Convention Schedule
Unless otherwise indicated, all convention activities take place at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E Chestnut St, Chicago, IL 60611.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30
Registration 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Fourth Presbyterian
Space for News Organization Meetings 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Bringing remote staff to the ACP conference? Reserve a breakout room for a newsroom meeting. Spaces are limited.
Mixing Bowl 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Real life discussions on various subjects in self-selected small groups. Use our “Ask Me About” tags to identify subjects where you can be a resource or use our table prompts as a jumping off point for discussion.
Opening Worship 5:00 pm – 5:45 pm
Worship in Buchanan Chapel.
Opening Reception 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Opening Pizza Party at Giordano’s, 740 N. Rush Street, Chicago sponsored by Shanley & Associates. Join in fellowship for salad, pizza, dessert & sodas (alcohol on your own)
THURSDAY, MAY 1
Registration and Networking all day
Fourth Presbyterian
Opening Prayer 8:30 am – 9:00 am
Location TBD
Training & Discussion tracks—Session 1
9:15 am —10:30 am Workshops and roundtable discussions led by industry experts, on a variety of topics. The schedule will be posted as it becomes available.
Content
Covering Natural Disasters
How can journalists cover natural disasters without exploiting the tragedy? Are there practical tips for going to disaster-affected sites and producing quality pieces?
Bobby Ross, Jr., Editor-In-Chief, Christian Chronicle
People
What does your audience want? How can you use surveys, analytics and other data tools to better understand what your audience wants?
Heidi Thompson, Shanley & Associates. See more about Heidi Thompson.
Management
Rightsizing your organization
How can organizations discern the right mix of roles, staff and scope to achieve their missions?
Take a BREAK
10:30 am —10:45 am Connect with others.
General Session: Changing social media: Platforms, ethics & algorithms
10:45 am —noon Understand what is changing in social media. With the potential shuttering of TikTok, the advent of BlueSky and changes to Meta’s fact-checking policies, how can journalists reach audiences ethically and easily?
Lunch with Keynote Speaker
Noon – 1:30 pm Lunch with Keynote Speaker Adelle Banks, who will discuss her new book “Becoming a Future-Ready Church: 8 Shifts to Encourage and Empower the Next Generation of Leaders”
Adelle Banks – Read more on Adelle Banks
Take a BREAK
1:30 pm —1:45 pm Connect with others.
Training & Discussion tracks—Session 2
1:45 pm —3:00 pm Workshops and roundtable discussions led by industry experts, on a variety of topics. The schedule will be posted as it becomes available.
Revenue Generation
Making the case for support
Tactical advice that will help you tell the story of your organization and need. This session works in tandem with Friday’s session on Making the Ask, but can be used as a standalone.
Askala Harris Calhoun, The Focus Group
Workflow
Using AI ethically
How can organizations take advantage of AI – ethically?
Florence Chee, Loyola University Chicago
Take a BREAK
3:00 pm —3:30 pm Connect with others.
ACP Business Meeting
3:30 pm —4:00 pm Annual meeting of ACP with a review of our work in 2024 and a look towards the future.
Explore and Dinner
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm Free time to explore the city. Dinner is freestyle.
Fellowship: Second City Mainstage Outing
8:00 pm SHOWTIME. Gather at hotel for communal Ubers at 7:15 pm or meet the group at the Mainstage (1616 Wells Street). Join ACP at Chicago’s famed Second City Improv review. Tickets are general seating ($40 each). Tickets are limited, so please reserve yours asap!
FRIDAY, MAY 2
Opening Prayer 8:30 am – 9:00 am
Location TBD
Training & Discussion tracks—Session 1
9:15 am —10:30 am Workshops and roundtable discussions led by industry experts, on a variety of topics. The schedule will be posted as it becomes available.
Design/Multimedia
Maximizing your resources
Lee will facilitate a conversation about how organizations can maximize the tools and talents available to them to carry their message and mission. Bring your ideas and questions about what has worked for you.
Lee Catoe, Editor, Unbound
New Media
Podcast Doctor
Have questions about a podcast you’re conceptualizing or working on? Get expert advice about how to make a successful podcast from the host of “Rock that Doesn’t Roll: The Story of Christian Music” and story editor for “Red State Religions”, Andrew Gill. Bring your ailments to the Podcast Doctor!
Andrew Gill, Podcast & Story Editor, andrewgill.biz and Rebecca Snyder, ACP Executive Director
Revenue Generation
Best Practices: New Revenue Streams
Bring your best ideas and discuss the new revenue streams that are showing promise – this is an interactive, facilitated discussion. Sponsored emails, extra copy
sales, webinars can all contribute to the bottom line.
Rose Schrott Taylor, Heidi Thompson – Facilitator
Take a BREAK
10:30 am —10:45 am Connect with others.
Training & Discussion tracks—Session 2
10:45 am —noon Workshops and roundtable discussions led by industry experts, on a variety of topics. The schedule will be posted as it becomes available.
Open Session
Open forum
Need a space to debrief? Use this time to catch up with colleagues and discern your next steps.
Innovation
Reaching new audiences through non-traditional forums
How can journalists meet new audiences in different ways and spaces? Learn from Julian Davis Reid’s experience founding Notes of Rest.
Julian Davis Reid, Artist-Theologian, Founder of Notes of Rest
Revenue Generation
Making the ask
Inviting prospective donors to the work and setting up a relational ask in four stages.
Askala Harris Calhoun, The Focus Group
Lunch with Keynote Speaker
Noon – 1:30 pm Lunch with Keynote Speaker
Bringing the Community into the work
City Bureau Chicago is an innovative journalism lab reimagining local media. Through their civic reporting programs, Documenters Network and Public Newsroom, they equip people with the skills and resources to engage in critical public conversations and produce information that directly addresses people’s needs. Drawing from their work in Chicago, City Bureau aims to equip every community with the tools it needs to eliminate information inequity to further liberation, justice and self-determination.
Ariel Cheung, Editorial Director, City Bureau Chicago
Explore the city
1:30 pm —5:30 pm FREE TIME.
Reception
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Pre-dinner Reception
Awards Dinner & Program
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Winners of the 2024 contest will be honored.
REGISTER HERE
Associated Church Press will hold its 2025 convention April 30 – May 2 in Chicago with the theme Connect | Collaborate | Celebrate. We will return to the facilities of Fourth Presbyterian Church and our preferred hotel, the Millennium Knickerbocker, with a program focused on journalism and publishing skill development and knowledge sharing.
Religious news organizations and journalists will come to Chicago to connect with and learn from one another. Space is available for news organization meetings on Wednesday afternoon.
Over 15 sessions, spanning topics such as grant funding, using AI, audience demographics, workflows and more will be covered on Thursday and Friday, culminating in our Awards Celebration Friday night.
Conference location: Fourth Presbyterian Church
Hotel: Millennium Knickerbocker. Room block link Expires April 7; Room rate is $129 / night (Friday night is $139). Booking link here.
Convention registration is now open here. Individual registration is $395 per person, groups of 3 or more can register for $350 per person. A limited number of full convention scholarships for new and emerging journalists. Please email the ACP Office for more information on these scholarships.
Interested in sponsoring the convention? Please visit our sponsorship page for details and payment options.