Summit Street Church for non-delegate adults, youth and children, led by Sarah Neher, Pastor for Faith Formation at First Mennonite Church, Beatrice, who also led an intergenerational Sunday school session on Sunday morning.
Saturday afternoon workshops by a variety of presenters focused on topics such as communication for social transformation, the legacy of Koinonia Indian Mennonite Church, Anabaptism at 500, congregational stories of racial justice, updates from the WDC Listening Process, congregational health and adaptive change, estate planning and charitable giving to benefit the church, and commentary for a tour of the Homestead National Historical Park near Beatrice.
Displays around the gathering space offered an opportunity to learn about Mennonite Church USA denominational agencies and other Mennonite-related organizations, and to have conversation with their representatives who were present. A family festival on Saturday evening offered an informal time to enjoy ice cream, indoor and outdoor games, and fellowship together.
-Heidi Regier Kreider, WDC Conference Minister