Town Hall Meetings – resources for America’s Semiquincentennial
This year in the United States, we are celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on who we are, as a people, in our local communities. For the ICA it brings back memories from 1976 when Town Meetings were held in every county in every state of the union to celebrate America's 200th birthday. Two Archives Town Meeting pages are available here: ICA Global Archive – Town Meetings <https://icaglobalarchives.org/collections/awakening-local-communities/town-meeting/us-5000-town-meetings/>. We have been pondering what today’s efforts at grassroots reflection could look like in 2026. One step the ICA staff and Global Archives volunteers have taken is to design a “do-it-yourself” Facilitation Guide to allow people interested in having a significant Vision and Action Planning event happen in their community in two-hours. The Facilitation Guide is very flexible to allow individuals to modify for their needs. Here is the Guide: - Guide for reading on screens: Word Doc <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jSVr41SV85vmUfdcYoPlvMREadJqTdTT/edit> | Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XtNrLrcwbbAq1eC8dE1eY8lnV5jYNLvD/view> (continuous pagination) - Guide for printing: Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZIF1Yz8Bwi4rsaxqhipjH7bBj89x2vdJ/view?usp=drive_link> (booklet pagination; use “short edge” double-sided printing) Since every state has an America 250 Commission, ICA took another step—to contact the Illinois 250 America Commission, and to offer this Facilitation Guide, as well as Facilitator Training for community leaders to use the Guide. A colleague of the ICA, who is a commissioner on the Illinois 250 Commission, has been working with the Chicago 43rd Ward Alderperson to create a resolution to celebrate the 250th Anniversary by hosting “a collaborative town hall where the community and their elected representatives are able to come together and discuss a collective vision for the future of their communities and the City of Chicago as a whole.” At the last Chicago City Council meeting, they passed the resolution! Here is a copy of the Resolution: Chicago City Council 250 Resolution <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aWQ2qG9AhB_4CZfOn_sGJLHQ9OuSGv-E/view?usp=drive_link> Here are additional materials developed with the assistance of AI NotebookLM that give visual and audio information to assist anyone willing to take the challenge of leading their community in this process: - Cinematic Video: IL America 250 Explanatory Video <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s_J2X_okawWwbbTqqUkpoIorklAAIwgH/view?usp=drive_link> - Infograph: IL America 250 Infographic <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pk9IJXZBKOVz7KK_ymh1bzZPAbcIKg4H/view?usp=drive_link> - Facilitator's Blueprint: IL America 250 podcast ep "The two hour blueprint for community consensus" <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z7sIIOsscr8feA8E6D-SMQAb9FfeFHTr/view?usp=drive_link> Would you like to have something like this happen in your area? Would you be willing to contact your state’s America 250 Commission? Who are others you know who might be interested in making this happen in your area? What other thoughts, suggestions do you have to create momentum for community meetings to happen locally and nationally during 2026? We are looking forward to hearing your ideas and reflections. Rory Gilchrist Program Manager rgilchrist@ica-usa.org Karen Snyder Troxel Archives Coordinator ksnyder@ica-usa.org
Thank you, thank you, Rory and Karen for providing links to these field-and-time-tested guides for participative, reflective celebrations of “We the People.” Marilyn Crocker
On Jun 11, 2026, at 3:27 PM, Rory Gilchrist via Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
This year in the United States, we are celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on who we are, as a people, in our local communities. For the ICA it brings back memories from 1976 when Town Meetings were held in every county in every state of the union to celebrate America's 200th birthday. Two Archives Town Meeting pages are available here: ICA Global Archive – Town Meetings <https://icaglobalarchives.org/collections/awakening-local-communities/town-meeting/us-5000-town-meetings/>. We have been pondering what today’s efforts at grassroots reflection could look like in 2026.
One step the ICA staff and Global Archives volunteers have taken is to design a “do-it-yourself” Facilitation Guide to allow people interested in having a significant Vision and Action Planning event happen in their community in two-hours. The Facilitation Guide is very flexible to allow individuals to modify for their needs. Here is the Guide:
Guide for reading on screens: Word Doc <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jSVr41SV85vmUfdcYoPlvMREadJqTdTT/edit> | Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XtNrLrcwbbAq1eC8dE1eY8lnV5jYNLvD/view> (continuous pagination) Guide for printing: Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZIF1Yz8Bwi4rsaxqhipjH7bBj89x2vdJ/view?usp=drive_link> (booklet pagination; use “short edge” double-sided printing)
Since every state has an America 250 Commission, ICA took another step—to contact the Illinois 250 America Commission, and to offer this Facilitation Guide, as well as Facilitator Training for community leaders to use the Guide. A colleague of the ICA, who is a commissioner on the Illinois 250 Commission, has been working with the Chicago 43rd Ward Alderperson to create a resolution to celebrate the 250th Anniversary by hosting “a collaborative town hall where the community and their elected representatives are able to come together and discuss a collective vision for the future of their communities and the City of Chicago as a whole.” At the last Chicago City Council meeting, they passed the resolution! Here is a copy of the Resolution: Chicago City Council 250 Resolution <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aWQ2qG9AhB_4CZfOn_sGJLHQ9OuSGv-E/view?usp=drive_link> Here are additional materials developed with the assistance of AI NotebookLM that give visual and audio information to assist anyone willing to take the challenge of leading their community in this process: Cinematic Video: IL America 250 Explanatory Video <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s_J2X_okawWwbbTqqUkpoIorklAAIwgH/view?usp=drive_link> Infograph: IL America 250 Infographic <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pk9IJXZBKOVz7KK_ymh1bzZPAbcIKg4H/view?usp=drive_link> Facilitator's Blueprint: IL America 250 podcast ep "The two hour blueprint for community consensus" <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z7sIIOsscr8feA8E6D-SMQAb9FfeFHTr/view?usp=drive_link> Would you like to have something like this happen in your area? Would you be willing to contact your state’s America 250 Commission? Who are others you know who might be interested in making this happen in your area? What other thoughts, suggestions do you have to create momentum for community meetings to happen locally and nationally during 2026? We are looking forward to hearing your ideas and reflections.
Rory Gilchrist Program Manager rgilchrist@ica-usa.org <mailto:rgilchrist@ica-usa.org> Karen Snyder Troxel Archives Coordinator ksnyder@ica-usa.org <mailto:ksnyder@ica-usa.org> <image_1.png>
_______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
Hallelujah :) Isobel Bishop isobeljimbish@optusnet.com.au
On 12 Jun 2026, at 8:59 am, Mari Crocker via OE <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
Thank you, thank you, Rory and Karen for providing links to these field-and-time-tested guides for participative, reflective celebrations of “We the People.”
Marilyn Crocker
On Jun 11, 2026, at 3:27 PM, Rory Gilchrist via Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
This year in the United States, we are celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on who we are, as a people, in our local communities. For the ICA it brings back memories from 1976 when Town Meetings were held in every county in every state of the union to celebrate America's 200th birthday. Two Archives Town Meeting pages are available here: ICA Global Archive – Town Meetings <https://icaglobalarchives.org/collections/awakening-local-communities/town-meeting/us-5000-town-meetings/>. We have been pondering what today’s efforts at grassroots reflection could look like in 2026.
One step the ICA staff and Global Archives volunteers have taken is to design a “do-it-yourself” Facilitation Guide to allow people interested in having a significant Vision and Action Planning event happen in their community in two-hours. The Facilitation Guide is very flexible to allow individuals to modify for their needs. Here is the Guide:
Guide for reading on screens: Word Doc <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jSVr41SV85vmUfdcYoPlvMREadJqTdTT/edit> | Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XtNrLrcwbbAq1eC8dE1eY8lnV5jYNLvD/view> (continuous pagination) Guide for printing: Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZIF1Yz8Bwi4rsaxqhipjH7bBj89x2vdJ/view?usp=drive_link> (booklet pagination; use “short edge” double-sided printing)
Since every state has an America 250 Commission, ICA took another step—to contact the Illinois 250 America Commission, and to offer this Facilitation Guide, as well as Facilitator Training for community leaders to use the Guide. A colleague of the ICA, who is a commissioner on the Illinois 250 Commission, has been working with the Chicago 43rd Ward Alderperson to create a resolution to celebrate the 250th Anniversary by hosting “a collaborative town hall where the community and their elected representatives are able to come together and discuss a collective vision for the future of their communities and the City of Chicago as a whole.” At the last Chicago City Council meeting, they passed the resolution! Here is a copy of the Resolution: Chicago City Council 250 Resolution <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aWQ2qG9AhB_4CZfOn_sGJLHQ9OuSGv-E/view?usp=drive_link> Here are additional materials developed with the assistance of AI NotebookLM that give visual and audio information to assist anyone willing to take the challenge of leading their community in this process: Cinematic Video: IL America 250 Explanatory Video <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s_J2X_okawWwbbTqqUkpoIorklAAIwgH/view?usp=drive_link> Infograph: IL America 250 Infographic <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pk9IJXZBKOVz7KK_ymh1bzZPAbcIKg4H/view?usp=drive_link> Facilitator's Blueprint: IL America 250 podcast ep "The two hour blueprint for community consensus" <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z7sIIOsscr8feA8E6D-SMQAb9FfeFHTr/view?usp=drive_link> Would you like to have something like this happen in your area? Would you be willing to contact your state’s America 250 Commission? Who are others you know who might be interested in making this happen in your area? What other thoughts, suggestions do you have to create momentum for community meetings to happen locally and nationally during 2026? We are looking forward to hearing your ideas and reflections.
Rory Gilchrist Program Manager rgilchrist@ica-usa.org <mailto:rgilchrist@ica-usa.org> Karen Snyder Troxel Archives Coordinator ksnyder@ica-usa.org <mailto:ksnyder@ica-usa.org> <image_1.png>
_______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
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This is wondeful news. Having been assigned to train facilitators for Town Meeting 100 year events this is a wonderful continuation of ICA”s legacy and works. Wish I had know about it a little earlier, Might have been able to set up something in Hall county in Georgia. Jean
On Jun 11, 2026, at 3:27 PM, Rory Gilchrist via Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
This year in the United States, we are celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on who we are, as a people, in our local communities. For the ICA it brings back memories from 1976 when Town Meetings were held in every county in every state of the union to celebrate America's 200th birthday. Two Archives Town Meeting pages are available here: ICA Global Archive – Town Meetings <https://icaglobalarchives.org/collections/awakening-local-communities/town-meeting/us-5000-town-meetings/>. We have been pondering what today’s efforts at grassroots reflection could look like in 2026.
One step the ICA staff and Global Archives volunteers have taken is to design a “do-it-yourself” Facilitation Guide to allow people interested in having a significant Vision and Action Planning event happen in their community in two-hours. The Facilitation Guide is very flexible to allow individuals to modify for their needs. Here is the Guide:
Guide for reading on screens: Word Doc <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jSVr41SV85vmUfdcYoPlvMREadJqTdTT/edit> | Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XtNrLrcwbbAq1eC8dE1eY8lnV5jYNLvD/view> (continuous pagination) Guide for printing: Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZIF1Yz8Bwi4rsaxqhipjH7bBj89x2vdJ/view?usp=drive_link> (booklet pagination; use “short edge” double-sided printing)
Since every state has an America 250 Commission, ICA took another step—to contact the Illinois 250 America Commission, and to offer this Facilitation Guide, as well as Facilitator Training for community leaders to use the Guide. A colleague of the ICA, who is a commissioner on the Illinois 250 Commission, has been working with the Chicago 43rd Ward Alderperson to create a resolution to celebrate the 250th Anniversary by hosting “a collaborative town hall where the community and their elected representatives are able to come together and discuss a collective vision for the future of their communities and the City of Chicago as a whole.” At the last Chicago City Council meeting, they passed the resolution! Here is a copy of the Resolution: Chicago City Council 250 Resolution <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aWQ2qG9AhB_4CZfOn_sGJLHQ9OuSGv-E/view?usp=drive_link> Here are additional materials developed with the assistance of AI NotebookLM that give visual and audio information to assist anyone willing to take the challenge of leading their community in this process: Cinematic Video: IL America 250 Explanatory Video <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s_J2X_okawWwbbTqqUkpoIorklAAIwgH/view?usp=drive_link> Infograph: IL America 250 Infographic <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pk9IJXZBKOVz7KK_ymh1bzZPAbcIKg4H/view?usp=drive_link> Facilitator's Blueprint: IL America 250 podcast ep "The two hour blueprint for community consensus" <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z7sIIOsscr8feA8E6D-SMQAb9FfeFHTr/view?usp=drive_link> Would you like to have something like this happen in your area? Would you be willing to contact your state’s America 250 Commission? Who are others you know who might be interested in making this happen in your area? What other thoughts, suggestions do you have to create momentum for community meetings to happen locally and nationally during 2026? We are looking forward to hearing your ideas and reflections.
Rory Gilchrist Program Manager rgilchrist@ica-usa.org <mailto:rgilchrist@ica-usa.org> Karen Snyder Troxel Archives Coordinator ksnyder@ica-usa.org <mailto:ksnyder@ica-usa.org> _______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
Jean, During the 200th anniversary, ICA did Town Meetings from 1976-8. In 2026 we are talking about the entire year of 2026 (maybe beyond) to celebrate the 250th so you may be able to do something yet in Hall County. Peace, Karen
On Jun 11, 2026, at 7:23 PM, Jean Watts via Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
This is wondeful news. Having been assigned to train facilitators for Town Meeting 100 year events this is a wonderful continuation of ICA”s legacy and works. Wish I had know about it a little earlier, Might have been able to set up something in Hall county in Georgia. Jean
On Jun 11, 2026, at 3:27 PM, Rory Gilchrist via Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
This year in the United States, we are celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on who we are, as a people, in our local communities. For the ICA it brings back memories from 1976 when Town Meetings were held in every county in every state of the union to celebrate America's 200th birthday. Two Archives Town Meeting pages are available here: ICA Global Archive – Town Meetings <https://icaglobalarchives.org/collections/awakening-local-communities/town-meeting/us-5000-town-meetings/>. We have been pondering what today’s efforts at grassroots reflection could look like in 2026.
One step the ICA staff and Global Archives volunteers have taken is to design a “do-it-yourself” Facilitation Guide to allow people interested in having a significant Vision and Action Planning event happen in their community in two-hours. The Facilitation Guide is very flexible to allow individuals to modify for their needs. Here is the Guide:
Guide for reading on screens: Word Doc <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jSVr41SV85vmUfdcYoPlvMREadJqTdTT/edit> | Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XtNrLrcwbbAq1eC8dE1eY8lnV5jYNLvD/view> (continuous pagination) Guide for printing: Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZIF1Yz8Bwi4rsaxqhipjH7bBj89x2vdJ/view?usp=drive_link> (booklet pagination; use “short edge” double-sided printing)
Since every state has an America 250 Commission, ICA took another step—to contact the Illinois 250 America Commission, and to offer this Facilitation Guide, as well as Facilitator Training for community leaders to use the Guide. A colleague of the ICA, who is a commissioner on the Illinois 250 Commission, has been working with the Chicago 43rd Ward Alderperson to create a resolution to celebrate the 250th Anniversary by hosting “a collaborative town hall where the community and their elected representatives are able to come together and discuss a collective vision for the future of their communities and the City of Chicago as a whole.” At the last Chicago City Council meeting, they passed the resolution! Here is a copy of the Resolution: Chicago City Council 250 Resolution <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aWQ2qG9AhB_4CZfOn_sGJLHQ9OuSGv-E/view?usp=drive_link> Here are additional materials developed with the assistance of AI NotebookLM that give visual and audio information to assist anyone willing to take the challenge of leading their community in this process: Cinematic Video: IL America 250 Explanatory Video <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s_J2X_okawWwbbTqqUkpoIorklAAIwgH/view?usp=drive_link> Infograph: IL America 250 Infographic <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pk9IJXZBKOVz7KK_ymh1bzZPAbcIKg4H/view?usp=drive_link> Facilitator's Blueprint: IL America 250 podcast ep "The two hour blueprint for community consensus" <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z7sIIOsscr8feA8E6D-SMQAb9FfeFHTr/view?usp=drive_link> Would you like to have something like this happen in your area? Would you be willing to contact your state’s America 250 Commission? Who are others you know who might be interested in making this happen in your area? What other thoughts, suggestions do you have to create momentum for community meetings to happen locally and nationally during 2026? We are looking forward to hearing your ideas and reflections.
Rory Gilchrist Program Manager rgilchrist@ica-usa.org <mailto:rgilchrist@ica-usa.org> Karen Snyder Troxel Archives Coordinator ksnyder@ica-usa.org <mailto:ksnyder@ica-usa.org> _______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
_______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
Dear Rory, is ICA doing a town meeting in Uptown? Dick On Thu, Jun 11, 2026 at 2:29 PM Rory Gilchrist via Dialogue < dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
This year in the United States, we are celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on who we are, as a people, in our local communities. For the ICA it brings back memories from 1976 when Town Meetings were held in every county in every state of the union to celebrate America's 200th birthday. Two Archives Town Meeting pages are available here: ICA Global Archive – Town Meetings <https://icaglobalarchives.org/collections/awakening-local-communities/town-meeting/us-5000-town-meetings/>. We have been pondering what today’s efforts at grassroots reflection could look like in 2026.
One step the ICA staff and Global Archives volunteers have taken is to design a “do-it-yourself” Facilitation Guide to allow people interested in having a significant Vision and Action Planning event happen in their community in two-hours. The Facilitation Guide is very flexible to allow individuals to modify for their needs. Here is the Guide:
-
Guide for reading on screens: Word Doc <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jSVr41SV85vmUfdcYoPlvMREadJqTdTT/edit> | Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XtNrLrcwbbAq1eC8dE1eY8lnV5jYNLvD/view> (continuous pagination) -
Guide for printing: Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZIF1Yz8Bwi4rsaxqhipjH7bBj89x2vdJ/view?usp=drive_link> (booklet pagination; use “short edge” double-sided printing)
Since every state has an America 250 Commission, ICA took another step—to contact the Illinois 250 America Commission, and to offer this Facilitation Guide, as well as Facilitator Training for community leaders to use the Guide. A colleague of the ICA, who is a commissioner on the Illinois 250 Commission, has been working with the Chicago 43rd Ward Alderperson to create a resolution to celebrate the 250th Anniversary by hosting “a collaborative town hall where the community and their elected representatives are able to come together and discuss a collective vision for the future of their communities and the City of Chicago as a whole.” At the last Chicago City Council meeting, they passed the resolution! Here is a copy of the Resolution: Chicago City Council 250 Resolution <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aWQ2qG9AhB_4CZfOn_sGJLHQ9OuSGv-E/view?usp=drive_link>
Here are additional materials developed with the assistance of AI NotebookLM that give visual and audio information to assist anyone willing to take the challenge of leading their community in this process:
-
Cinematic Video: IL America 250 Explanatory Video <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s_J2X_okawWwbbTqqUkpoIorklAAIwgH/view?usp=drive_link> -
Infograph: IL America 250 Infographic <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pk9IJXZBKOVz7KK_ymh1bzZPAbcIKg4H/view?usp=drive_link> -
Facilitator's Blueprint: IL America 250 podcast ep "The two hour blueprint for community consensus" <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z7sIIOsscr8feA8E6D-SMQAb9FfeFHTr/view?usp=drive_link>
Would you like to have something like this happen in your area? Would you be willing to contact your state’s America 250 Commission? Who are others you know who might be interested in making this happen in your area? What other thoughts, suggestions do you have to create momentum for community meetings to happen locally and nationally during 2026? We are looking forward to hearing your ideas and reflections.
Rory Gilchrist
Program Manager
rgilchrist@ica-usa.org
Karen Snyder Troxel
Archives Coordinator
ksnyder@ica-usa.org
_______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
-- Richard H. T. Alton ICA Global Fund United Methodist Creation Care Behold, all things are being made anew T: 773.344.7172 richard.alton@gmail.com
Rory, Karen & team, I went to a family reunion in South Louisiana last month. The final stretch of the road was 12 miles on a county road lined with trees and an occasional house. Little things set out on the curb for sale and a few boats and some vegetable booths. It reminded me so much of the county coverage in the town meeting bi-centennial program. No matter what state I was in Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Louisiana those county roads were all the same. I was somewhat surprised to see 50 years later those country roads remain a steadfast symbol of how across our country there is so much in common. Thank you so much for the recreation of the town meeting process in such a beautiful manner. Let’s hope as we celebrate the 250 it can be help lead us to the other side of division and chaos an we can now begin to heal and become a bridge across the turbulence. Thank you, thank you thank you once again for the creativity and the heart that went into this rendition. Connection remains the key to the human experiment across our whole planet. Paula Personal Mission Statement: *I nurture love, peace & harmony in every situation for my caring family, disempowered communities, and our precious planet.* On Thu, Jun 11, 2026 at 2:29 PM Rory Gilchrist via Dialogue < dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
This year in the United States, we are celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on who we are, as a people, in our local communities. For the ICA it brings back memories from 1976 when Town Meetings were held in every county in every state of the union to celebrate America's 200th birthday. Two Archives Town Meeting pages are available here: ICA Global Archive – Town Meetings <https://icaglobalarchives.org/collections/awakening-local-communities/town-meeting/us-5000-town-meetings/>. We have been pondering what today’s efforts at grassroots reflection could look like in 2026.
One step the ICA staff and Global Archives volunteers have taken is to design a “do-it-yourself” Facilitation Guide to allow people interested in having a significant Vision and Action Planning event happen in their community in two-hours. The Facilitation Guide is very flexible to allow individuals to modify for their needs. Here is the Guide:
-
Guide for reading on screens: Word Doc <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jSVr41SV85vmUfdcYoPlvMREadJqTdTT/edit> | Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XtNrLrcwbbAq1eC8dE1eY8lnV5jYNLvD/view> (continuous pagination) -
Guide for printing: Adobe PDF <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZIF1Yz8Bwi4rsaxqhipjH7bBj89x2vdJ/view?usp=drive_link> (booklet pagination; use “short edge” double-sided printing)
Since every state has an America 250 Commission, ICA took another step—to contact the Illinois 250 America Commission, and to offer this Facilitation Guide, as well as Facilitator Training for community leaders to use the Guide. A colleague of the ICA, who is a commissioner on the Illinois 250 Commission, has been working with the Chicago 43rd Ward Alderperson to create a resolution to celebrate the 250th Anniversary by hosting “a collaborative town hall where the community and their elected representatives are able to come together and discuss a collective vision for the future of their communities and the City of Chicago as a whole.” At the last Chicago City Council meeting, they passed the resolution! Here is a copy of the Resolution: Chicago City Council 250 Resolution <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aWQ2qG9AhB_4CZfOn_sGJLHQ9OuSGv-E/view?usp=drive_link>
Here are additional materials developed with the assistance of AI NotebookLM that give visual and audio information to assist anyone willing to take the challenge of leading their community in this process:
-
Cinematic Video: IL America 250 Explanatory Video <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s_J2X_okawWwbbTqqUkpoIorklAAIwgH/view?usp=drive_link> -
Infograph: IL America 250 Infographic <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pk9IJXZBKOVz7KK_ymh1bzZPAbcIKg4H/view?usp=drive_link> -
Facilitator's Blueprint: IL America 250 podcast ep "The two hour blueprint for community consensus" <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z7sIIOsscr8feA8E6D-SMQAb9FfeFHTr/view?usp=drive_link>
Would you like to have something like this happen in your area? Would you be willing to contact your state’s America 250 Commission? Who are others you know who might be interested in making this happen in your area? What other thoughts, suggestions do you have to create momentum for community meetings to happen locally and nationally during 2026? We are looking forward to hearing your ideas and reflections.
Rory Gilchrist
Program Manager
rgilchrist@ica-usa.org
Karen Snyder Troxel
Archives Coordinator
ksnyder@ica-usa.org
_______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
Well said, Paula. Such an impressive, concise model presented by Rory, karen and team. Looking forward to hearing about courageous young facilitators giving this model a try! Catherine Welch From: OE <oe-bounces@lists.wedgeblade.net> On Behalf Of Paula Philbrook via OE Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2026 6:15 AM To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net>; Paula Philbrook <paula.philbrook@gmail.com> Cc: Paula Philbrook <paula.philbrook@gmail.com>; oe@lists.wedgeblade.net Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] [Dialogue] Town Hall Meetings – resources for America’s Semiquincentennial Rory, Karen & team, I went to a family reunion in South Louisiana last month. The final stretch of the road was 12 miles on a county road lined with trees and an occasional house. Little things set out on the curb for sale and a few boats and some vegetable booths. It reminded me so much of the county coverage in the town meeting bi-centennial program. No matter what state I was in Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Louisiana those county roads were all the same. I was somewhat surprised to see 50 years later those country roads remain a steadfast symbol of how across our country there is so much in common. Thank you so much for the recreation of the town meeting process in such a beautiful manner. Let’s hope as we celebrate the 250 it can be help lead us to the other side of division and chaos an we can now begin to heal and become a bridge across the turbulence. Thank you, thank you thank you once again for the creativity and the heart that went into this rendition. Connection remains the key to the human experiment across our whole planet. Paula Personal Mission Statement: I nurture love, peace & harmony in every situation for my caring family, disempowered communities, and our precious planet. On Thu, Jun 11, 2026 at 2:29 PM Rory Gilchrist via Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net <mailto:dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> > wrote: This year in the United States, we are celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on who we are, as a people, in our local communities. For the ICA it brings back memories from 1976 when Town Meetings were held in every county in every state of the union to celebrate America's 200th birthday. Two Archives Town Meeting pages are available here: <https://icaglobalarchives.org/collections/awakening-local-communities/town-meeting/us-5000-town-meetings/> ICA Global Archive – Town Meetings. We have been pondering what today’s efforts at grassroots reflection could look like in 2026. One step the ICA staff and Global Archives volunteers have taken is to design a “do-it-yourself” Facilitation Guide to allow people interested in having a significant Vision and Action Planning event happen in their community in two-hours. The Facilitation Guide is very flexible to allow individuals to modify for their needs. Here is the Guide: * Guide for reading on screens: <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jSVr41SV85vmUfdcYoPlvMREadJqTdTT/edit> Word Doc | <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XtNrLrcwbbAq1eC8dE1eY8lnV5jYNLvD/view> Adobe PDF (continuous pagination) * Guide for printing: <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZIF1Yz8Bwi4rsaxqhipjH7bBj89x2vdJ/view?usp=drive_link> Adobe PDF (booklet pagination; use “short edge” double-sided printing) Since every state has an America 250 Commission, ICA took another step—to contact the Illinois 250 America Commission, and to offer this Facilitation Guide, as well as Facilitator Training for community leaders to use the Guide. A colleague of the ICA, who is a commissioner on the Illinois 250 Commission, has been working with the Chicago 43rd Ward Alderperson to create a resolution to celebrate the 250th Anniversary by hosting “a collaborative town hall where the community and their elected representatives are able to come together and discuss a collective vision for the future of their communities and the City of Chicago as a whole.” At the last Chicago City Council meeting, they passed the resolution! Here is a copy of the Resolution: <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aWQ2qG9AhB_4CZfOn_sGJLHQ9OuSGv-E/view?usp=drive_link> Chicago City Council 250 Resolution Here are additional materials developed with the assistance of AI NotebookLM that give visual and audio information to assist anyone willing to take the challenge of leading their community in this process: * Cinematic Video: <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s_J2X_okawWwbbTqqUkpoIorklAAIwgH/view?usp=drive_link> IL America 250 Explanatory Video * Infograph: <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pk9IJXZBKOVz7KK_ymh1bzZPAbcIKg4H/view?usp=drive_link> IL America 250 Infographic * Facilitator's Blueprint: <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z7sIIOsscr8feA8E6D-SMQAb9FfeFHTr/view?usp=drive_link> IL America 250 podcast ep "The two hour blueprint for community consensus" Would you like to have something like this happen in your area? Would you be willing to contact your state’s America 250 Commission? Who are others you know who might be interested in making this happen in your area? What other thoughts, suggestions do you have to create momentum for community meetings to happen locally and nationally during 2026? We are looking forward to hearing your ideas and reflections. Rory Gilchrist Program Manager rgilchrist@ica-usa.org <mailto:rgilchrist@ica-usa.org> Karen Snyder Troxel Archives Coordinator ksnyder@ica-usa.org <mailto:ksnyder@ica-usa.org> _______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net <mailto:Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
participants (8)
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catherine＠welchbox.com -
Isobel and Jim Bishop -
Jean Watts -
Karen Snyder -
Mari Crocker -
Paula Philbrook -
Richard Alton -
Rory Gilchrist