Online Registration Open For Symposium

Online registration is now open for those who would like to attend the 2013 Calvin Symposium on Worship, which is sponsored by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and the Center for Excellence in Preaching.

Registration includes a range of costs depending on different factors such as if  registrants want a group rate or if they want to attend individually. There are also options of registering for all three days of the symposium or only one or two days.

Set for Jan. 24-26 on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., symposium coordinators expect about 1,500 people from around the world to attend the event.

This year, the symposium will feature a theme and many presentations based on the Sermon on the Mount.

For instance, one session  is titled “The Sermon on the Mount: Preaching, Teaching, and Living in Righteousness.” The presenters will help participants to understand “themes from the Sermon and to consider their power and beauty for preaching, teaching, and life in Christian community,” says a worship institute description of the seminar.

Yet another will be “Blessed are the Persecuted,” a seminar that will explore the use of visual art, scripture reading, video, responsive reading, story, poetry, drama, and song from Christians “who often find joy and hope in the midst of suffering.”

Resources from around the world will be presented, featuring practical ideas for worship in a  local contexts, in this session based on one of the Beatitudes.

There are other sessions on other topics as well. These focus on everything from inviting children to the Lord’s Supper to using worship music in helping to establish a multi-cultural congregation.

One session will highlight Lift Up Your Hearts in Song, the new hymnal for the Christian Reformed Church and the Reformed Church in America. The hymnal will be published in June 2013 for congregational song in multiple formats, including a print hymnal as well as a digital version.

The editorial team will lead participants through the thinking behind the new hymnal, the organizational structure, and many of the songs.

Participants will be encouraged to sing along on “traditional and newly written hymns, contemporary and modern worship songs, folk, gospel, songs from the Latino and African-American communities, and the global church,” says the description of the session.

For more information on the hymnal, visit www.liftupyourheartshymnal.org.

Also being offered is “It’s More Than a Ramp: Opening Our Doors to People with Disabilities,” which addresses such important questions as, “What do we mean by ‘disability?’” Or, “Theologically speaking, is there such a thing as ‘normal’ bodies and minds?” Or, “What can our churches do differently in worship...(and what) can the church learn from persons with disabilities?’”

Each day of the symposium will begin and end with a worship service.

“This ecumenical conference brings together a wide audience of pastors, worship leaders and planners, artists, musicians, scholars, students, and other interested worshipers,” says a description of the annual gathering.

“People come from around the world to gather for a time of fellowship, worship, and learning, seeking to deepen and integrate all aspects of worship, develop their gifts, encourage each other, and renew their commitment to the full ministry of the church.

http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1148210

Thursday

Morning worship services (repeated Thursday evening), 8:30 - 9:45 am
College Chapel: Salt and Light, Matt. 5:13-16, Greg Thompson preaching
Covenant Fine Arts Center: Beatitudes, Matt. 5:1-12, Marva Dawn preaching

Seminars, 10:15 am - 3:30 pm with a lunch break: Choose one seminar to attend.

Seminar 1: Preaching in a Visual Age, Mark Labberton, moderator, with others in music, art, and digital media, and hosted by Scott Hoezee
From St. Augustine to Martin Luther and from George Whitfield to Martin Luther King Jr., preaching the gospel has been the very heart of the Christian church’s approach to renewal and engaging society with the claims of God and God’s Kingdom. But things are rapidly changing, not least about communication. Many preachers and Christians wonder: What place does “preaching” have in our image-shaped world? How do we bring the gospel word to people inundated by images? What does Jesus—"the Word made visual"—teach us about the living Word? We’ll consider these questions and more to help paint a picture of what preaching the gospel might look like in a visual society.

Seminar 2: We will focus on prayer and paying attention to the objects around us that can aide us in our prayers.  God gives us glimmers of the sacred in our everyday. The small rocks we collect, the pods that we marvel at, the rice we cook—all are examples of God’s goodness that he speaks to us about every day. Come to this session to view, pray about, talk about, create, and embellish every-day objects so that they can become reminders to us. Please bring along a rock from your backyard or another favorite object. We will provide a wide variety of objects and options to work with. We will also participate in building a “mountain” with our embellished rocks for the art display that will be on the stage of the Covenant Fine Arts Center during the Symposium, representing the theme of the conference, The Sermon on the Mount.

Seminar 4: Multigenerational, Multicultural Worship: Reports and Testimonies from Worship Renewal Grant Recipients, moderated by Betty Grit
When people of all ages and cultures are invited to bring their gifts to plan and lead worship through music, spoken word and the arts, transformation begins. Leaders from diverse congregations will offer practical ideas that have engaged people of various ages and cultures and tell us what they have learned.

Seminar 5: The New Adolescent & Sticky Faith, led by Chap Clark, hosted by Lyn Ten Brink
Research shows a decline in adolescent and young adult participation in church. An essential first step in responding to this crisis is being reintroduced to the new adolescent that dwells in our homes, schools and church communities. What has changed and what has stayed the same in the lives of our kids? How have we, as adults and the church, adjusted in our response to this new adolescence? In the afternoon the seminar will focus on how both parish and parachurch youth ministry must re-tool in order to provide the best possible environment for a lasting, "sticky" faith for our young people.

Seminar 6: Revealing God’s Word Through Dramatic Presentations of Scripture, led by Randy Buursma, with an intergenerational team from First Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI, and their coach Todd Farley
God reveals himself through his Word; are there ways to present God’s Word in worship that also contribute to God’s revelation? We will explore varied dramatic ways of presenting Scripture using passages from the Sermon on the Mount, showing how one congregation spent several weeks this past fall in a series on Matthew 5-7, exploring the meaning of the text and creating ways to present these words in worship under the leadership of their pastor and coach. Participants will actively engage in these approaches and develop strategies to consider ways they could implement a similar approach in their own congregations.

Seminar 7: Learning to Lead Worship through Mentored Experiences, moderated by Paul Ryan with current and former Calvin Worship Apprentices and friends
Leading worship is so often a skill learned on the go. Classroom instruction is significant, while a great deal of learning also takes place through regular practice and reflection. We’ll explore the ins & outs of learning to plan and lead worship through mentored experiences which develop habits of ongoing learning and growth in worship leadership. Come, both experienced leaders and those learning the nuts & bolts of worship leadership, to an interactive exploration of mentored learning.

Seminar 10: The Shape of Discipleship in the Contemporary Worship Movement, hosted by Steven Guthrie and John D. Witvliet
Over the past forty years, the Contemporary Worship Movement has reshaped worship practices in a wide variety of regions, denominations, and cultures. A recognized movement emerged through the influence of hosts of people, institutions, and cultural factors, including songwriters, congregations, publishing companies, educational institutions and more. This seminar will explore this fascinating story, with particular attention on the theme of discipleship. What examples of faithful discipleship stand out in this movement? What challenges to discipleship have participants in this movement experienced? Most crucially, what does the shape of Christian discipleship look like today for industry executives, songwriters, worship leaders, pastors, and—above all—contemporary worshipers of all kinds?

Seminar 11: Inviting Children to the Table, moderated by Syd Hielema, with Jill Friend, Patricia Nederveld, David Schuringa, and Howard Vanderwell.
Many Christian traditions are exploring ways to strengthen children's faith development through participation in the Lord's Supper. This session, led by members of the Christian Reformed Faith Formation Committee, will explore their approaches and will provide guidance and resources for congregational leaders who seek to have the sacraments be more richly nourishing to young and old.

(Invitation only) Seminar 12: The Basics of Christian Living: Using Our Bodies and Our Bibles to Mature in Christ, led by Christopher Hall, hosted by Aminah Bradford and Aaron Winkle
This seminar is an “invitation-only” retreat for Calvin College students who serve in leadership positions.

(Invitation only) Seminar 13: Calvin Honors Orchestra students, led by David Reimer and Robert Nordling
This seminar is an “invitation-only” retreat for high school student string players.

Vespers, 4:15 - 5 pm: These services are offered Thursday and repeated at the same time on Friday unless noted.

•     Vespers with Korean Spirituality and Style of Worship Through Story, Song, and Prayer, led by Jaewoo Kim and musicians
•     Taizé Vespers, led by Brad Bergland
•     Ten Beatitudes and Ten Commandments, led by Randall Engle, organist, with Muriel Van Dijke, liturgist
•     Dramatic presentation of The Sermon on the Mount, led by Randy Buursma and drama team from First Christian Reformed Church
•     "In Christ there is no East or West", led by I-to Loh (Taiwan), Swee Hong Lim (Singapore), and Joel Navarro (Philippines), and others (Thursday only)

Evening worship services, 7:30 - 8:30 pm
College Chapel: Salt and Light, Matt. 5:13-16, Greg Thompson preaching
Covenant Fine Arts Center: Beatitudes, Matt. 5:1-12, Marva Dawn preaching

Friday

Morning worship services (repeated Saturday morning), 8:30 - 9:30 am
College Chapel: Forgiveness, Matt. 5:38-48, Carolyn Gordon preaching
Covenant Fine Arts Center: Not to Worry, Matt. 6:25-34, Luke Powery preaching

Plenary sessions (repeated Saturday), 10 - 11 am
College Chapel: Rethinking Christian Community: Moving Beyond our Ideals and Disappointments, Christine Pohl
Covenant Fine Arts Center: Worship in 1 Corinthians: Paul's Take on the Corinthian Worship Wars, Kenneth E. Bailey

Workshops: Workshops are one hour long, offered on Friday and then repeated at the same time on Saturday unless noted.
Workshop A, 11:30 -12:30 pm

AL: Lunch break

A1: Conversation with Kenneth E. Bailey, hosted by Tala Jarjour and Anne Zaki  
An opportunity to continue exploring the ideas presented in his plenary address.

A2: The Taizé Community: Music and Prayer, Brad Berglund
This nuts and bolts workshop will focus on the music of the Taizé Community and their unique practice of sung prayer. Using the published resources available to us, we’ll take an in-depth look at how to create a Taizé-style prayer service, lead the music, choose scripture readings and involve soloists and instrumentalists.

A3: Lift Up Your Voice in Song, Joyce Borger and others
A shortened version of Thursday Seminar 8, introducing Lift Up Your Hearts, a highly-anticipated resource (to be published June, 2013) for congregational song in multiple formats, including a print hymnal as well as a digital version for projection.  The editorial team will lead us through the thinking behind it, the organizational structure, and many of the songs.  Come ready to sing traditional and newly written hymns, contemporary and modern worship songs, folk, gospel, songs from the Latino and African-American communities, and the global church. For more information, visit www.liftupyourheartshymnal.org.

A4: Memory and Imagination: Shaping Worship’s Past, Present and Future, Randall Bradley
Memory and imagination are key ingredients in shaping the church’s music and its worship.  This Workshop will explore the roles of memory and imagination in informing our daily lives, our lives as ministers in the church, and as a launching place for imaginative thinking about music in the church.

A5: A Liturgical Approach to the Lord’s Prayer, Cláudio Carvalhaes
How does praying the Lord's Prayer affect our mission and ways of living?  We’ll explore creative possibilities, including doxology, gestures, language, offering, providence, temptation, and eschatological understandings of "thy Kingdom come." Discover ways this ecumenical Christian prayer can empower our worshiping communities.

A6: A7: Jesus Speaks to Us from the Mountain, Arlene Cooper and Jo-Ann VanReeuwyk
Come to this Workshop to be a part of building an interactive display for this year’s theme: The Sermon on the Mount. This art display on the stage of the Covenant Fine Arts Center will be “growing” as worshipers contribute to a “mountain” of embellished rocks throughout symposium. We will be using very simple materials that you can choose from.

A8: Multiethnic Worship: More than just global songs, Josh Davis
Visual art, scripture reading, video, responsive readings, and the list goes on. We will consider elements of a worship service (other than corporate singing) and how they can be intentionally multi-ethnic. We will give lots of practical examples that you can use right away in your local church contexts.

A9: The Organ's Too Loud, John Ferguson
Everything you wanted to know about the organ, especially if you aren't an organist. We'll discuss about how the organ functions so choir directors, pastors, and listeners can understand what organists are dealing with, and organists can learn more from the perspective of those who listen and sing when organists are on the bench.

A10: Moving Worship: What is Liturgical Dance? Julia Start Fletcher
We will answer the question in the title as well as consider the following question together: How can dance fit effectively into the liturgy without a focus on performance?

A11: The Art of Communication in Worship, Carolyn Gordon 
From the worship leader to the projection screen, everything in the worship environment communicates something....Good or bad. This workshop will discuss communication tools needed to create effective worship leaders as well as effective worship environments.

A12: Baptism and Lord’s Supper Renewal Stories, Betty Grit with panel
Worship Renewal Grant recipients from diverse congregations will describe what they are learning about sacramental practices that nurture and strengthen faith in people of various ages and cultures.

A13: Projection Practices, Betsy Steele Halstead and Paul Ryan
Worship leaders and planners are well aware of the pervasive use of projection media for songs, prayers, litanies, art, and advertisements in our worship services. There seems, however, to be so little discussion to guide us in its thoughtful and effective use. In this workshop, we'll explore best projection practices that serve to enable the full, conscious, and active participation of the people.

A14: Inviting Children to the Table, Syd Hielema
An exploration of ways to strengthen children's faith development through participation in the Lord's Supper. This workshop, a shortened version of Thursday Seminar 11, will explore  approaches, guidance and resources for congregational leaders who seek to have the sacraments be more richly nourishing to young and old.

A15: Convergence and Consumption: The Digital Age and a New Ecology of Worship, Shane Hipps
Worship is a product of culture; and culture is born of technology, media, and communication patterns. Every new technology creates a new cultural ecology—a shift which creates fresh, but often unconscious, expressions and theologies of worship. This presentation explores the major historical shifts in technology and their dramatic impact on worship in the church. The digital age immerses us in a state of phenomenal complexity, convergence, and consumption. It is radically shaping the present and future of worship. Too many of us are completely unaware of their true effects.

A16: Different Views of the Lord's Supper/Communion/Eucharist Throughout Christian History, Robin M. Jensen
This workshop will look at the richness and diversity of models of the meal that Jesus instituted on the night he was betrayed, evident in the New Testament narratives as well as in the history of the church: 1) Communion Meal; 2) Memorial Meal; 3) Covenantal Meal; 4) Thanksgiving Meal; 5) Sacrificial Meal; and 6) Eschatological Meal.

A17: Songs of Celebration and Contemplation from East Africa, Jean Ngoya Kidula
Many peoples in different parts of the world are usually introduced to the performance of Christian religious song that emanates from the cultural and other background of those who initially bring the gospel to them. In many parts of Africa, these were the songs of missionaries from Europe or the Americas. However new songs have also been composed that bear the 'missionary' style, or embrace the various other musical languages of the converts. Among the most utilized in East Africa are songs in Kiswahili language. In this workshop, we will examine and perform some Christian songs of contemplation and celebration in Kiswahili language. We hope that they will enrich the worship practice of participants from North America and other parts of the world.

A18: Developing a Parish Community Choir, CJ Kingdom-Grier
This workshop will serve as an instructional guide to involving neighborhood children in an educational, evangelistic, edifying ministry with eternal aspects. Using videos, parent testimony and proven strategies from international youth trips around the world to parking lot sing-a-longs, this workshop with give tangible ways for involving children and youth in worship, evangelism, outreach and attracting families to your worship experience.

A19: Preaching in a Visual Age, Mark Labberton
Many preachers and Christians wonder: What place does “preaching” have in our image-shaped world? How do we bring the gospel word to people inundated by images? What does Jesus —"the Word made visual"—teach us about the living Word?  We’ll consider these questions and more to help paint a picture of what preaching the gospel might look like in a visual society.

A20: Beyond the Bamboo Curtain: New Asian Songs for Worship, Swee Hong Lim, I-to Loh, Joel Navarro, and others
This singing and conversational session will introduce new Asian songs collected in recent years along with their background stories and how these might be used in the context of worship. The Companion to the Sound the Bamboo (GIA, 2011) as well as music handouts will serve as catalysts for the conversation.

A21: Worship Across the Racial Divide: Is Music the Gateway to Diversity? Gerardo Marti
Is worship music important for establishing a racially and ethnically diverse church? Research from successfully diverse congregations will dispel dangerous stereotypes and provide leaders with critical insight on how liturgical structures can build an authentically interracial community.

A22: Conversation with Christine Pohl, hosted by Kathy Smith
The conversation will continue themes explored in the morning's plenary address.

A23: Gallery Walk with artist He Qi
We will journey with He Qi through an exhibit of his paintings shown in the Center Art Gallery at Calvin during Symposium. His colorful artistic expression, his unique look at biblical narratives, and his roots in Chinese culture all come through in his work and will be explored in this session.

A24: Reading Session of Choral Music, Pearl Shangkuan
Come to sing through a variety of anthems for choirs large and small published by GIA, including the newest anthems in the GIA Calvin Institute of Christian Worship series.

A25: Children Leading the Way, Carrie Steenwyk
What can we do to value children in worship? We will explore writing prayers and litanies with and for children. We will also brainstorm ways to help prepare children to lead worship.

A26: SATURDAY ONLY, Multiethnic, Multilingual Worship Leadership, Sandra Van Opstal
The church is in need of leaders who will work towards seeing every tribe and tongue gather together to worship Jesus here on earth as it is in heaven. This workshop is designed to inspire and equip leaders to lead multi-ethnic, multilingual worship in their local church contexts. We will consider important skills, practical ways to stretch yourself, as well as different models of multi-ethnic worship. In addition, ample time will be devoted to Q & A.

A27: The Impact of Youth Leadership in Worship, Sharon Veltema
Worship plays a tremendous role in the faith formation of young people. This workshop looks at the impact not only for young people, but for the entire congregation, when young people take leadership roles in worship. Also offered will be practical suggestions and ideas for youth-led worship.

Workshop B, 1 - 2 pm

BL: Lunch break

B1: Art that Tells the Story, Christopher R. Brewer
After hosting a variety of exhibitions over the course of four years and curating a permanent collection of more than twenty works, Chris Brewer edited and published Art that Tells the Story (Gospel through Shared Experience, 2011) in an effort to enable folks to engage the Story through art. Special attention in this workshop will be given to how your church might use Art that Tells the Story to experience the Story anew.

B2: Wise Church, Blessed Church, Emily Brink and Paul Detterman
People who plan and lead worship spend hours designing, directing, and diagnosing the worship life of their community. What can move worshipers around the globe beyond “this worked” or “they didn’t like that” to a vibrant experience of God’s blessing? In this workshop we'll look beyond the immediate pressures on worship leaders to deep wisdom gleaned from voices of many times and places.

B3: Long Days in the Ministry, Ren Broekhuizen and Dale Cooper
God wants our ministry to succeed. When he promises "long days," he means it for exciting opportunity; Satan means it for endless drudgery. For servants of Jesus the King, longevity is a by-product of vitality, and the pastor’s spirit is also integral as God’s people worship. The open secret for flourishing "in season and out of season" is focus: on God’s written Word, made flesh.

B4: Revealing God through the Dramatic Presentation of Scripture, Randall Buursma
In this shortened version of Thursday Seminar 6, we will explore a number of ways in which dramatic presentation of the Word can draw us in more deeply into receiving what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Participants will actively engage in these approaches for the purpose of incorporating them in their churches.

B5: A Worship-Leading Choir: Participative, Priestly and Pastoral, Kai Ton Chau
Rather than thinking in terms of providing “special” music, the choir can play an active and participative role in leading worship–in praise, prayer, and proclamation of the Word. Together we will explore how the choir ministry can be more integrative in worship.

B6: Praying the Lord's Prayer, David Crump
Jesus intended the prayer that he taught his disciples, which we call "the Lord's Prayer," to be a model prayer for their own devotion. In this workshop we will examine the meaning of each petition in its original setting and what it means for us to repeat these petitions today.

B7: What can we learn from the early Church about worship? Marva Dawn
Those who were the closest to Jesus in time can teach us important things about worship. In this workshop we will look at the forms that were used in the earliest centuries of the Church to contemplate how we might use those elements in our worship today.

B8: Choristers Guild: It's Not Just For Children Anymore, Randall Engle
In this workshop we'll read through several choral anthems published by the Choristers Guild, and then discuss how they can be adapted in innovative ways for adults, soloists, children or any combination you're working with in your setting. This workshop will also give lots of ideas for use in worship.

B9: Accessible Organ Repertoire for Service Playing, John Ferguson
We'll look at, listen to, and discuss useful organ repertoire for use in worship from all periods of music, up to and including today.

B10: Moving Worship: How to Create Movement, Julia Start Fletcher
We will study different ways to choreograph and create movement for specific parts of a worship service that could include entire congregations, children, pedestrians (non-dancers), as well as dancers.

B11: Making Worship Videos: Learning with and from Film Makers, Brian Fuller
Filmmakers seldom feel welcome where their product, process, and heroes are misunderstood (or worse – condemned from the pulpit). Discuss how church leaders can channel these influential artists to contribute videos of beauty and spiritual significance.

B12: Learning How to Pray from the Whole Body of Christ, Mark Gornik
In this workshop, Mark Gornik will discuss how he came to a deeper understanding of God and the Christian life through worshipping with African churches in New York City. He will also share how this journey opened up some new perspectives on theological learning.

B13: Spirit-People and Embodied Worship, Steven Guthrie
Over the past decades, scientists have drawn ever-tighter connections between our “visible” parts (bodies, brains) and our “invisible” parts (spirits, minds). Some have done so to dismiss the reality of the spiritual realm altogether. In this workshop, however, we will consider the surprisingly embodied work of the Holy Spirit described in scripture, and think about the importance of the body for those who would become people of the Spirit.

B14: Delight in Creation: When Science and Faith Talk, Deborah Haarsma and Scott Hoezee
Across the last few years Calvin College and Calvin Seminary have teamed up to bring the voices of scientists into the consciousness of the church. Through "The Ministry Theorem" website and the new book Delight in Creation,project directors Deborah Haarsma and Scott Hoezee have worked to foster fruitful conversations that connect the wonders of what science reveals about God's creation with the ministries of the church. In this workshop they will share some of what they have learned along the way and invite further feedback and questions from workshop participants about this ever-expanding twenty-first century conversation.

B15: Paper, Pixels, Fabric, Paint: Visuals for Worship, Dean Heetderks
Use everyday materials to transform your worship places! Besides sharing some new ideas, we'll talk about best practices to make sure the all-important message gets through and explore ideas on how to involve others in the work.

B16: Worship Together for All Ages: Will it work or is it expecting too much? Laura Keeley, Robert Keeley, and Howard Vanderwell
Many churches today are eager to present themselves as "intergenerational" in their worship. In a society that so easily separates people by age, developmental level, and experience, can the church succeed in keeping the generations together?  Is this idea new and novel, or old and tested? What are the considerations and issues we'll have to deal with? How do we accommodate different rates of faith development? What are the benefits of succeeding?  We'll draw on each other’s experiences and reexamine the conversations that The Church of All Ages started.

B17: Blessed Are Those Who Mourn: Finding Lament in Global Praise and Worship Music, Andy McCoy
This workshop will reconsider the oft-presumed lack of lament in contemporary worship music by examining how this music is put into practice in communities of suffering around the world.

B18: SATURDAY ONLY  Praise God with the Strings: Performance by the High School Honors Orchestra program at Calvin College
How do classically trained string players contribute to the worship of God's people? David Reimer and Robert Nordling challenge high school students to grapple with a variety of issues while preparing a classically-oriented worship service to be presented during this workshop.

B19: Theological Issues in Popular Praise-Worship Texts, Bert Polman
This workshop will include a report and discussion of a theological analysis project of some 290 most popular Praise-Worship song texts and their relationship to the currently prevailing version of Christianity which sociologists of religion have called Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.

B20: Invitation to Christ—Extended: Sacramentally Centered Worshiping Communities, Sue Rozeboom
In worship, Christ is proclaimed to us not only in the Word that falls on our ears, but also in the "visible words" that are set before our eyes. At the font, God's grace is washed upon our brows, and at the Lord's Table, it is received into our hands and tasted with our mouths. If we apprehend this deeply in our worship, might congregational life be enriched and discipleship rejuvenated? In this session, we’ll explore what a new resource, Invitation to Christ – Extended, has to offer in response to that question.

B21: Planning Worship with Hymnary.org, Greg Scheer
In recent years, an explosion of resources and music styles has made worship planning an almost overwhelming task. Hymnary.org can help tame this process, allowing planners to search for songs by scripture, meter, lectionary, etc, and then narrow searches by denomination or year, and even restrict results to those hymnals in your own collection. This session will review the basics of using Hymnary.org, highlight new developments such as “featured hymns” and a streamlined user interface, and show how Hymnary.org can kickstart your worship brainstorming.

B22: Bon Appetit: Tasty Choral Techniques...and Things from Everyday Life, Pearl Shangkuan
Using foods and things from everyday life for quicker understanding and maximum retention of choral/vocal techniques.

B23: Worship in Difficult Times, Kathy Smith
Has your church endured a crisis, a transition, or a conflict? If not, it will! All congregations eventually experience difficult times. This workshop will explore themes and resources for worship in times of crisis, transition, and conflict; and will provide advice for church leaders as they guide their congregations through the turbulence of difficult times.

B24: Praying with the Eyes, W. David O. Taylor
The eyes have good work to do in worship, and it's not as easy as opening and closing them. This workshop will look at ways that visuality and visual art might operate within a context of corporate worship in a manner that resonates both with a biblical perspective on "seeing" and a Trinitarian regard for the visual dimension of creation.

B25: Encouraging Creativity in Your Church, Paul Thé
Creativity in worship is often left to the pastor, worship leader and/or music minister. But what if you could unleash the creativity in your church? What kind of effect would this have on your ministry and worship services? You might experience a fresh wind along with more “ownership” from your people. We will explore some practical ideas and ways that you can bring back to your worship setting.

B26: Worship as Freedom March, Greg Thompson
Using the lens of the African American church during the early Civil Rights Movement, we will consider the ways in which our gathered worship can--and should--continue to protest the idolatries and indignities of our own particular age.

Workshop C, 2:30 - 3:30 pm

C1: Conference Choir Rehearsal, directed by CJ Kingdom-Grier and Joel Navarro
The conference choir will participate in the Saturday afternoon communion worship service.

C2: The Taizé Community: Mission, Ministry and Common Life, Brad Berglund
Taizé, a village in the Burgundy region of France, is home to an international, ecumenical monastic community made up of over a hundred brothers, representing more than twenty-five nations. This workshop will focus on the mission, purpose and worship of the Taizé Community.

C3: Artists in Conversation: Sandra Bowden and He Qi
In this workshop, art by well-known Chinese Christian artist He Qi (and other artists) will be viewed and discussed with him, especially with special attention to the use of visual images in worship.  Questions will include the process he follows, also when working from a biblical story; how artists can help congregations view works of art more deeply; and how congregations can make good choices for choosing art to project in worship.

C4: Art for the Church for the World, Christopher R. Brewer
Wondering how your church might engage the arts? We'll be discussing a storied theology of the arts as well as how that theology might inform your engagement. Special attention will be given to exhibitions and the curation of a permanent collection.

C5: Worship That Addresses Needs of Veterans with Moral Injuries, Rita Brock and Herman Keizer
This workshop will explore how religious communities can help veterans heal from moral injury and support their families during transition into civilian life. The Workshop leaders are co-directors of the Brite Divinity School’s program on Soul Repair established by a recent grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc.  They will discuss newly emerging research on moral injury and examine effective strategies for supporting lifelong recovery, including the importance of ritual and worship practices.

C6: The Role of Justice and Reconciliation in Worship, Mark Charles
In response to the question of what Israel should offer to the LORD for their transgressions, Micah 6:8 calls for them to "act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."   In Matthew 5, Jesus instructs the people by saying "If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift."  This Workshop will explore both corporate and personal responsibility for justice and reconciliation within a worshiping community.

C7: The Church as Community, Todd Cioffi and panel
Currently, there is much talk about the importance of “Christian community.” What is meant by that; is it the same as the “church”? Is it possible to have one without the other? A panel of Calvin College students will address what Christian community means to them, how it relates to the church, why it matters in the world, and how they may think differently about the church and Christian community than previous generations. They will also reflect on the significance of worship in terms of establishing and maintaining Christian community both within and beyond the church’s walls.

C8: SATURDAY ONLY presented in Spanish, De Generación en Generación, Josh Davis
La Biblia nos enseña que la alabanza a Dios debe pasar de una generación a otra, pero los Latinos en los Estados Unidos encuentran barreras en el idioma y la cultura que están separando familias. En este taller iniciaremos una conversación que enfrenta esas barreras y busca ideas nuevas, bíblicas y creativas para que, para la gloria de Dios, sean rotas entre familias y congregaciones bilingües y bi-culturales.
(Translation: From one generation to another: The Bible teaches that the praise of God should be passed from one generation to another, but Latinos in the U.S. are encountering language and cultural barriers that are separating families. In this workshop, we will begin a conversation that confronts these barriers and looks for new, biblical, and creative ideas that, for God's glory, will break them among bilingual and bicultural families and congregations.

C9: Worship for Post-Modern Times, Marva Dawn
What kinds of questions should we be asking so that we think about the struggles of young people in post-modern times? How does the Gospel minister to these basic issues of life?

C10: Building Better Partnerships, Norma de Waal Malefyt and Howard Vanderwell
This is an interactive workshop to explore together how to build better worship-planning partnerships. What are the best strategies for working together week after week? Who should be involved? What are the pitfalls to beware of? What can/should each bring to the planning workshop?

C11: Welcoming the Arts in Worship, Betty Grit with panel
Worship Renewal Grant recipients will describe how engaging people of all ages and cultures in leading worship through dance, music, video, and visual art is bringing renewal in worship.

C12: Worshiping God in Your Body, Christopher Hall
How can we grow in faith and life while simultaneously wrestling with the bodily temptations we all occasionally struggle with? If you long to have a vibrant relationship with Christ but find yourself frustrated, confused, and discouraged by the same struggles year after year, welcome! You're not alone. The early church has much to teach us. Our time will be spent listening, interacting, pondering, and breathing a sigh of relief as we consider the question of discipleship in our bodies.

C13: Global Resources for Integrating the Arts into a Missional Life, Robin Harris and Brian Schrag
This workshop will feature resources to foster creativity and expand understanding of the intersection of worship, culture, and mission in your church or school setting.  We’ll explore a new two-volume ethnodoxology handbook and manual (with DVD) for worship and mission in the global church. The authors/editors of these publications will offer ways you can benefit from them, whether planning and leading worship or teaching a Sunday School or college class.

C14: Navigating Worship Conflicts with Grace and Truth, Syd Hielema
Leadership inevitably evokes conflict. St. Paul advises us, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Rom 12.18).  In other words, we cannot eliminate conflict, but we can deal with it wisely. This workshop will ponder the dynamics of worship conflicts, and suggest steps for navigating through them.

C15: The Weight of Worship, Carol Hochhalter
Sunday comes every week, with exhausting regularity for those who plan and lead worship each week and who continue to ask, "How can I help people to worship?" This workshop examines the roles of the priests in the Old Testament, the Sole High Priest, and finally the Priesthood of Believers.  Focusing on Trinitarian worship, we find relief from the pressure to create worship experiences. Is there weight to worship?  Yes.  Do we carry it alone?  No.  Instead we are carried by Word and Spirit into fellowship with the Father.

C16: Is the Arab Spring the Arab Christians’ Autumn? Tala Jarjour and Anne Zaki
Prayer resources from and for the Middle East, including stories about the current situation for Christians in Egypt and Syria from natives of those two countries.

C17: Baptism in Art, Ritual, and Symbol, Robin M. Jensen
Using the resources of ancient texts, architectural remains, and visual art, this workshop aims first at uncovering baptism's meaning for the first generations of Christians who received it and then at how that information can enrich our teaching about, preparation for, and practice of Christian baptism today.

C18: 150 Ways to Talk to God: Introducing Kids and Teens to the Psalms, Laura Keeley and Robert Keeley
The Psalms are vital in the life of Christians, but children and teens have a difficult time understanding this emotionally charged book. We will talk about ways to help kids and teens learn more about the Psalms in worship, in the classroom and at home.

C19: How People Change, Duane Kelderman
Anyone working with congregations knows that change is difficult and deep change in people and organizations is rare. How do people and organizations change? This workshop describes four things that take place whenever people or organizations have significantly changed, and gives practical advice for leaders trying to facilitate such change.

C20:  Learning from Passionate Korean Spirituality and Worship, Jaewoo Kim and friends
The former president of the International Mission Board stated that "God seems to have his hand on Koreans and is allowing them to lead the way in fulfilling the Great Commission... Deviotion to early morning prayer meetings, a willingness to pray and intercede for the nations all night and in days of prayer and fasting is probably a factor." We will introduce the history and formation of Korean spirituality and ways to adapt passionate Korean style of prayer and songs into your worship. The workshop will be in English, with some translated materials provided.

C21: Happy Birthday, Heidelberg!  Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.
2013 marks the 450th anniversary of the Heidelberg Catechism. We will explore the unique qualities of this beautiful Reformed expression of the Christian faith and introduce new tools by which the Heidelberg Catechism can continue as a vital tool for faith formation in the church today, including M. Craig Barnes' new book on the Catechism, Body+Soul.

C22: Go Down, Moses: Spirituals as a Resource for Preaching, Luke Powery      
The history of African American spirituals is interwoven with the history of preaching, yet these spirituals and their relationship to preaching usually receive little attention. This workshop will explore these spirituals as musical sermons that can serve as a resource for contemporary preaching. In particular, what the spirituals teach us about preaching as social witness will be discussed.

C23: Does Worship Keep Your Understanding of God Too Small? Insights from Ancient Constantinople about the Transcendent in Worship, Lester Ruth and Carrie Steenwyk 
Worship today often stresses the nearness of God, on God as our personal friend. But God is much more. This session will explore the setting and practices of worship in 6th century Constantinople to learn how they can contribute to our worship practices and larger understanding of the greatness of God.

C24:  Unlocking the Mysteries of Church Sound Systems, Greg Scheer
Of the many hats worship musicians and pastors wear, "sound system purchaser and troubleshooter" may be the most uncomfortable. Nonetheless, your understanding of how a sound system works could have a huge impact on your congregation's ability to hear the preaching and take part in singing. This session you will teach you about microphones, channel strips, speaker placement, and a myriad of other subjects that likely weren’t included in your seminary or music education.

C25: How to Help “Contemporary” Churches Embrace “Ancient” Approaches to Worship, Scot Sherman
Can congregations with a “praise band” worship culture be led to joyfully embrace the practices of historic liturgy? Yes, if they are allowed to taste it slowly and if they see the evangelical and missional wisdom embedded in the ancient ways.

C26: Soul Recreation: Enjoying God with Heart and Mind, Tom Schwanda
This workshop will explore ways to integrate both the intellectual and affective nature of experience of personal devotional life, public worship, and Christian service.  Our guide will be Isaac Ambrose (1604-1664), an English Puritan pastor who examined the dynamics of knowing God through the heart and mind, including his celebration of the Lord¹s Supper.

C27: The Mission of Worship, Sandra Van Opstal
Worship gives us a glimpse of the majesty and grandeur of God.  But it also paints a picture of God’s purposes for the in gathering together worshipers from every language and nation. This workshop will demonstrate how worship can both take people where they are and challenge them where they need to go, proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is here, accomplishing reconciliation, justice, and shalom.

C28: The Old as Well as the New Testament: It's All about Jesus, Michael Williams
Does the Bible ever intimidate you? Many people want to understand its message from beginning to end, but find some parts confusing. Is there a way to make sense of it all? The answer is ... YES!

Vespers, 4:15 - 5 pm

•     Vespers with Korean Spirituality and Style of Worship Through Story, Song, and Prayer, led by Jaewoo Kim and musicians
•     Taizé Vespers, led by Brad Bergland
•     Ten Beatitudes and Ten Commandments, led by Randall Engle, organist, with Muriel Van Dijke, liturgist
•     Dramatic presentation of The Sermon on the Mount, led by Randy Buursma and drama team from First Christian Reformed Church
•     “Blessed are the Persecuted”—Worshiping in Solidarity with the Suffering Church, led by members and friends of the International Council of Ethnodoxologists

Art Gallery reception, 6 - 7 pm
Artist talk with Sandra Bowden on the art of Rouault
"Seeing Christ in the Darkness: Georges Rouault as Graphic Artist" on display from January 4 - February 16.

Friday night service, 7:30 - 8:45 pm
Covenant Fine Arts Center: The Lord’s Prayer with meditations by Kenneth E. Bailey
Saturday

Morning worship services, 8:30 - 9:30 am
College Chapel: Forgiveness, Matt. 5:38-48, Carolyn Gordon preaching
Covenant Fine Arts Center: Not to Worry, Matt. 6:25-34, Luke Powery preaching

Plenary sessions, 10 - 11 am
College Chapel: Rethinking Christian Community: Moving Beyond our Ideals and Disappointments
Christine Pohl
Covenant Fine Arts Center: Worship in 1 Corinthians: Paul's Take on the Corinthian Worship Wars
Kenneth E. Bailey

Workshops: A, B, and C are repeated from Friday (see above).