The Impact

What happens when more than 200 people gather around a shared hope for worship, theology, the arts, and vocation? At the 2026 Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts, we hoped participants would be nourished in their own vocations, inspired by one another, and equipped to carry new ideas and practices back into their congregations and communities. The feedback suggests that something meaningful happened.

Participants responded to the conference assessment survey with exceptionally strong affirmation. Again and again, they described CWTA as a place to learn, experiment, worship, make connections, and—perhaps most importantly—remember that their own work and vocation are part of something larger.

We’re grateful to everyone who made CWTA so meaningful—and are excited to share a snapshot of what participants experienced and are carrying forward.

Take a look at the CWTA 2026 infographic above.

The Stories

The CWTA theme of Nourishing Vocation: Every Time, Every Age, Every Place shaped the conference in many ways. Participants appreciated the opportunity to think about vocation through the lenses of Sabbath and rest, intergenerational community, and our call to serve God and neighbor in the world.

The evaluation suggests that “nourishment” was not simply something we talked about— participants experienced it. They spoke about the gift of spaciousness, energizing worship, meaningful conversations, music and the arts, and opportunity to step away from the demands of daily ministry and pay attention to what gives life. The conference created room not only to learn something new, but to reconnect with the deeper reasons participants do this work in the first place.

Inspiration with somewhere to go

The arts, music, worship practices, intergenerational ministry, creative approaches to community, and stories from ministry practitioners sparked new possibilities. Participants frequently named specific ideas they wanted to take home and try. They weren’t simply inspired in the moment; they left thinking about what might be possible in their own congregations and communities.

We have already seen this inspiration in action! Rev. Beth Gedert and Julie Cory of Zion UCC in Delaware, OH, created an altar covering and lectern/pulpit banners for their Open and Affirming Sunday service. Participants were invited to write the name of someone who had made them feel included or had shown them radical welcome. The beautiful result is a wonderful example of how an idea shared at CWTA can take on new life in another community.

The arts matter

Music and the arts emerged as especially powerful sources of nourishment. Participants appreciated the ways artistic expression was woven into worship, learning, and prayer, rather than treated as something separate from the theological work of the gathering.

Many participants expressed a desire for even more opportunities to experience and engage the arts at future CWTA gatherings. Their response affirms one of the convictions at the heart of CWTA: the arts can help us encounter God, one another, and our own vocations in ways that words alone cannot.

The big question… “What will be different because you were here?”

Perhaps the most important question in a conference evaluation is not, “Did you enjoy it?” but “What will be different because you were here?” Participants described renewed energy for ministry, new ideas for worship and congregational life, greater attention to intergenerational relationships, and a desire to create more space for music, art, creativity, rest, and connection. They left with people to contact, practices to try, resources to explore, and questions to ponder.

Survey results reminded us that meaningful change takes time. A conference may offer a seed, a question, or a new relationship that continues to grow long after we have gone home.

The evaluation also gave us thoughtful suggestions for what could be strengthened in the future. We are grateful for that feedback. A strong evaluation is not simply affirmation; it is an invitation to keep learning.

Perhaps the most encouraging thing we heard is this: participants left nourished enough to want to nourish others. That feels like a fitting legacy for CWTA 2026.