Seminar 1: With a Shout: Reclaiming the Promise of Ascension, with Gerrit Scott Dawson, Norma de Waal Malefyt, Laura Smit, and a pastors’ panel coordinated by Michael Abma
Many Christians skip from Easter to Pentecost because they don’t understand why Christ’s ascension matters. Many don’t realize that Christ ascended as a human being to be our mediator, that he is even now interceding for us before the Father. In part this is because many in our culture today think of God as so supremely accessible and domesticated that they don’t feel the need for a mediator or go-between. This seminar will consider ways to challenge such cultural assumptions. Then, too, the Ascension raises questions about the nature of time and space, about embodiment, and about how a fully human, really embodied person can possibly be “at the right hand of God.” This seminar will equip pastors and worship leaders to offer thoughtful answers to such questions. We will also explore creative ways that worship can highlight this important central teaching of the Christian faith.

Seminar 2: Abundant Life Around the Table, with Dorothy Bass, Susan Briehl, and Marty Haugen
A meal stands at the center of Christian worship, a meal that remembers the past, nourishes us for living in the present, and draws us into God’s future, a banquet of justice and joy. How might breaking bread at the Lord’s Table form among us daily “table practices” that nourish the body and soul, seek the well-being of all people, honor and heal creation, and reveal God’s presence in the world? In this workshop we will open the rich treasury of symbol, gesture, word and song present in three particular movements in the Sunday liturgy of Word and Sacrament—gathering gifts, giving thanks, and sending forth. Together we will sing songs and tell stories of God’s gift of abundant life around the Table. Come prepared to “taste and see” the goodness of God.

Seminar 3: Youth, Formation, and Intergenerational Worship, with Fred P. Edie, Walt Mueller, Jane Rogers Vann, Anne E. Streaty Wimberly, and Kathy Smith, facilitator
Youth and worship. The topic generates a lot of passions—among youth, among their parents, among everyone in churches who loves and ministers to youth. This session—which is built largely around panel presentations and group discussions—will work on refining a list of the most strategic questions each local congregation should be asking and a list of the “10 Most Helpful Proverbs” to guide local communities in approaching this topic with insight. This session is especially for those involved in youth ministry and worship, including pastors, youth pastors, high school teachers, and worship team leaders and participants. Youth pastors and high school chapel leaders are encouraged to come with two or three young people from their churches or schools, so that the dialogue includes them as well.

Seminar 4: “Eyes to See”: Grassroots Discoveries on Participation in Worship Through the Visual, with Steve Caton, Mike Cosper, Lisa De Boer, Jeff Fisher, Betty Grit, Kevin Manuel, Mark Roeda, Kelly Sisson, Ellen VanSchoiack, Mary Kuiper Vermeulen, and Michael Winters, hosted by Betsy Steele Halstead
What ways can we encourage intergenerational participation in worship through the visual? How does preaching use visual imagery and what can deepen a congregation’s understanding of biblical imagery? How can we worship with our whole body through all our senses? How do we want to communicate our theology visually when building a new facility? How can we more meaningfully incorporate our technology and media art into the flow of the service? In this seminar we will learn from artists, pastors, and teachers about their community’s worship renewal projects—each having a component in it that challenged the worshiping community to develop “eyes that see” the Word.

Seminar 5: Jesus as Theologian: Parables and Dramatic Actions of Jesus Viewed from a Middle Eastern Cultural Perspective, led by Kenneth E. Bailey, hosted by Anne Zaki
Jesus is rightly remembered as the Son of God, Savior of the world, and the perfect example of Love. This seminar will see him as a “metaphorical theologian.” A few major parables and dramatic actions of Jesus will be examined with a view to renewing our preaching through the unlocking of fresh ethical and theological content that is available when the cultural context of the Middle East is taken seriously. Dr. Bailey will draw on his lifetime of teaching New Testament in Middle Eastern seminaries and institutes in Egypt, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine, and Cyprus, examining Jesus of Nazareth through Middle Eastern eyes.

Seminar 6: Writing and Performing Drama for Worship, led by John Steven Paul, with the drama troupe Soul Purpose
Plays have been a part of Christian worship since the early Middle Ages. Sometimes called “liturgical drama,” the writers of these plays have sought to make their drama fit with other verbal and visual aspects of the worship service. In this workshop, John Steven Paul, director of the liturgical drama troupe Soul Purpose, will analyze examples of both medieval and modern liturgical dramas. Participants will then transform a story from the New Testament into a short play suitable for performance in worship.

Seminar 7: Musical Rhetoric and the Poetics of Hand Gesture for the Choral Conductor, with Joel Navarro and Jonathan Velasco
This seminar will challenge the church choir conductor to become less involved with meter and standardized gestures by themselves, and more involved in how those aspects support musical meaning and thoughtful engagement of the text. The first half will be devoted to preparing to conduct specific anthems. The second half will involve actual rehearsals with the seminar participants; volunteer conductors will direct those anthems and will be critiqued in a workshop style.

Seminar 8: We Speak Because We Have Been Spoken: A “Grammar” of the Preaching Life, led by Michael Pasquarello II, hosted by Scott E. Hoezee
Despite the increased interest in spirituality, little attention has been given to the spiritual and moral formation of the preacher by the church during modernity. This workshop is for preachers who know that the vocation of preacher cannot be reduced to a theologically neutral or technical means of communication, but requires that the person and work of the preacher be conformed to the “Word made flesh,” God’s self-communication who is the source and goal of all human speakers and speaking. We will look at the wisdom of Scripture and historical exemplars from the Christian tradition to help us better understand the “grammar of the preaching life.”

Seminar 9: The Renovation of the Heart: Spirituality, led by Dallas Willard, hosted by Pat Zandstra; panelists Roze Bruins, Sharon Bytwerk, Peter Jonker, and Neal Plantinga
Pastors, musicians, and worship leaders know that they are no more immune to spiritual struggles than any other members of the congregation. We all find regular occasion to regret flaws in our Christian character and so to pray for strength to make more progress toward Christ-likeness in both our public lives as church leaders and in our private times as well. Dr. Dallas Willard believes that just this kind of spirit transformation can and will happen when we allow God to bring every element of our being into harmony with the will of God and the kingdom of God. By being transformed from the inside out, we become apprentices of Christ Jesus. As the old spiritual has us sing, “Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.” This workshop will focus on key spiritual disciplines and practices that can help bring our hearts into living contact with the grace of God, renovating us from the ruin of sin into the shining likeness of our Savior. The aim will be on specific steps toward specific changes that anyone can make, from stepping out of pornographic obsession to freedom from anger and contempt. The seminar will conclude with a panel of pastors and church leaders who will discuss the application of Dr. Willard’s advice in worship, sermons, and church life.

Seminar 10: Rediscovering the Lost Language of Lament, led by Michael Card, with Calvin Seerveld, hosted by Ruth Boven
In a Christian culture which is often dominated by a popular industry of worship, there are those who long to connect with the Father but feel disqualified by their sorrow, confusion and struggles. The Bible provides a vast literature of lament for every follower of Jesus who is in the midst of wrestling with God concerning the difficult issues of life in a fallen world. In this seminar we hope to offer an introduction to biblical lament, as well as contemporary and ancient examples of “applied lament.”

Seminar 11: The Art of Worship Team Leadership, with Paul Ryan and Greg Scheer
Your church has a worship team, but how do you help them reach the next level? This intensive seminar includes instruction in the role of the worship team, vocals and vocal harmony, guitar, piano, bass, drums, putting all the instruments together, rehearsing effectively, and leading worship. The curriculum is aimed toward team leaders, but anyone who is on a worship team or hopes to lead one in the future will benefit.

Seminar 12: Leading Congregational Singing from the Keyboard, with John Ferguson and Cynthia Uitermarkt
The keyboard is still the primary instrument to support congregational singing and thereby enable and inspire young and old to worship when they sing. In this seminar, two consummate musicians who are renowned for their keyboard leadership for congregational singing offer their perspective, wisdom, and guidance, in joint sessions and in separate hands-on master class situations. Participants who are willing should come with a copy of their own hymnal (the one they usually play from) and be prepared to play an introduction and two stanzas of one hymn; please bring an extra copy of that hymn as well.

1:00-3:00 p.m.

Seminars continue (stay with the same seminar group)

Reading Session of Choral Music—James Abbington
With your voices warmed up from morning worship, come for a reading session of recent choral music from a variety of American publishers and styles.

An Interview with Kenneth Bailey by Anne Zaki
Come for an hour of conversation with this renowned biblical scholar, who has many insights into the New Testament from a Middle Eastern perspective based on his years of study, research, and teaching in Egypt, Lebanon, and Palestine. He will be interviewed by Anne Zaki, a native of Egypt and staff member of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.

Practicing Abundant Life Around the Table—Dorothy Bass
Sharing food is fundamental to human well-being. How do the ways in which Christian communities embrace the practice of breaking bread—at the Lord’s Table and at our domestic, public, and global tables—foster a way of life abundant that is responsive to God’s grace and to the needs of all creation? How can and does worship prepare us for this way of abundant living?

Turn My Heart: Lament and Healing Through Song and Prayer—Susan Briehl and Marty Haugen
The ancient Biblical voice of lament is still relevant today. This workshop will explore songs, prayers and other texts that remember and express God’s presence with us, as individuals and as members of both small and global communities, in the midst of suffering, crisis and grief.

Worship Through Visual and Interactive Arts: How to Develop, How to Begin—Steven Caton
Most, if not all, eagerly support the idea of worship through art and the senses. But it still seems to be an elusive worship component in many churches. How is art created for worship? How do you generate ideas for art? How do you get people involved? How do you ensure art supports the greater scope of the sermon or ministry? How do you plan for such items? How do you end up not doing it all yourself and burning out?! Our congregational team has been on a long journey of finding answers to these questions; getting worshipers involved through participation and the senses. Come hear the philosophy behind such a ministry and get some practical ideas and resources for follow-through back home.

Christ’s Priesthood and Our Praises—Gerrit Scott Dawson
Hebrews tells us that even now Jesus is our leitourgos, the true worship leader in every service. Christ continues in his office of High Priest. By the Holy Spirit, he stands in our midst and reveals his Father to us. Christ also offers us in worship to his Father. While Jesus is our High Priest, we too are given a crucial role. We have been made “priests to his God and Father” (Rev. 1:6). The church gathers the world into its worship. We give voice to the hearts of men and women everywhere. But more: we exercise the unique human gift of speech on behalf of all creation. We give words of praise to the inarticulate worship of sea and rock, tree and bird, molecules and stars. This workshop will explore the implications for liturgy and preaching which arrive from recognizing afresh 1) the reality of Christ’s priesthood and 2) that we are, in George Herbert’s phrase, “Secretaries of thy praise.”

“Whose Art? Which Church?”—Lisa De Boer
Those of us who work at the intersection of the visual arts and congregational life know from experience how rich, complex, rewarding, and often messy this area can be. Theological, historical and philosophical factors all come into play. This session, however, will look at some of the sociological factors that shape how the visual arts and our churches intersect. The aim of the session is twofold: 1) greater clarity for those of us working “on the ground” about some of the sociological factors that shape our work, and 2) a deepened appreciation for the freedom and opportunity (as opposed to the obstacles) we enjoy in working in this area.

Discerning Your Calling—Heidi S. De Jonge
Are you wondering whether God may be calling you to vocational ministry? Do you wrestle with what it means to listen to God’s voice and to follow God’s leading? This workshop will provide a space for participants to listen to one another’s stories of God’s call on their lives. Participants will learn about the gifts and desires needed to flourish in vocational ministry and receive helpful thoughts and tools for practicing the discipline of spiritual discernment.

Finding Themselves at the Table: Youth Practicing Eucharistic Living in the World—Fred P. Edie
This session explores an ecology of practices designed to deepen youths’ participation in the Lord’s Supper/Eucharist and to form them to interpret and act in the world eucharistically. Participants will learn creative pedagogies for teaching youth about the Eucharist; how youth may be engaged in ministry at the Table; the importance of creating a broad ecology of liturgical and extra-liturgical eucharistic practices through which youth may be formed; and the means to invite youths’ personal and theological reflections on eucharistic life.

Redeeming Ritual: Lessons from Iona—Doug Gay
Doug Gay, an Associate Member of the Iona Community, will reflect on the ambivalence towards ritual in Reformed/low church traditions and how we might move beyond this. He takes two key rituals from the weekly worship cycle of Iona Abbey in Scotland: the Act of Healing and the Act of Commitment, reflecting on how they work and arguing that many churches—traditional and emerging—could benefit from incorporating them as regular elements in their worshiping life.

The Unlikely Marriage of Organ and Piano (1)—Marnie Giesbrecht and Joachim Segger
This workshop will look at the pros and cons of combining organ and piano in worship. It will explore hymns in particular and illustrate how this combination can enhance congregational singing. This hands-on workshop will investigate simple procedures and models for creative and imaginative hymn accompaniment. (Participants may attend both or either of these sessions [A11, B11].)

Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching—W. Hulitt Gloer with Cornelius J. Plantinga, Jr.
People often assume that preachers who read widely are on the prowl for illustrations. These people are right. Preachers are hunter-gatherers, searching not only the world’s literary masterworks but also contemporary fiction, journalism, and biography. But preachers are not merely in search of useful stories. Reading deepens the preacher’s knowledge of human cries of the heart. In fact, the preacher’s reading deepens preaching because it deepens the preacher. In this workshop, Neal Plantinga and Hulitt Gloer will discuss their highly successful “Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching” seminar, which the two have co-led the last five years as a multi-week summer program. This workshop will help participants begin to explore the possibilities and homiletical impact of engaging in an ongoing, vigorous program of reading for preaching.

To See or Not to See, That Is the Question—Andrew Holmes
This session will compare and contrast some of the work undertaken in North America to study the use of technology in worship with the approach in the UK. The session will highlight some of the differences in both the use of technology and the impact it has on those who experience it in worship, and will draw out questions for further consideration about the development and use of visual technology in worship.

Planning Worship for the Global Village—Jorge Lockward
21st-century worship planners are faced with unique exciting challenges as the church answers the Spirit’s call to be a place where all nations and cultures are invited to join in praise. This workshop will show ways to gently lead congregations to the green pastures of a culturally diverse worship experience while engaging and renewing their sacred memory.

Blended Worship: Good for the Body—Ron Man
The best argument for blended worship is that the body of Christ by definition is itself blended—therefore our services should reflect that reality. But how do we plan worship that is historically, culturally and generationally diverse? We will look at the biblical case for blended worship, as well as principles and practices.

In Spirit and In Truth: The Role of Chapel in Higher Education—Tim McCarthy
In what unique ways can corporate worship fuel, inspire, and respond to the academic calling of the student and teacher in higher education? What unique challenges face those who lead in the university context instead of in a church, whether chapel is mandatory or voluntary? We will also discuss ways in which students can be meaningfully empowered and trained to be part of this endeavor.

Acting…in Church?—John Steven Paul
How can theatre make a fitting artistic contribution to the church? How can drama become an integral part of a worship service? In this workshop, we will analyze several short plays that have been used in worship—some in place of sermons!—and consider the opportunities and the problems facing those who want to make drama a vital part of their church.

Experiencing God in Worship—Bob Rognlien
This seminar introduces participants to a more complete kind of biblical worship that can be implemented in any size church or type of ministry: “Experiential Worship” that engages people intellectually, physically, emotionally, and volitionally. We will explore the implications of worshiping God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength through a multi-media presentation and concrete examples from actual services. This seminar brings together many disparate strands of emerging worship trends in a biblical paradigm that will inspire participants to imagine how their own worship ministry can become more experiential and transformational.

The Most Used Contemporary Worship Songs: Their View of God and of Our Love for God—Lester Ruth
This session will explore how the most used contemporary songs speak of the Triune God and what God has done to save us. If worship songs are windows into our hearts, what might be said about why we love God?

The Worship Team’s “Other” Instruments—Greg Scheer
The guitar, piano, bass, drums and voice form the backbone of the modern worship team, but what do we do with other instruments that may be available in our churches? This session will help worship team leaders incorporate brass, woodwinds, strings, as well as such instruments as mandolins or even accordions into their team’s sound.

(Saturday only): Who May and May Not Participate in the Worship Life of the Church?—Mark Stephenson
Although the Torah forbade anyone with a disability from leading worship, the New Testament opens participation and leadership to all of God’s people. This workshop will examine the ways that churches still exclude certain people, especially people with disabilities, from service, and we will seek to understand the biblical basis for including all of God’s children in the church’s life and ministry.

Leading Congregational Song from the Piano—Cynthia Uitermarkt
Congregational song is that aspect of church music that involves every member of the congregation; leading it from the piano keyboard requires techniques that differ from those used by either organists or vocal teams. In this session, we will explore strategies (technique, harmony, style, and added instruments) that can help influence the spirit and quality of the congregation’s song.

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper: Embraced by the Triune God—Leonard VanderZee
We will explore the deep Trinitarian meanings and implications of the sacraments. Though centered on our union with and participation in Christ, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper draw us into the heart of the divine community we call Trinity.

Spiritual Formation in Worship-Centered Congregations—Jane Rogers Vann
Differing circumstances call forth different liturgical, theological and formational questions and inspire different congregational conversations about what we do in worship and why we do it. The workshop will begin with a PowerPoint presentation on the history of Christian worship and its relationship to spiritual formation in congregational life, concluding with “where we are now.” Practices for spiritual formation will be described in relation to the congregation’s worship life.

Understanding the Battle Between the Flesh and the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-18)—and the Way Out—Dallas Willard
Dr. Dallas Willard will help workshop participants understand Paul’s famous words about what it means to “live by the Spirit” and how doing so conflicts with the sinful nature that clings to us. Why is this a battle, and how can Paul’s words point us to the way out of what could be a never-ending struggle?

Handbells in Worship I: Who Needs Them?—Stephanie Wiltse
There are lots of reasons to have a handbell program in your congregation. But why use them in worship? Are they just an interruption in the flow of the liturgy? We’ll explore ways bells can be used to enhance and support the worship service, whether using one ringer or 15. Basic techniques will also be addressed. This will be a “hands-on” session. Beginners are welcome.

11:25-12:25 p.m. SESSION B: Workshops and lunch options, also Conference Choir rehearsal (B3) for closing worship service (repeated on Saturday unless noted)

(Friday only): A Conversation with the Editor of Reformed Worship—Joyce Borger
Bring your lunch and enjoy an informal conversation with Joyce Borger, the editor of Reformed Worship, along with other RW staff and subscribers.

(Saturday only): Plans for a New Bi-Denominational Hymnal—Joyce Borger
Bring your lunch and enjoy an informal discussion with members of the hymnal committee just starting work on a bi-denominational hymnal for the Christian Reformed Church and the Reformed Church in America. Learn what the plans are and add your voice to their early work on this large project.

The Conference Choir, led by Joel Navarro and Jonathan Velasco, with Tom Trenney at the organ and piano
The Conference Choir will rehearse during these two sessions (Fri. B3, Sat. B3) in preparation for participation at the closing service of the Lord’s Supper on Saturday afternoon. Please sign up for both sessions. (Note: if you also need lunch, sign up for lunch during Session C.)

Creative and Faithful Worship Collaboration—Susan Briehl and Marty Haugen
Many gifts come together to serve community worship. In this workshop a pastor and a musician, text writer and tune writer, will use a jointly created communion setting, Unfailing Light, as an example of collaborative worship planning and leadership.

Lament in the Context of Corporate Worship—Michael Card and Calvin Seerveld
In this session, you will have an opportunity to witness the remarkable relationship between Michael Card and Calvin Seerveld as together they provide some concrete and creative examples—spoken and musical—of incorporating lament into worship.

Improving Your Vocal Technique—Vikki Cook
When you’re singing solo or as part of a worship team, do you want to be able to sing without having those distracting thoughts of, “Will my voice crack on that passage again?” or, “I hope I can hit that note this time!” If you have ever worried about your voice, wondering if it will do “what you want, when you want it to” then this class is for you.

Between Font and Table—David A. Davis
In this workshop participants will explore the relationship of Word and Sacrament in weekly preaching. Undervalued biblical and theological foundations of the Lord’s Supper and Baptism can add to the depth of one’s sermons. Additionally, a sacramental approach to preaching can influence one’s use and understanding of language and illustration.

Would Jazz Work in Your Church?—Edward Doemland
Reasons for using (or not using) jazz music; how to plan; where to look for musical ideas. A booklet of musical examples will be provided. Participants will be invited to sing selected stanzas from the examples and to take the booklet with them.

Baptism and the Transformation of Youths’ Vocational Imaginations—Fred P. Edie
This session explores, first, the relationship between Baptismal theology and vocation, and second, a variety of pedagogies designed to invite youth to imagine faithfully their unfolding futures with God.

Music as Exegetical Art—John Ferguson
It is important to consider the “language” of music and its potential to interpret text. This session explores how music functions exegetically with specific examples to demonstrate how it works. A sharing of the thought process which informed Ferguson’s setting of the Magnificat will serve as a case study for the presentation.

The Unlikely Marriage of Organ and Piano (2)—Marnie Giesbrecht and Joachim Segger
This workshop will look at repertoire and arranging for the combination of organ and piano in worship. The focus will be on creating appropriate music for the Prelude, Offertory and Postlude, and will include demonstration and participation. (Participants may attend both or either of these sessions [A11, B11].)

Preaching Without Notes—Mike Graves
Every preacher longs to be precise in proclaiming the Word and yet fully present during the preaching moment. Unfortunately, a preoccupation with the former means the latter sometimes suffers. In this interactive workshop we’ll explore how preaching without notes means preaching with freedom, as well as a degree of precision.

(Friday only): “Vertical Habits”: Practical Wisdom for Teaching Worship—Betty Grit, with Mike Cosper, Marc Nelesen, Frank Rothfuss, and Amy Schenkel
A panel of pastors and artists will share resources created by their congregations to teach “Vertical Habits” and describe the fruit that developed in all areas of congregational life.

(Saturday only): Children and Youth Learn and Practice “Vertical Habits”—Betty Grit, with Young Kim, Tara Macias, Ellen Van Schoiack, and Sharon Veltema
A panel of educators will share resources that teach children how worship can shape their daily activities and choices for a lifetime.

The Long Prayer: Offering Prayers in Public Worship—Scott E. Hoezee
Some traditions call it “The Pastoral Prayer” while others label it “The Congregational Prayer” or “Morning Prayers” or “Prayers of the People.” But as any eight-year-old could tell you, the most descriptive moniker may well be the child’s label for it: “The Long Prayer”! Whether pre-written, extemporaneous, or a combination, the prayer offered in worship on Sunday morning is probably the longest single prayer most people hear all week. As pastors and worship leaders, our public prayers reveal much about our habits of mind even as those prayers have a shaping influence on how the congregation prays all week. This workshop will look at the place of prayer in public worship and will offer practical suggestions for offering prayers that are theologically imaginative and pastorally sensitive.

Creating a Child-friendly Culture in Your Church—Robert Keeley
To help children grow in faith we want our churches to be places where they are nurtured and where they feel that they have a place. We will look at things that churches can do to become more child friendly and encourage faith-nurturing adult-child relationships.

Keeping a Vision—Jeanne Logan
Jeanne Logan, an artist specializing in drawings and fiber, will talk about the interaction between her personal pieces and her liturgical commissions. Seeing her works alongside each other, the viewer will begin to sense how these works, their processes and their different purposes nourish and influence each other.

An Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Liturgical Dance—Shelley Marinus
In this session, we will learn the purpose of liturgical dance and some basic elements of choreography for worship. We will also be exploring the Psalms through movement.

How Race Works in Multiracial Churches—Gerardo Marti
This workshop is for those who want a deeper understanding of racial dynamics in today’s churches. Stories and examples from real congregations will show how race within churches is becoming complicated—and creatively reconstructed—through the post-1965 waves of immigration. Most important, we show how various good-intentioned priorities and programs work (and often don’t work) in racially diverse churches.

The Cultural Context of American Worship—Richard N. Ostling
An award-winning religion writer with Time magazine and The Associated Press analyzes trends in American faith and culture that worship leaders, pastors and ordinary worshipers need to be aware of.

What Hath Silicon Valley to Do with Jerusalem? Technological Innovation and Ancient Practice in Worship—Mark Roeda
Certainly advances in presentation technology provide opportunities to do new things in worship. But they can also enhance our ability to do the ancient things of worship. This session discusses integrating presentation technologies both into the worship space and the worship service.

Making Experiential Worship a Reality—Bob Rognlien
In this session we outline a pathway that enables us to implement Experiential Worship on a weekly basis in our own unique context. We will give special attention to the challenges of small churches, utilizing volunteers, and dealing with the resistance of our particular denominations or traditions. Participants will leave with specific ideas on how to make Experiential Worship a reality in their own ministries.

Imagine…What Has Christ Done for Us?—Paul Ryan
How do Christ’s life, death, and resurrection save us? What poetic imagination do we use to grasp his saving work? Scattered throughout our hymns, prayers, and liturgies are metaphors used to comprehend and express Christ’s atonement. But so often we limit our experience to just one or two images. In this workshop we will survey five images of the atonement and explore how we might more fully celebrate how salvation comes through Jesus Christ.

Where Can I Find That Song? Researching Hymns Online—Greg Scheer
There are a few databases that will allow anyone to find sources of particular songs or hymns. The most established (still within the last few years) are geared toward historical hymns, but more recent databases are becoming more comprehensive and global in scope, even to providing sources of different versions/keys, ability to print a song, ideas for performance, etc. Come to learn about the current state of research.

Thriving as a Keyboard Player in the Diverse World of Church Music—Cynthia Uitermarkt
In today’s church climate, the pianist or organist will need to be fluent in multiple styles: traditional, contemporary, and ethnic. For the classically trained performer, this can mean stretching well beyond the comfort zone. In this session, we will explore practical, philosophical, and spiritual strategies for surviving and thriving.

Where the Love of God Goes: Dealing with Disasters—Kathy Smith
It seems that almost every time we turn on the news there is another disaster wrecking havoc in people’s lives. Often disasters are hardest on people of faith who struggle with questions such as “Where is God when it hurts?” and “Why me, Lord?” For worship leaders, the time to prepare yourself and those who you love for times of disaster is before the disaster strikes. We will examine the impact disasters can have on people’s lives and the spiritual preparation necessary to help you plan worship in ways that help you and your congregations face disasters in your own lives and the lives of those whom you love.

Handbells in Worship II: What’s New?—Stephanie Wiltse
We will look at specific handbell literature that can energize worship, whether traditional, contemporary or blended. We’ll also offer tips on selecting repertoire not only to fit your service style, but to fit varying themes and times of year. This will be a “hands-on” session.

Grant Poster Displays
Please note: In the dining hall during Session C lunch, several CICW Grant recipients will be hosting informal conversations around posters describing their particular worship renewal grant projects. To learn more about their projects and what they learned that might be helpful for your own congregation, look for them in the center room of the dining hall.

(Saturday only) A Conversation on Campus Worship—with Trygve David Johnson, Tim McCarthy, and Paul Ryan
Bring your lunch to meet with campus worship folks for a time of informal conversation.

The Holy Spirit and Worship—Mariano Avila
We will explore the biblical teaching on the central role that the Holy Spirit plays in worship. Dependence and freedom, order and spontaneity, reverent silence and joyful noise will be some of the paradoxes we will explore in the framework of Scripture. Our purpose is to inform some of our present-day worship practices and enrich, challenge, and transform them for the glory of the Lord we worship.

Beauty Will Save the World: Jonathan Edwards and Abraham Kuyper on Glory and Beauty—John Bolt
Should Christian worship explicitly call our attention to and direct us toward the world and its need, to social action? Or does such worship in fact turn us away from the triune God, the proper focus of our worship? This workshop will explore some ways Abraham Kuyper and Jonathan Edwards—both theologians of beauty and glory, and both very socially engaged—might point us in the right direction.

Straight from Scripture: An Introduction to Singing the New Testament—Joyce Borger
What might it look like to dwell with Scripture in song? This just-released songbook is filled with texts straight from Scripture; we’ll sample many of these songs and consider how they might be used in worship.

War and Religion in America—James Bratt and Lester Ruth
As many people reacted against revivalistic styles and theology in the pre-Civil War period, so some are reacting today against the like “enthusiasms” and “superficialities” associated with some contemporary P&W, seeker services, etc, etc. American historian James Bratt will explore the alternative destinations in style, ritual, and spirituality which the antebellum pilgrims sought and found on the road out of revivalism. Liturgical scholar Lester Ruth will respond and discuss analogies on the worship scene in the 21st century, especially noting the recurring popular impulse for alternate forms of worship.

Voicing Your Own Lament—Michael Card
Scripture provides numerous examples of laments, while at the same time inviting us to cry out with our own voices. In this session, we will build on the biblical lament literature, providing insight into lyrical devices and structures found in Scripture. Together we will build a framework for understanding how to give voice to our own sorrow, confusion and anger, both personally and in corporate worship.

Preaching Christ from the Gospels—Anthony Carter
There are unique and wonderful challenges in following the apostle Paul’s example of “preaching Christ and Him crucified” from the gospels. How do we faithfully communicate the message of Christ from the very words and life of Christ himself? It may seem obvious, but too often men and women are getting it wrong.

Providence, Preaching, and Pastoral Care—John Cooper with Scott E. Hoezee
In this session philosopher John Cooper will present key points in the theology and philosophy that undergirds our understanding of God’s providential care in a world where terrible things happen all the time. Why do bad things happen to good people? When a bad thing is averted in someone’s life, can we chalk that up to God’s providential care? What about people who prayed just as hard but were not spared some hurt or calamity? Dr. Cooper will address these painful and complex issues. Then Scott Hoezee will connect these thoughts to the pastoral care that preachers can provide from the pulpit. How can pastors construct thoughtful sermons that will help members of the congregation parse their lives in ways that are both true to Scripture and pastorally comforting? This session will aim to be both rigorously thoughtful and pastorally practical for the life of the church. (Note: this is repeated from 2007, back by popular demand.)

(Friday only): Beauty Without Regret—Makoto Fujimura
Artist and essayist Makoto Fujimura will discuss his work that combines abstract expressionism with the traditional Japanese art of Nihonga. He will share his thoughts on how art cannot be divorced from faith, for to do so is to literally close our eyes to beauty. “Beauty is in the brokenness, not in what we can conceive as the perfections, not in the ‘finished’ images but in the incomplete gestures. Beauty insists that we remain faithful to who we are, as we are.”

Seeing What Is Really There: Preaching and the Imagination—W. Hulitt Gloer
Frederick Buechner writes that people “as a rule see only what they expect to see and little more.” The preacher’s calling is to see beyond what we expect to see and help congregations to do the same. We will discuss what the preacher can do to be faithful to this calling.

(Saturday only): Panel Discussion on Church Galleries, moderated by Betsy Steele Halstead with Makoto Fujimura, Bern Lewis, Kelly Sisson, Vange Van Huesen, and Michael Winters
There continues to be a growing interest in church visual art galleries, exhibitions, and educational opportunities related to art within our churches. In this session we will be joined by church leaders who have well-established programs and those who have just begun organizing a visual arts ministry. Hear how these ministries have come to be a catalyst for outreach, a way of enriching the congregation’s preparation for worship, a building block of their educational ministries, and a unique way of encouraging intergenerational fellowship.

Understanding Visual Media in Worship—Andrew Holmes
Equipping people with the underpinning knowledge needed for effective use of visual media in worship is essential. Many people are familiar with using presentation software; this session provides for some theological reflection on using visual media together with some practical tips about constructing effective PowerPoint-based materials for worship.

Thematic Worship: A Rich Feast for the People of God—Ron Man
Rather than attempting unity in our services through a commonality of style or form, how much richer and spiritually nourishing to use a biblical or theological theme as a unifying principle. This approach allows for the use of a rich variety of forms and styles, and gives time to focus on and respond to an aspect of God and his truth in a way that is edifying and serves a catechetical function over the long run.

Choral Conducting Technique—Joel Navarro and Jonathan Velasco
This session will address issues of musical leadership and rehearsal procedures, including beat clarity, consistency of signals, and vocabulary of gestures. Volunteers will be given opportunity to conduct pre-selected pieces; the rest of the participants will form the workshop choir. Note: The session on Friday will be geared especially to conductors without much formal training; the session on Saturday will be geared to more experienced and trained conductors.

Creating Flow Within a Medley of Congregational Songs—Robert Nordling
In this session we’ll experience together a 15-minute segment of congregational singing, Scripture readings and prayer and then walk through the design, planning and preparation involved using various instruments. Q/A will follow, with time to explore options for instrumentation, transitions, copyrights, etc. Full packets of the medley—score and parts—will be distributed to those who attend.

A View from Latin America: An Interview with Gerardo Oberman, hosted by Jorge Lockward
A pastor/musician/liturgist from Argentina speaks of the many changes in worship in his country and throughout South America in the past generation, especially with respect to the influence of Pentecostalism. Since many Latin Americans have migrated in recent years to the United States, his perspective may well help North American churches understand better the complex dynamics of worship life in Central and South America.

Redeeming the Time: Homiletic Theology for a Pilgrim People—Michael Pasquarello II
This workshop will focus on the formative power of the Lectionary when it is read within the theological narrative of the Christian year: the story of salvation. Rather than discussing the use of the Lectionary as an end in itself, or in the abstract, we will think of preaching as a means of leading and forming a pilgrim people across time on their journey to the City of God.

Staging and Performing Drama in Worship—John Steven Paul
How can drama be effectively staged and performed in the church? In this workshop, John Steven Paul, with the help of actors from the liturgical drama troupe Soul Purpose, will demonstrate theatre techniques that have proven effective in a worship setting. Segments of liturgical drama will be performed, followed by opportunities for questions and discussion about issues involved. Participants are invited to bring photographs and floor plans of their own churches for analysis as staging venues.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue: Principles for Renewing Language in Worship—Debra Rienstra and Ron Rienstra
This workshop will offer tools and ideas for creating rich, balanced language in worship. Participants will learn principles for and discuss examples of welcoming traditional language gracefully; composing or improvising elements in fresh language; using songs and prayers to worship with the global church; and finding a place for lament. This session will be based on the forthcoming book Worship Words, co-authored by Ron and Debra Rienstra (Baker, 2009).

Baptized Children and the Lord’s Supper (1): The Bible and the Church—David Rylaarsdam
Christian traditions that practice infant baptism are re-considering who may participate in the Lord’s Supper. Does Scripture require profession of faith or confirmation? Should all covenant kids be invited to the church family’s spiritual meal? We will consider how Christians during the past 2000 years have answered these questions and how a key biblical text such as 1 Corinthians 11 applies to the issue of children at the Lord’s Supper. (Participants may attend both or either of these sessions [C20, D20].)

A Crash Course on Hymn Playing—Tom Trenney
A quick refresher on the basics of leading hymn singing from the organ, and a sharing of tips to make your Sundays more creative and communicative to further inspire the people’s song.

The Crisis of Adult Discipleship—Leonard VanderZee
We will discuss what Dallas Willard calls the “elephant in the church”—the general failure of training adult Christians to be dedicated followers of Jesus Christ. What are its effects on Christian education of children and teens? How does it hinder the church’s mission? What can we do to change it?

Talking About Worship: How to Start and Sustain Faithful Conversations—Jane Rogers Vann
This session will begin with a brief introduction to anthropological categories for talking about worship—liturgical time, space, environment, action, persons, music, language, etc. Participants will then engage in small group conversations about worship, using a process devised especially for facilitating conversations in congregations.

Chocolate and Other Ingredients of Successful Group Worship Projects—Phyllis Vos Wezeman
“Worship for Life,” an interdenominational team of 41 educators and pastors, has worked together on a major worship project for over four years—and has discovered a lot about the ingredients of successful group activities. Come to discuss ideas that can be applied to groups working on worship projects in the congregation and the community as well as nationally and internationally. Phyllis Wezeman, the Project Director and primary author and editor of Worship for Life, will be the facilitator.

Jesus as Theologian: Viewed Through Middle Eastern Eyes—Kenneth Bailey
This session is a shortened version of his Thursday seminar, but using different texts, to unlock fresh ethical and theological content in Scripture that is available when the cultural context of the Middle East is taken seriously. Some parables and dramatic actions of Jesus will be examined, drawing on Dr. Bailey’s lifetime of teaching New Testament in Middle Eastern seminaries and institutes.

Advanced Vocals and Vocal Arranging—Vikki Cook
This session will cover how to sing effectively as a worship team, and how to make the truths you are singing “come alive.”

(Friday only) Seeing Your Congregation with Expert Eyes: Culture, Race, Ethnicity, a panel with Janel Curry, Kathi Groenendyk, Gail Heffner, Denise Isom, and Mark Mulder
In an update from their session last year, five Calvin College social scientists describe what they’ve learned through in-depth analysis of congregational and worship life. Their goal: to offer you a fresh angle from which to assess and then deepen your ministry. Come to learn what new questions you can ask about the implicit messages your congregation conveys. This session will focus primarily on the themes of culture, race, and ethnicity.

A Case Study in Worship Space Renovation—John Ferguson
St. Olaf College has just completed a major renovation of its chapel and installed a large new organ. Ferguson will discuss this project as a model for others considering such a project. We will look at before and after and explore the issues and values which drove the process.

See Session A28

Panel: Media and Spiritual Practices in Relation to Postmodernism and Emerging Worship in the UK and the US, with Doug Gay and Andrew Holmes from the UK, and Bethany Keeley, Mark Roeda and Ron Rienstra from the US
Worship leaders from the UK and US will compare and contrast the uses of media within contemporary and alternative church movements. They will pay special attention to how particular worship practices reflect or resist the cultural phenomena of postmodernism.

Finding Stories for Sunday’s Sermon—Mike Graves
Although sermon preparation involves lots of steps—everything from selecting a text to embodying the sermon on Sunday—the search for meaningful illustrative material during the week is often the most frustrating. Preachers know the value of good stories, so together we’ll explore the kinds of stories to use and avoid, as well as sources and brainstorming techniques.

Leading Worship Renewal in a Congregation—Betty Grit with Worship Renewal Grant Recipients: Jeff Fisher, Ruth Lumpkins, Marc Nelesen, Samantha Quesenberry, and Amy Schenkel
We all long for worship that is both vibrant and meaningful. How can words and music help us grow in our relationship with God and shape us for Christian service? A panel of Worship Renewal Grant recipients will share what they have learned about worship renewal.

See Session C27

What Shapes the Sermon?—Arie Leder and John Rottman
What determines the structure of a sermon? Many biblical scholars argue for the sermon’s structure to emerge solely from the structure of the biblical text on which the sermon is based. But some newer homiletical methods—such as Paul Scott Wilson’s “four pages” format—argue for a theological sermon structure that can be used for most any biblical text. In this workshop Arie Leder, professor of Old Testament studies, and John Rottman, professor of homiletics, will debate the pros and cons of theological and biblical sermon forms. Do approaches like “four pages” run the risk of becoming interpretive tools that force every biblical text to conform to a pre-set pattern? Can good biblical exegesis happen also in sermons that have a more theological structure? Leder and Rottman will dialogue on these vital questions and then invite wider discussion from workshop participants.

The Multifarious Keyboardist—Jorge Lockward
Today’s church organist/pianist is faced with the task of interpreting a profusion of musical styles, many of which were not part of their formal training. This workshop will provide practical tools for the engagement (and enjoyment!) of diverse keyboard styles with an emphasis on those coming from the church around the world.

Commissioned Work: The Relationship Between Artist and Patron—Jeanne Logan
Commissioned work, by its very nature, relies on the artist and patron entering into a unique relationship. It becomes a collaborative process, with each having a distinctive role in the creative endeavor. Learn what to expect from each other, how to ask questions, use a contract, and still leave room for creativity.

Biblical Principles of Worship—Ron Man
Today’s churches desperately need to build their worship practices upon unchanging foundational principles from God’s Word. We need a common understanding of what dare not change from church to church, place to place, century to century—even while we allow for the rich diversity of expression which God seems to delight in, and which the New Testament allows for. Twelve principles will be presented as a scriptural framework for thinking about, preaching and teaching on, and planning and leading corporate worship.

Choreography for Worship—Shelley Marinus
In this session, we will review the basic elements to include in liturgical dance and learn choreography that you can take with you and share with your congregation.

Overcoming Challenges to Racial and Ethnic Diversity—Gerardo Marti
This workshop is for pioneers working through the challenge of creating ethnically and racially diverse churches. By looking at successfully diverse churches across the nation, we reveal critical attitudes for cultivating a hospitable church, perspectives on recent immigration and the neighborhood church, and experiments on musical variety and global awareness. This workshop will stimulate many ideas through discussion of gestures that signal openness, strategies for contextualizing musical practices that incorporate rather than alienate while avoiding ethnic and racial stereotypes, and issues of change and transition.

(Friday only): Choral Reading Session—Joel Navarro and Jonathan Velasco
In this session we’ll sing through several choral anthems that top the lists of several choral publishers’ recommendations worldwide, with a wide range of accessibility and level of difficulty.

America’s Emerging Religious Landscape: An Interview with Richard N. Ostling, hosted by Nathan Bierma
A wide-ranging question-and-answer session on religious and journalistic trends in the United States with the former religion writer for Time magazine and The Associated Press.

Highly Favored: The Virgin Mary in Visual Art—Bert Polman
This session will focus on the depiction of Mary, the mother of Christ, in historical and contemporary works of art. It will be held in conjunction with the Calvin College art gallery exhibit “Highly Favored: Contemporary Images of the Virgin Mary,” which is a CIVA-produced show of recent Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic Marian art.

Public Biblical Praying—Lester Ruth
This workshop will look at biblical and historical examples of how ancient Christians prayed in public worship. Following Jewish roots, early Christians remembered God’s activity as a kind of root of praying. The workshop will explore basic and imaginative ways of achieving the same end in our prayers today.

Baptized Children and the Lord’s Supper (2): Theology and Pastoral Concerns—David Rylaarsdam
In this second session, we will consider whether it is theologically coherent to keep some members of the covenant community from communion. Ministry issues related to children at the Lord’s Supper will be addressed, including church membership, catechesis, profession of faith, discipleship and discipline. We will also discuss how the participation of children might concretely shape the way in which the Lord’s Supper is celebrated. (Participants may attend both or either of these sessions [C20, D20].)

Offering Our Neighbors’ Pain to Jesus Who Wept—Calvin Seerveld
Why did Jesus weep in John 11? Is it possible for us to sing comfort to those in pain, or not? We will examine a range of attempts from Psalms, Gregorian chant, Genevan tunes, Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder, African-American Blues, to current pop song.

(Friday only): Making Stuff Up—Tom Trenney
Organists are used to playing "by the book," but there is great joy in learning how to let the page be the jumping off point for improvisation. Join us for a hands-on sampling of the basic ideas of creativity and structure, vision and form, surprise and expectation, that lead to more fulfilling and meaningful improvisations.

Intergenerational Worship: Is It Reasonable? Is It Possible?—Howard Vanderwell, with other contributors
Many churches are asking whether they can really keep all generations working together, or whether it would be better to separate the generations according to their preferences in worship. Some voices suggest separation. Other churches with limited resources wonder if they are inferior because they have no choice in the matter. Several contributors to the recent book The Church of All Ages: Generations Worshiping Together will explore the issues involved, highlight some of the findings, and stimulate your further reflection on the matter.

(Friday only): Reclaiming the Funeral Service as Worship—John D. Witvliet
While funerals have often been seen as family affairs or private activities, the fact is that death impacts entire communities: both the faith community and the community at large. Aspects of funeral planning for pastors and worship leaders will be considered with the focus on the funeral (or memorial) service as worship. We will also consider the role of the church and worship planners in community-wide memorial services.

Interview with Dallas Willard by Cornelius J. Plantinga, Jr.
Join us for a lively conversation between Dr. Dallas Willard, professor at the University of Southern California, and Dr. Neal Plantinga, president of Calvin Theological Seminary. Dr. Plantinga will engage Dr. Willard on the key topics of his seminal books such as The Divine Conspiracy, The Renovation of the Heart, and also his most recent volume, The Great Omission. Questions from the audience will also be welcome as part of this stimulating and enriching conversation.

Nurturing Faith and Hope: Worship as a Model for Christian Education—Anne E. Streaty Wimberly
The workshop will explore the important link between worship and intergenerational Christian education. Specific focus will be on the role of music, prayer, and preaching as pathways of Christian education and ways in which these pathways can enliven faith and hope of worshipers across the ages/stages when attention is given to purpose, content and communal involvement.

An Invitation to “The Liturgy of the Hours”—Pat Zandstra
From the age of the Apostles, to the Early Church Fathers, to the Middle Ages, to the present, we are invited to join that great cloud of witnesses who have worshiped God around the clock from hour to hour, from one time-zone to the next, in ceaseless prayer and praise. Come to find out how you can incorporate the rhythm of what some call “The Liturgy of the Hours” into your busy contemporary life.

7:30-8:30 p.m.

11:00-11:25 p.m. Travel and conversation time