The 2026 LCMS District Youth Gathering – Kearney is a high school gathering for students entering grades 9-12.

November 20-22, 2026

We are thrilled to be hosting the 2026 LCMS District Youth Gathering – Kearney this fall! The Planning Committee has been hard at work to make this a rewarding Gathering, and we are excited to invite youth from the Nebraska, Rocky Mountain, and South Dakota Districts. The theme for our Gathering, scheduled for November 20-22 at the Younes Conference Center South, Kearney, Nebraska, is Verified.

In a world of filters, followers, viral clips, and AI-generated content, it’s getting harder to tell what’s real—and even harder to know who you really are. We spend so much time trying to get verified by others: likes, streaks, grades, trophies, approval, reputation. But no matter how hard we try, it never feels like enough. Sessions will expose two powerful lies about identity that shape how we see ourselves and how we understand what is real: I am what others think of me and I am what I do. These lies promise security but deliver pressure, anxiety, and exhaustion.

In Verified, we’ll learn how God cuts through the noise and speaks a deeper truth: Your identity isn’t crowdsourced. It’s declared. Before you post. Before you perform. Before you prove anything. You are already verified by God—not because of what you’ve done, but because of who He is. And when God says who you are, that truth is real… even when the world doesn’t recognize it.

We are looking forward to your participation in the Gathering! We encourage your youth group to invite non-LCMS friends to the Gathering so that they too may learn about the truth found in our Savior! The Gathering will include worship with communion and we invite your friends to come forward for a blessing during that time.

Please note that you will register for the Gathering and then make separate arrangements for housing with the hotel of your choice. Hotel costs are not included in the registration fee. Each group will pay housing fees directly to the hotel. This allows your group the flexibility of booking the number and type of rooms that fit your group best. A block of rooms with discounted rates will be available at three hotels adjacent to the conference center. Please follow the instructions on the enclosed Housing Information page.

All Gathering participants must register in Family Groups. A Family Group consists of two adults with up to 10 youth. Adult leaders must be 21 years of age, and groups with both male and female participants are strongly encouraged to have both a male and a female adult leader.

Registration is now online! Due to space limitations, this event has a maximum capacity of 800 participants. Please be mindful of the registration deadlines.

• An early registration fee of $180 is offered for registrations postmarked by October 9, 2026.
• If your registration is postmarked between October 10 and 31, the fee is $190. The fee for late registrations, after October 31, is $225 per person.
• This registration fee includes all programming, a t-shirt, and two meals on Saturday.
• Reminder: Hotel costs are not included in the registration fee.
• Full payment of registration fees and a completed group submission form are required or your registration will be returned. DO NOT SEND YOUR GROUP SUBMISSION FORM WITHOUT PAYMENT. Please make only one payment per group. (NOTE: Online payment is NOT available for this event.)

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Contact Candi Menze with any questions:  candim@ndlcms.org or 402-643-2961 x1010.