The International Spiritualist Federation (ISF) continues to move forward under the Presidency of Ann Luck assisted by the ISF Committee. The present membership numbers are in excess of 360 with the ISF membership spread across 26 countries, including Belgium, Canada, Finland, Philippines, Sweden, New Zealand, USA and the UK.

To enable contact to be maintained with the membership at grass roots level, the ISF has in place ‘Liaison Network’ consisting of appointed Ambassadors and Liaison Officers in the various member countries. The Liaison Network receives regular updates of information which are then passed on to the ISF membership. This information flow is also supported by the publication of the magazine ‘Yours Fraternally’ which ISF members receive on a quarterly basis. The ISF hold a ‘Fraternal Week’ bi-annually.  The Fraternal Week is usually held in a membership country, to enable those who are unable to travel to the bi-annual Congress which is usually held in the UK.  This gives ISF members the opportunity to meet up with their fellow ISF members. The membership country for next year is going to be Sweden. Last year the Fraternal Week was held in the USA. The place being Rochester in New York State, the venue being the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rochester. The reason for choosing Rochester was of course its association with the advent of Modern Spiritualism. The Crowne Plaza Hotel is situated in close proximity to where the Corinthian Hall used to stand, with Corinthian Street being adjacent to the Hotel, while a short walk away stands on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Obelisk, a monument to Modern Spiritualism. The Corinthian Hall was used as an assembly hall for the first big public lectures on Spiritualism and demonstrations of mediumship. Sir Arthur was a staunch public advocate of Spiritualism.

The Fraternal week was very well supported with 141 attending for the week, plus there was also an average of 30 non-resident visitors every day.

The week also included two day trips for those who wished to go. The first was to the Lily Dale Assembly. Lily Dale is considered to be the world’s largest centre for the promotion of the science, philosophy, and religion of Spiritualism; such was the appeal of the trip that a hundred went on that trip. For those who wished to stay behind at the hotel, an alternative programme of events was arranged for the day.

The second day trip was arranged for the Saturday morning, which was also departure day for many of the attendees. This trip being to the Hydesville Memorial Park, Hydesville in Rochester and the place where Spiritualism began with a murdered pedlar making  discarnage contact with the Fox sisters. The National Association of Churches (NASC) had arranged for the ISF members to enter the enclosed space, where the remains of the Fox Cottage is situated. The ISF held a short service in the enclosure, prior to returning to the hotel to enable those who were leaving later on in the day to collect their things before departing.

The ISF also hold a weekend event each year, for those who are unable to attend the week long events. These short breaks usually average around 60 members attending. There will be in the future the opportunity to have these weekends away from the UK, as it is planned to also hold these events abroad.

Each of the ISF events are accompanied a training programme, the training programme being based on a request system. Those attending can specify when completing their application form. Included within the training programme are Tai Chi, or meditation prior to breakfast. Between breakfast and the start of classes at 9.30 am, there is spiritual healing which is also available after dinner, prior to the start of the programme of evening events. Also included in the programme is a Healing Service usually held on the Sunday afternoon.

The classes cover subjects such as physical mediumship at basic and advanced levels. Trance at basic and advanced levels. Mental mediumship at beginners, intermediate, and advanced levels. This normally covers the period until lunch time. In the afternoon the programme varies with a series of lectures, or group participation events. These can include shamanic journeying, psychic art and platform presentation plus other activities for the attendees to choose from.

In the evenings there are demonstrations of mediumship and trance, plus demonstrations by invited guests. This is also the time when students are given an opportunity to tak to the platform and put into practice skills they have been learning during their class work.

For those who attend the Fraternal or Congress weeks, there is the opportunity to let their hair down, as on these weeks, also included in the list of events, is the Friday night ISF concert and raffle, that brings the week to a happy end

At the Fraternal Weekend in 2007, raffle proceeds were donated to Children in Need.