The 74th Annual Conference of the International Council of Community Churches will be held at the
Embassy Suites Kansas City International Airport
7640 NW Tiffany Springs Pkwy, Kansas City, MO  64153
 
 

Tuesday July 16 – Friday July 19, 2024

 

 

“Priorities for Christian Living”
Romans 12:9-12
 
 
 
2024 Annual Conference Planning Committee:  Jerry Brown, Roberta Smith, Abraham Wright, Nick Brame, Bruce Merton, Saundra Nelson, Winessa Crutchfield and Myrtis Brame. 
 

The ICCC Welcomes Back Rev. Dr. Leah Schade as the 2024 Annual Conference Bible Study Leader and Keynote Speaker!

The Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade is the Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship at Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky.  An ordained Lutheran minister (ELCA) for more than twenty years, Leah earned both her MDiv and PhD degrees from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary).  She has pastored congregations in suburban, urban, and rural contexts. Her book, Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019), explores how clergy and congregations can address controversial social issues using nonpartisan, biblically-centered approaches and deliberative dialogue. She is also the author of Creation-Crisis Preaching:  Ecology, Theology, and the Pulpit (Chalice Press, 2015), as well as For the Beauty of the Earth , a Creation-centered Lenten devotional(Chalice Press, 2019). She is co-editor and author with Margaret Bullitt-Jonas of Rooted and Rising: Voices of Courage in a Time of Climate Crisis (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019), and co-author with Jerry Sumney of Apocalypse When?: A Guide to Interpreting and Preaching Apocalyptic Texts. She is also the EcoPreacher blogger for Patheos. 

Dr. Schade is serving as President of the Academy of Homiletics in 2024.  She has been a featured speaker for the Festival of Homiletics, leads workshops and retreats, and keynotes events throughout the country.  She is the director of a Wabash grant exploring the use of deliberative dialogue in congregations and theological education and is part of a research exchange with the Kettering Foundation studying the role of religious organizations in democratic community building.  Dr. Schade is also conducting a longitudinal research study about ministry, preaching, and social issues that has surveyed nearly 3,000 clergy and 1,000 laity since 2017.

We are excited to have Dr. Schade lead us once again!  Register for the 2024 ICCC Annual Conference in Kansas City today at www.ICCCNOW.org!

Meet our Youth Leader for the 2024 Annual Conference!

Rachelle Bagby will be leading our Youth Program this year.  The mother of a soon-to-be teen, she also manages a full-time job along with her theology studies at Calvary University in Belton, MO.  Her vivacious smile and overwhelming enthusiasm for Jesus are contagious.

She is absolutely thrilled to be working with the Youth at our conference this year, and to share her faith with them.  They will be discussing the story of the Prodigal Son, and how his attitude and desire for independence might relate to their lives.

Like the Prodigal Son, at some point, all young people have questioned their faith, and have asked questions like: Is Christianity worth it?  If we go all-in following Jesus, will we miss out on some of life’s pleasures?  After what I’ve done, can I still be forgiven?  Am I good enough?

Why are we so tempted by the allure of a life apart from God’s will?  Why are so many people today (especially young people who may be challenged to make difficult life decisions) coming to the dangerous and false conclusion that life is somehow more fulfilling outside of God’s love?  Thankfully, Jesus addressed these questions through the familiar parable of the prodigal son from the Gospel of Luke.

Rachelle’s own personal life story parallels that of the Prodigal Son (rebellion, regret, and repentance), so she can relate to him and teach from her own first-hand perspective.  She completely understands and has experienced God’s overwhelming grace and can confirm that God is a loving Father whose forgiveness knows no limit.

But wait, we’ll have fun too!  We have reserved a Virtual Reality center for Fri afternoon that is a mind-blowing VR experience like no other. We will visit “Disciples of Gaming” where they utilize the latest technology and setups to bring you an insanely immersive experience.   It will be a blast, and a great way to conclude our week together.

So, register early to save your spot for a wonderful week of faith, fellowship, and fun!

*Also, there are a few Youth Scholarships available to pay for your registration.
Apply TODAY!

Conference Youth Scholarship

If you know a teen who would like to attend the conference in Kansas City, but needs some financial assistance, we have a plan.  We have scholarship assistance available to pay for the registration fee of a Youth attendee. To apply for the scholarship, the following procedure will be used:

 
1) The scholarship is open to any Youth attendee (entering grade 7 through 12) and covers the regular registration fee and Fellowship Luncheon.
2) Pastors from any member church may submit their confidential nomination for the award with a letter of recommendation introducing the candidate and explaining why they would like this person to receive the scholarship.
3) Nominations must be submitted for review no later than April 30, 2023. They should be sent to the Council Office at PO Box 846, Longmont, CO 80502, attn: Youth Scholarship. Or email to ICCCNOW@sbcglobal.net
4) The submissions will be reviewed and presented to the ICCC Board of Directors for approval.
5) The ICCC President will communicate the board’s decision to the recommending pastor to notify the recipient. The decision will also be announced in the June issue of the Christian Community.  The winning recipient would be notified soon after the April 30th deadline.
 

APPLY TODAY! 

 

THANK YOU to a 2023 Annual Conference Sponsor
 People’s Community Church
located in Berea, OH.  
We appreciate you!