Worship attendance at churches up for the first time in decades, according to new report

A new study from the Hartford Institute of Religion Research showed that the median-sized congregation in the U.S. grew from 60 people to 70 people, the first growth in average house of worship attendance in years

May 6, 2026Updated: May 6, 2026

By BOB SMIETANA

Regional

Crews respond to house fire in Kearney Thursday night

NCN to provide live Nebraska primary election coverage May 12

Forget-Me-Not system guides new dementia care at St. Francis

Give Hastings Day Raises Record $1.2 Million for Adams County Nonprofits

Go Big Give drives support for Central Nebraska nonprofits

Homegrown Care: UNK experience leads Elly Piper to next step at UNMC in Kearney

State

Sidney Shooting Park to honor founding member Tom Bryant with remembrance shoot

Worship attendance at churches up for the first time in decades, according to new report

Regional

Crews respond to house fire in Kearney Thursday night

NCN to provide live Nebraska primary election coverage May 12

Forget-Me-Not system guides new dementia care at St. Francis

Give Hastings Day Raises Record $1.2 Million for Adams County Nonprofits

Go Big Give drives support for Central Nebraska nonprofits

Homegrown Care: UNK experience leads Elly Piper to next step at UNMC in Kearney

State

Sidney Shooting Park to honor founding member Tom Bryant with remembrance shoot

First 250 CSC specialty license plates offered at no cost

NTSB gathering details on Frontier Airlines evacuation after plane hit and killed person in Denver

Sheriff reports bovine located

Sidney High School sends out 2026 graduates

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana finds itself defending Nebraska's second house'

Sports

WNCC baseball ends season with loss to Southeast at regionals

Field set for Colorado 1A state tournament semifinals

Colorado sports notes: Schwarber homers twice, Phillies beat Rockies 6-0 and improve to 10-3 under Mattingly

WNCC baseball stays alive with 16-7 win over Otero

WNCC softball season ends after dropping two at regionals Friday

WNCC baseball goes 1-1 in first day of regional tourney

Ag & Outdoor

Powell wins 56th Cornhusker Trap Shoot

Outdoor notes: Spring shotgun turkey season opens

Outdoor notes: Bighorn sheep regular lottery applications begin April 20

Outdoor notes: NGPC offering pastures, hay tracts to those affected by wildfires

Outdoor notes: Work to begin soon on Smith Lake WMA Aquatic Habitat Project

Outdoor notes: Game and Parks urges caution when recreating outdoors due to wildfires