In July 2026, Mennonite Brethren from across the United States will convene in Salt Lake City for Gathering 2026. For some, the idea of traveling to a national conference may prompt the question, “Why gather? What makes this worth the time, the planning and the expense?”
In an age where digital communication makes information readily available, budgets are tight and schedules feel increasingly full, this question is both reasonable and necessary.
How it all started
To understand the importance of Gathering 2026, it is helpful to remember why Mennonite Brethren began gathering in the first place and how those early gatherings shaped the identity and mission of our churches for generations.
The first U.S. Mennonite Brethren congregations began gathering together 147 years ago, shortly after immigrants arrived and began establishing communities. These early believers faced the challenges of settling in a new country—building homes, forming congregations and cultivating communal life. Yet in the midst of these pressing needs, they recognized the importance of coming together to worship, study Scripture, pray, discern God’s direction and live on mission together.
From the earliest recorded gatherings in 1878, a central focus was mission. Churches worshipped together, shared meals, discussed matters of faith and practice and sought ways to faithfully live out the gospel. Their shared purpose extended beyond local interests and immediate concerns. They believed deeply that God had called them to participate in his work in the world.
One of the most defining aspects of those early gatherings was the commitment to supporting and sending workers. Funds were collected to support ministers who traveled both within the United States and abroad, including to Russia. By 1880, churches were encouraged to begin taking weekly offerings specifically designated for mission. The following year, those gifts were brought to the annual gathering—creating a tangible expression of shared commitment to the Great Commission.
In time, these commitments led to a significant movement of global mission, including the decision to support mission work in India. The outcomes of these early decisions shaped generations of Mennonite Brethren mission and ministry, and they continue to influence our identity today. One of the goals of Gathering 2026 is to ensure that mission is given priority within our conference.
Carrying out the Great Commission
The same foundational conviction that guided the earliest MB gatherings remains at the heart of Gathering 2026: cultivating effective mission together.
In a cultural landscape marked by rapid change, increasing isolation, shifting beliefs and new ministry challenges, the question remains: How can we, as MB churches, more effectively carry out the Great Commission together?
This question is critical. It shapes the everyday realities of local churches seeking to make disciples, develop leaders and deploy them into the world to make more disciples.
It reflects the lived experiences of pastors who are faithfully shepherd-ing, congregations who are discerning how best to engage their neighbors and denominational leaders commit-ted to strengthening shared mission.
Gathering 2026 will provide space to address this question together. Through worship, teaching, training, conversation and prayer, we will be encouraged and equipped to deepen our shared commitment to mission.
The work of mission is not accomplished through programs alone. It is cultivated through relationships, intentional discipleship and shared learning. At Gathering 2026, we will focus on three core areas that support mission both locally and globally.
Disciple-making
We will explore how churches can cultivate environments where people grow in Christlikeness. This includes practical tools for teaching, mentoring, spiritual formation and relational evangelism.
Leadership development
Sustainable mission requires healthy, equipped leaders. Gathering sessions will highlight pathways for identifying, mentoring and supporting emerging leaders—both lay leaders and pastors.
Church multiplication
Church planting and global mission have been central to the Mennonite Brethren identity. We will celebrate current multiplication efforts and explore opportunities to expand this work through collaboration, training and shared vision.
These areas are not isolated. They work together to strengthen a culture of mission within and across our churches.
Gathering 2026 is not merely an event; it is an opportunity for renewal. It is a space to listen together for what God is doing in our communities and around the world. It is a chance to share stories of transformation, encourage one an-other in faith and recognize the ways God continues to move among us. Most of all, this is a chance for our churches to commit to mission together in a fresh way.
Those who attend can expect to:
- Be encouraged through worship and biblical teaching.
- Engage in meaningful conversations about mission and ministry.
- Hear stories of God’s work across various MB contexts.
- Participate in collaborative learning experiences.
- Be challenged to live more intentionally as disciples of Jesus.
While the setting, format and logistics of Gathering 2026 reflect our present moment, the purpose remains consistent with the earliest MB gatherings: to strengthen the shared mission God has entrusted to us.
As we look ahead, the call remains clear: We are people who follow Jesus together. We believe that God has called us to live on mission not individually, but in community. Gathering 2026 is an opportunity to lean into this calling—to be reminded that our shared mission is larger than any one congregation and that the work we do together multiplies impact.
Join us in Salt Lake City. Mark your calendar, begin the conversation in your church and consider who you might bring with you—leaders, emerging leaders, volunteers, youth leaders or others called to help cultivate mission.
Gathering 2026 is more than an event—it is a moment to reaffirm who we are and what God has called us to do.
Aaron Box began serving as the USMB national director in July 2024. Previously, Box served for 13 years as senior pastor of North Park Community Church in Eugene, Oregon. He has more than 20 years of ministry leadership experience and served on the USMB Leadership Board from 2014-2022. Box and his wife, Jennifer, have two children and reside in Eugene.
