***See the Proposed ICCC Constitution Revisions under “About – Constitutions & ByLaws”***
The 75th Annual Conference of the International Council of Community Churches will be held at the
Lake Forest College
555 N. Sheridan Road. Lake Forest, IL
 
 

Tuesday July 22 – Thursday July 24, 2025

“Seeking God’s Vision: Remembering the Past, Dreaming the Future”

 
2025 Annual Conference Planning Committee:  Linda Abington, Bruce Merton, Maryum Manning, Amanda Alvarado, Saundra Nelson, Joseph Ciccone, Myrtis Brame, CJ Harkness, Bill Ireland, Brian Sullivan, RC Fleeman, Sharyon Cosey and Jean Tillman. 
 As information is available, we will post it on our website and on social media.  Mark your calendars NOW!
 

 

 

You’re Invited!!!

 

 

Seventy-five years ago, a brochure announced:
 
“One of the greatest events in the history of Protestantism will take place at Lake Forest, August 16 – 20, 1950, when the churches of the Biennial Council of Community Churches and the churches of the National Council of Community Churches come together in one great merging convention.”

Now that 75 years have passed, the International Council of Community Churches is returning to its birthplace at Lake Forest College, July 22 – 24, 2025, to celebrate its 75th Anniversary Annual Conference. You are invited! Come join us to celebrate our past and move us into our future!

Our theme this year is “Seeking God’s Vision: Remembering the Past, Dreaming a Future.” For 75 years the ICCC has been seeking God’s unity and reconciliation, so for three days in July we will gather to explore how the ICCC has done that over the last seven plus decades, how we are doing it today, and dream how we will answer God’s call to do it in the future.

Our opening day, Tuesday, July 22, will remember our past. This day will feature a historic display of pictures and items from our history, memories from past leaders and long-time conferees, and a video tribute to our history. That evening will be an Anniversary Buffet and a 75th Anniversary Worship Celebration in the historic sanctuary of First 

Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest, across the street from the college. Worship that evening will include Rev. Donald Ashmall, ICCC Council Minister Emeritus, as preacher; the celebration of Holy Communion; and a processional of ICCC clergy.
 

Our second day will focus on our present, including auxiliary meetings, presentations on our current ministries and missions, workshops, a delegate business session to approve a revised constitution, and evening worship. 

Our third and final day on July 24 will look at the future. Many events on this day will be led by our southside Chicago ICCC churches.

Make plans now to join us in Lake Forest “where it all began,” for our celebration of 75 years of seeking God’s vision of unity and reconciliation.

 

 

 

What to Expect at the 2025 Annual Conference
 
If you have attended the ICCC Annual Conference in the past, you will find this year’s conference quite different. Because of large financial deficits caused by guaranteed hotel contracts and declining attendance, a more financially responsible and stable conference has been planned.
 
Length
This year’s conference will cover three days, July 22 – 24. Registration will begin the morning of Tuesday, July 22, with events starting after lunch. The conference will end following worship on the evening of Thursday, July 24.
 
Location
Most conference meetings will be held on the campus of Lake Forest College in Brown Hall. This century-old building has a new conference center attached with the latest digital technology and green design to respect God’s creation. Our primary conference room, the Tarble Room, is a beautiful room filled with natural light, featuring windows on three sides and great views of the tree-lined campus. Brown Hall is surrounded by convenient parking and close to the Student Union, where the cafeteria offers three meals a day.

Hotel
There will be no conference events hosted at a hotel. It is recommended that conferees have a car for travelling between the hotel and college. The ICCC has a courtesy block of rooms at a Hilton Garden Inn, which is the closest to Lake Forest College. Information on this hotel is enclosed in this issue or can be found at www.icccnow.org.
 
Conference Volunteers Needed for Children

With the annual conference coming up, we are searching
for caring, enthusiastic volunteers to help with the
children’s program. This is a great opportunity to invest
in our youngest attendees, creating a fun and meaningful
experience for them while their families participate in the
conference.
 
The time commitment is about eight hours total, spread over
the three-day conference. If we get enough volunteers, we
can rotate shifts so that everyone gets a break.
 
If you’re interested or have questions, please reach
out to Rev. Amanda Alvarado at amanda.alvarado@
uprisingaustin.org. Thank you for helping us make this a welcoming and engaging space for all!