National Worship Conference

The 2008 Institute on Liturgy, Preaching, and Church Music welcomes pastors, musicians, and others who regularly plan and lead worship.

A team of more than 60 lecturers, clinicians, preachers, organists, and choir directors will join forces to:

• bring pastors and musicians together toward the common goal of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Word and song.
• build and strengthen a network of pastors and musicians who can learn from each other about God’s great gifts of Word and music.
• stretch the skills and “comfort levels” of both pastors and musicians in their callings of preaching and leading God’s people in song.

Conference highlights

• Worship. This is central to time shared by those attending the conference. During the course of the conference, attendees will gather 10 times to be nourished by Christ’s life-giving gifts. All services will be held at St. John Lutheran Church, adjacent to the Concordia campus.
• Plenary addresses.
• Seminars and workshops.
• Hymn Festival. This feature will be offered at First Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, Neb.
• “Silent Witness.” Included in the off-campus excursion to the hymn festival will be a multi-media presentation titled “Silent Witness,” provided by the Center for Liturgical Arts of Concordia University Nebraska. The evening will conclude with a conference banquet.
• High School Honor Choir. Some fifty high school students were chosen by audition to participate in the Hymn Festival.
• Select Children’s Choir. Children grades 5–8 were chosen by audition to serve with their voices in worship.

Schedule

Monday, July 21

• 6–10 p.m. Early check-in for those staying in dorms

Tuesday, July 22

• 8 a.m. Check-in
• 11:30 a.m. Lunch
• 1 p.m. Pre-service music
• 1:30 p.m. Divine Service
• 3 p.m. Welcome and Introductions
• 3:15 p.m. Plenary address: The Psalter: A Prayer Book for Christians • Dean Wenthe
• 4 p.m. Free time and dinner
• 6:30 p.m. Evening Prayer
• 7:30 p.m. Seminar—Session 1
• 8:30 p.m. Free time and Alumni and Friends Reception
• 9:30 p.m. Prayer at the Close of the Day

Wednesday, July 23

• 7 a.m. Breakfast
• 8:30 a.m. Workshop A
• 9:45 a.m. Matins
• 10:30 a.m. Plenary Address: Using the Bible’s Hymnal: Singing the Psalms Today • Phillip Magness
• 11:30 a.m. Lunch
• 1 p.m. Workshop B
• 2 p.m. Break
• 2:30 p.m. Workshop C
• 3:30 p.m. Break
• 4 p.m. Workshop D
• 5 p.m. Dinner and free time
• 7 p.m. Vespers
• 8 p.m. Free time and Exhibitor Reception
• 9:30 p.m. Prayer at the Close of the Day

Thursday, July 24

• 7 a.m. Breakfast
• 8:30 a.m. Seminar—Session 2
• 9:45 a.m. Service of Prayer and Preaching
• 10:30 a.m. Plenary Address: Have You Heard the Savior Singing? • Carol McDaniel
• 11:15 a.m. Lunch
• 1:30 p.m. Workshop E
• 2:30 p.m. Bus loading for Hymn Festival
• 3 p.m. Departure for Lincoln events
• 4 p.m. Hymn Festival and Art Presentation—I
• 5:30 p.m. Hymn Festival and Art Presentation—II
• 6:45 p.m. Banquet—Dale Meyer and Dean Wenthe,
• banquet speakers
• 8:30 p.m. Load buses and return to Concordia campus
• 9:30 p.m. Prayer at the Close of the Day

Friday, July 25

• 7 a.m. Breakfast
• 8:30 a.m. Prayer Office
• 8:45 a.m. Plenary Address: Reflections on the Conference • Dale Meyer
• 9:15 a.m. Break
• 9:30 a.m. Seminar—Session 3
• 10:30 a.m. Break
• 10:45 a.m. Divine Service
• 12:15 p.m. Departure

(Schedule reprinted from conference program as of July 19, 2008.)

See also: Campus map and directions to the Seward campus