It may be hard to believe, but registration for the 2026 Annual Convention “Tending to God’s Kingdom” is already here! So, mark your calendars for November 6 and 7 and get ready for an exciting weekend because we have a couple new plans in store.
Holy Eucharist will still be held at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral on Friday, November 6. Following Holy Eucharist, a dinner will be held in Founders’ Hall with our guest speaker, so delegates make sure you stick around! If you are not a delegate, but would like to attend, please indicate in your registration that you will be joining. Our Business Session, however, will be held at the Kansas City Convention Center (301 W. 13th St. St. #100) on Saturday, November 7 with lunch provided for all participants.
Before we get swept away in the planning and travel arrangements that typically come with Convention, we invite you to reflect on this year’s theme “Tending to God’s Kingdom,” with a reflection written by the Rev. Canon Chas Marks.
Our Lord frequently used images of growth when speaking about the Kingdom of God. In his parables, seed are scattered, fields are sown, and even the smallest mustard seed develops into a place of shelter for birds. Jesus reminds us, again and again, that while we are invited to participate in God’s work, the Kingdom is ultimately God’s gift. We prepare the soil, tend the garden, and cultivate the conditions for growth, but it is God who gives the increase.
Tending to God’s Kingdom is our shared vocation across this diocese. As those baptized into Christ, we are entrusted, as fellow workers with God, with the holy work of nurturing that which God has already begun among us.
Last year’s Convention invited us to reflect on the image of a nest which had been patiently built one twig at a time. It’s the work of preparation, of hope, and of trust. This year, the nest is no longer empty. It holds three eggs. Once the nest has been built, the work changes. Building gives way to tending.
So it is with the Kingdom of God. Our calling is not to create the Kingdom but to recognize it, nurture it, and make room for it. This year’s Convention invites us to consider what it means to tend God’s Kingdom in and through our congregations, our communities, and our common life together, trusting that the good work God has begun, God will bring to completion.
-The Rev. Canon Chas Marks
Registration is Open!
Registration for the 2026 Annual Convention is officially open! The deadline to register for Convention is October 23. If you’re registering as a delegate or alternate, you will need to bring a device with internet access in order to vote.
If you miss the deadline, or if you have any questions or issues during registration, reach out to our Communications Director or the Bishop’s Assistant at 816.471.6161.
Submit Nominations
We are currently seeking nominations for Diocesan Council, Standing Committee, and other leadership roles within the diocese. The deadline to submit your nomination is October 2.
Lay members and clergy canonically resident in The Diocese of West Missouri who are interested in serving can click the button below to fill out the form. If you have any questions, please contact Amanda Perschall, Nominations Chair.
We hope that you’ll consider joining diocesan leadership. Your value and work in the diocese are crucial to our spiritual growth. If you’d like to learn more about the different positions for nomination, go here.
Ministry Fair
Registration for the Ministry Fair is also open! If your committee/ministry/organization would like a booth at this year’s Convention, please fill out the form below. The deadline to register is October 23.
Please note that you will be able to setup your booth at the Convention Center on Saturday. It is against the Convention Center’s policy to sell items at your booth or on the property.
If you have any questions about the form, or any other questions about this year’s Ministry Fair, please contact the Finance Administrator.
More information about hotel options, resolutions, and reports can be found on the 2026 Annual Convention page.
As we get closer to Convention, more details and resources will be shared. In the meantime, please reach out to any of our staff members and we will assist in any way we can.
We can’t wait to see you at Convention this year!
