2026 New Year Resolutions – By Rev Roberto Ochoa
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Martin Luther King Jr.
New Year Blessings to you my friends of the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences of the United Church of Christ.
As we reflect what was 2025, with all its joys and tragedies in our churches, communities, conferences, country and the world….let us take a moment to take a breath. And slowly breathe out all the anxieties we feel for 2026.
When I accepted the call to be your Conference Minister…I knew I was taking a step in faith. For my position is unique in the United Church of Christ. I am technically the Executive Conference Minister for the Tri Conferences Ministries…each conference in the TCM – Iowa Nebraska South Dakota has called and elected me to be their Conference Minister as well.
There has been some confusion within our conferences and the UCC, as many thought TCM was a merger of the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota conferences, even when each conference in the TCM made it clear that they would remain distinct and autonomous corporate bodies and not merging. So, in this structure, I report to four different boards and that was the staircase(s) I was not too sure about. How does one navigate four supervisory bodies, each unique in the constituency they represent, with various vistas and priorities of what the local churches in their jurisdiction want and need that differ from the other conferences. I’m cognizant of a Jesus parable about serving more than one “master”. It has been an adventure, filled with many blessings, hopeful surprises, and challenges.
2025 was a year for me to be present, listen, and learn from everyone that makes up the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences…and like I have said before, I heard and learned a lot from how our local churches, Associations and Conference leaders, clergy and lay, some Open and Affirming, others ECOT (Evangelical, Conservative, Orthodox or Traditional) in our rural, small town, suburban, and urban settings, are praying and working to continue their ministries in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ in what we acknowledge to be polarizing times. How do we do that as the United Church of Christ, when we are a denomination that hold sacred the autonomy of the local church in polity and worship, yet in covenant with each other in our Associations and Conferences in our theological, cultural, racial and societal diversity? It’s not easy, yet we aspire together to be a Still Speaking Church where no matter where one may be in their walk of faith, the United Church of Christ seeks to find a place for all, where one is welcomed, safe and affirmed in Jesus Christ.
Through the years, I have taken a dim view of new year resolutions, however I do think the new year presents us an opportunity to reflect (review) the past year, confess where we could have done better (the Roman Catholic in me), and aspire to do better for ourselves, our families, our churches, our communities, and the wider world.
I’m doing that now, in reviewing my experiences and actions of 2025, what I heard, what I learned, what I did or didn’t say, what I could have done better to support our churches and Associations, our TCM staff, our clergy and lay leaders. I was and am so blessed to have met so many in our conferences that provided me with so much grace, who made me feel so welcome and for that I am so grateful. In 2026, I do resolve to do better, be more present and seek to find resolutions with our conferences’ leadership to better the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences. To do so, I do need you, my friends…for this isn’t a one person show…this is our ministry together. I have learned that despite our challenges in the three conferences, there is so much promise and talent to be proud of as UCC’ers.
There is no question in my mind 2026 will be a pivotal year for all of us in our churches and in our country. Anxiety is high, and so is our faith that we can lean into the Holy Spirit for the resources to help those in need, the marginalized, and the persecuted as Jesus did. Let us reflect on what that truly means in everything we do in 2026. May the wisdom of the Holy Spirit be our guide this year.
I look forward to traveling more in 2026 to meet more in our churches in South Dakota Nebraska Iowa to be more present, to keep listening and learning and developing deeper relationships.
May God who created us, and Christ who showed us the way to redemption, and the Holy Spirit who inspires and sustains us with courage and wisdom be upon you, your loved ones, your church and the world, always.
Bendiciones y Paz,
Rev Roberto