Nazarene Youth Conference

Nazarene Youth Conference (NYC) will be June 30th — July 7th in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Michigan District NYI seeks to partner with local churches in order to provide key opportunities during the formative years of high school for students to be shaped by God’s word and the Christian community. Nazarene Youth Conference is one of those opportunities. Every four years, Nazarene Youth Conference (NYC) is an opportunity for students to grow in their walk with God.

This conference has proven to be a milestone in the lives of many students in the ongoing formation of their world-view, and it will both challenge and encourage students to have the compassion to be a world changer and show others the love of Christ. The theme of NYC ’26 is simple: WONDER.

“The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders: where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy” (Psalm 65:8).

The word WONDER necessitates questioning: How? Why? Who? For how long? Despite culture’s pull to cynicism, individualism, and hopelessness, God has “set eternity in the human heart”(Ecclesiastes 3:11). There is an innate awe in us for the sublime, the majestic, for beauty beyond our comprehension. Despite our own inability to answer big questions about these things, there is a Word to guide us-one that “was with God, and… was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:1-3) All that we wonder at finds an answer in the person of Jesus.

What’s more, in Jesus we discover not just answers to existential questions, but a call to a deep and intimate relationship. We are known and cherished as his very own children. Oh, to see the world with childlike wonder again! Through faith, we, as the community of believers, are invited to experience and explore creation with fresh eyes-and not just the beauty of a sparkling beach at sunrise or the scent of evergreens under crisp, clear snow. Wonder whispers to us in the still, mundane, holy moments of ordinary life, urging us to slow down and listen for his good Word.

May we be ever filled with wonder at our Creator God, and may we, secure in our identity as God’s handiwork, move through the world to do the good works which he prepared for us to do.

Who is eligible to attend NYC ’26? A student is eligible to participate if they graduate from high school between 2026 and 2030. The age cut-off is 19 years old.

How much will airfare cost? Airfare costs will be determined at the end of 2025 or beginning of 2026. A good ballpark figure would be $600 per round trip flight, but please keep in mind that this is only an estimate.

How does the registration process work? The registration process is done online, outside of the initial registration form that is included with this packet. Once you’ve submitted your registration form, you will receive a link via email to register online. While this first paper form may seem redundant, it will give us the necessary information we need at the local and district level to get you into the online system. Once you are registered online, you’ll be able to fill out waivers electronically, and upload the necessary insurance information. The online system we are using is encrypted, and all information submitted is confidential. You will receive a link for the online registration process via email sometime in August 2025 after you submit the paper registration form.

What about adult sponsors? NYC ’26 requires that we bring one adult sponsor for every eight participants. Each sponsor must be at least 23 at the time of the event. We will inform each church with the number of sponsors needed for their group once we know their number of participants.

Why Salt Lake City? USA/Canada NYI (Nazarene Youth International) has a set list of criteria for NYC host cities. There must be a convention hall and arena that can host 10,000+ participants. Additionally, there must be enough hotel rooms within a certain radius that can house all of the participants. NYC is committed to partnering with the host city to leave a lasting impact through MWO (Ministry with Others) projects. Salt Lake City is excited for us to come, and they’ve gone out of their way to accommodate many of our requests.

What is the Field Event? The Central Field is comprised of eleven districts found in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. The Michigan District is one of those districts. To kick off NYC ’26 each field gets together for a fun-filled field event.

Are there any hidden costs? No. The cost of $1700 + airfare will cover all meals, housing, transportation, and excursions. It also covers district shirts, as well as the group photo poster. Students are encouraged to bring a little extra money for miscellaneous snack purchases, in addition to any souvenirs they may want to purchase throughout the trip.

One quick note about the cost: The online registration system that we are using requires us to put in a dollar amount for the cost of NYC ’26. It is not possible for us to put in “$1700 + airfare.” When you receive your custom link for the online registration, you will see the cost as $1700. Please understand that the cost of the flight will be added to the $1700 No extra fees will be added!

How will payments be submitted? Participants should submit their deposit and subsequent payments to their local church. Then, each month, the church should submit one check to the district to cover that month’s payment for all participants and adult sponsors registered from that church. Credit card payments will not be accepted for NYC ’26. Please make checks payable to your local church! Church checks should be made payable to the Michigan District and sent to Danielle Haldane @ the District Office 15180 S. Wright Rd. Grand Ledge, MI 48837. *Please note that the check is for NYC. **There is also a small fee to submit checks electronically.

Is August 15, 2025 really the deadline to get registered? No. However, to assist families with the overall cost of NYC ’26, we think it’s a good idea to spread the payments out over a longer period of time. Registering by August 15, 2025 will make completing the payments more manageable. At the end of this packet, you will find a chart showing the deposit payment and subsequent payments you will need to make. This will vary, depending on when you actually register and begin the process. You will notice that the later you register, the larger your first payment will be. This is necessary to reserve your place and assure that you are on track at crucial times during the process. The last official day to register is Dec. 1, 2025. However, the cost will go up $75.00. Plane tickets will be purchased in December 2025. Refunds of any kind or amount will not be possible after plane tickets have been purchased.

I have more questions about NYC ’26. Who should I contact? The NYC Coordinator for the Michigan District is Yolanda Oliver. You can email her at y.oliver@nazcamp.org. You can also contact Stu Shattuck at pastorstu@masonnaz.org OR Christina Bowden at cmgarza10@gmail.com. If you’d like more general information about the event, please visit nazareneyouthconference.com.