While other teenagers were sleeping in or deep into video games, Landon Balmos-Ruddock and Nehemiah (Neha) Priebe were helping form United Methodist policy.

Particularly, they want The United Methodist Church to live into a fully inclusive church where all are welcome and received into the church as beloved children of God. Landon (15) and Neha (16) were two of the 175 North Central Jurisdictional Conference delegates that met in Sioux Falls, SD, last week.

Though they are young, their passion for the church runs deep. Landon, who attends Clifton United Methodist Church (West Ohio Conference) in Cincinnati, Ohio, is active in his church, serving as a worship leader and liturgist. Immediately following the NCJ gathering, he left for a church mission project.

As a first-time delegate to the conference, Landon was excited to represent youth beyond the annual conference. “At my first annual conference I was listening to Bishop Palmer talk about General and Jurisdictional Conferences. When he said that we still needed more people, I turned to my pastor and asked how to do that. I submitted my bio and was elected,” said Landon. His mom, Bobbi, is a General Conference delegate.

A self-identified preacher’s kid, Neha attends Cuyahoga Falls UMC (East Ohio), where his father, Rev. Jonathan Priebe, is lead pastor. Encouraged by his dad to consider becoming a part of the East Ohio delegation, Neha submitted his name and was elected. “It is great to be able to worship with people from so many different churches from so many different states. I also like being involved in this conference with my dad, who is a clergy delegate,” Neha said.

Landon and Neha were encouraged by the recent actions of the General Conference, including the removal of harmful anti-LGBTQIA+ language in the Book of Discipline. They believe that The United Methodist Church can only grow stronger when all are welcome and fully included in the ministries of the church.

They would like to remind church pastors and other leaders that youth and young adults are available to serve in leadership roles. “Just ask and encourage them,” they agreed. 

Landon was recently elected to serve on the Commission on the General Conference, the denominational organization responsible for planning and implementing the quadrennial gathering.

Click here to listen in as Landon and Neha share their hope for The United Methodist Church.

By: Kay Panovec, Director of Communications