“Covering Conflict in a Polarized World“
The Associated Church Press will hold its 2024 convention May 15-17 in Chicago with the theme Covering Conflict in a Polarized World. 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. We are excited to create a program tailored to our members’ needs and we appreciate your suggestions for featured workshops and speakers. More details to follow soon and please email us with your workshop and keynote presenter recommendations!
We’ll begin the convention on Wednesday with worship at Fourth Presbyterian Church and pizza party sponsored by Shanley + Associates. An optional Thursday evening Cubs game is open to all attendees and you won’t want to miss the Friday evening Best of the Church Press Awards dinner.
Bekah McNeel is our opening keynote speaker and her upcoming book, This is Going to Hurt: Following Jesus in a Divided America, will set the stage for the conference topic. We are also pleased to welcome More in Common to present the findings from their Faith, Politics and Polarization in America report which explores the intersections of faith, politics and polarization in America today. More in Common surveyed over 7,000 Americas to better understand the impact of polarization on faith communities, misperceptions within and across diverse faith traditions and common values and experiences that have the potential to transcend real or imagined divisions. This presentation will be an opportunity to dig into the data, reflect on misperceptions, and identify strategies to elevate nuanced narratives of what it means to be a person of faith in America today.
Convention registration is now open at https://www.memberplanet.com/events/theacp/acp2024convention. 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.
Our conference hotel is again the Millennium Knickerbocker – Magnificent Mile at 163 E. Walton Pl, Chicago, IL 60611, and is a short walk from our venue. A special rate of $159 per night, plus applicable taxes, has been secured for the conference dates. NOTE: This rate expires on Friday, April 19, 2024 and Saturday night is not included in this rate. Click here for reservations or go to the hotel site and use the code CHURCHPRESS to receive our special rate.
Interested in sponsoring the convention? Please visit our sponsorship page for details and payment options.
Convention Schedule
WEDNESDAY, MAY 15
Unless otherwise indicated, all convention activities take place at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E Chestnut St, Chicago, IL 60611.
2:00 pm Registration opens
4:00 pm-5:00 pm Welcome for first time attendees
5:00 pm-5:45 pm Opening Worship in Buchanan Chapel
6:00 pm-9:00 pm Opening Reception at Giordano’s, 740 N. Rush Street, Chicago sponsored by Shanley & Associates
THURSDAY, MAY 16
8:30-9:00 am Morning Prayer
9:15:10:30 am Group Plenary
| Technology / Ethics | Artificial Intelligence, Ethics and the Faith-Based Newsroom | Kristel Clayville |
10:30-10:45 am Break
10:45 am-12 noon Panel Discussion – Covering Denominational Conflict
12 noon- 1:30 pm Opening Keynote by Bekah McNeel – This Is Going to Hurt: Following Jesus in a Divided America
1:30-1:45 pm Break
1:45-3:00 pm Workshops
| Editorial / Justice | Covering conflict for faith-based publications | Tryggestad / Herlinger |
| Multimedia / Broadcast | Authentic Story Telling: The Power of Podcasting | Lee Catoe |
3:00-4:00 pm Break + ACP Business Meeting
6:00-9:00 pm Cubs Game at Wrigley Field (Leaving downtown at 6 pm to take the train to the ballpark. 6:40 pm first pitch!)
FRIDAY, MAY 17
8:30-9:00 am Morning Prayer
9:15:10:30 am Workshops
| Design/Multimedia | Vertical Video (TikTok / Reels) for Publications | Jacklyn Frias and Alexander Carpenter |
| Editorial | Workflow solutions for remote newsrooms | Taylor / Thorngate |
10:30-10:45 am Break
10:45 am -12 noon Workshops
| Editorial/Justice | Reporting on Migration and Immigration – WACC Migrant Media Monitoring Project | Gregg Brekke et al. |
| Marketing | Beyond Subscriptions: Diversifying Revenue Streams for Publishers with Online Fundraising | Heidi Thompson |
12 noon- 1:30 pm Luncheon Keynote – More in Common
1:30-5:30 pm FREE TIME
5:30-6:30 pm Pre-dinner Reception
6:30-9:30 pm Awards Dinner