Conference Schedule
For those arriving before the conference begins, the “Vacation in Philadelphia” page includes information regarding area activities.
Tuesday, July 4
3:00 to 7:00 pm Registration Desk & Exhibits Open
37 Things to Do in Philadelphia for July 4 Week
Wednesday, July 5
8:00 to 10:00 am Registration Desk & Exhibits Open
10:00 am Welcome, Orientation, Plenary I: “What Wondrous Love” – Mark Miller
11:30 am to 6:00 pm Exhibits Open
11:30 am Interest Group Lunches with Sabbatical Drawing #1
Lunch included with registration
Participants are invited to join presenters and fellow participants for lunch before the 1:00 workshops begin; this lunch is included with conference registration.
1:00 pm Skills Workshops and Masterclasses
All sessions held at the hotel. Leaders appear after the title.
These sessions will continue with a second session on Saturday morning, July 8, though attendees are not required to remain in the same session as they did on Wednesday.
- A Sacred Trust: Nurturing Healthy Pastor-Cantor Relationships – George Detweiler, Donald Meineke
- Choral Conducting and Communication: Full of Grace, Seasoned with Salt – Ryan Kelly
- Getting Out of the Rut: Ideas for Introducing a New Song to Young Singers – Tom Shelton (Wednesday only; Saturday session with Michael Burkhardt)
- Composition and Arranging – Mark Mummert
- Handbell Techniques: The Body Is the Instrument – Michael Joy
- Improvisation: Drawing from Many Streams: Musical Styles in Today’s Hymnody – Omaldo Perez
- Leading Assembly Song: Band-Led and Contemporary Song – Clayton Faulkner
- Leading Assembly Song: Organ Emphasis – Daniel Aune
- Music that Makes Community – Paul Vasile
- Percussion Techniques – John Sall
- Technology and Worship – Kevin Barger
- Wanamaker Organ Visit (pre-registration only)
2:30 to 5:15 pm Registration Desk Open
2:45 to 5:10 pm Choral Reading Sessions (3)
2:45-3:30 Concordia Publishing House
3:35-4:20 Augsburg Fortress
4:25-5:10 MorningStar Music
3:00 to 4:30 – Additional Wanamaker Organ Visit (pre-registration only)
5:00 pm Dinner on your own
7:30 pm Gathering Eucharist
Christ Church
20 N American St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Walking distance from hotel: 1.2 miles [Map/directions]
Thursday, July 6
8:00 to 10:00 am Registration Desk Open
9:15 am Morning Prayer
Church of the Holy Trinity (Rittenhouse Square)
1904 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Walking distance from hotel: 5 blocks [Map/directions]
10:00 am Announcements, Plenary II: “What Wondrous Love” – Jennifer Baker-Trinity
Noon to 6:00 pm Exhibits Open
Noon Regional Lunches with Sabbatical Drawing #2
Lunch included with registration
1:30 pm Workshops 1
- All the Time in the World: Observing Civic Festivals – Mark Oldenburg
- CW: Blue—What’s Old? What’s New? – Grace Hennig
- Giving Voice to Verse – Tom Trenney
- God Will Still Be Praised: Nurturing Changes in the Leadership of the Church’s Song – Ryan Hostler
- Hallowed Be the Profane: Insights, Tips, and Examples for Beginning or Deepening Contemporary Worship without Waging a Worship War – Linda Borecki
- Handbells Reading Session – Michael Joy
- Nurturing and Equipping: What Does This Mean? – Julie Grindle, Chad Fothergill
- Piano Repertoire Session – Anne Krentz Organ
- Post-plenary Conversation or Plenary Extension – Mark Miller
- Preparing for (and Enjoying) Retirement – Bruce Bengtson, George Detweiler, Linda Kempke, Thomas Schmidt
- 1:45 to 2:30 pm Kimmel Cultural Campus Tour
2:45 pm Workshops 2 (Workshops 1 offerings repeated – See above)
3:30 to 5:00 pm Registration Desk Open
4:00-4:45 – Choral Reading Session: Northwestern Publishing House
6:00 pm Dinner with guided conversations
Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
23 S 38th St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
A shuttle service will be available from the conference hotel [Map/directions]
Dinner included with registration
8:00 pm Choral Arts Concert
Post-concert reception in the exhibit area of the DoubleTree Hotel – sponsored by Augsburg Fortress
Friday, July 7
8:00 to 10:00 am Registration Desk Open
9:15 am Morning Worship with Omaldo Perez and friends
10:30 am Announcements, Plenary III: “What Wondrous Love” – Dien Ashley Taylor, Jean Boehler
Noon Business Lunch with Sabbatical Drawing #3
Lunch included with registration
1:00 pm to 6:00 pm Exhibits Open (last chance to purchase and pick-up materials)
1:30 pm Workshops 3
- African American Spirituals and Music of Black Composers in Congregational Singing – Jay Fluellen
- All Creation Sings: Introducing the Supplement to Evangelical Lutheran Worship – John Weit
- Band-Led Song Repertoire – Clayton Faulkner
- Communicating with Your Congregation and Community – Adam Lefever Hughes
- Improving Your Live-Streaming – Sweetwater
- Organ Repertoire Session – Andrew Heller
- Orgelkids Building Project – Vincent Ryan
- Post-plenary Conversation or Plenary Extension – Jean Boehler, Dien Ashley Taylor
- Post-plenary Conversation or Plenary Extension – Jennifer Baker-Trinity
- Think like a Hymnologist – Peter Reske
- W2, W9, 1040, 1099, Schedule C: The Church Musician in the Gig Economy – Dale Loepp
- 1:45 to 2:30 pm Kimmel Cultural Campus Tour
2:45 pm Workshops 4 (Workshops 3 offerings repeated-see above)
3:30 to 5:00 pm Registration Desk Open
4:00-4:45 – Choral Reading Session: GIA Publications
5:00 pm Lutheran Summer Music Alumni Happy Hour, DoubleTree Bistro and Bar
5:00 pm Dinner on your own
7:30 pm Festival of Hymns
Church of the Holy Trinity (Rittenhouse Square)
1904 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Walking distance from hotel: 5 blocks [Map]
Saturday, July 8
Saturday’s events will take place at:
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
1000 W Main St, Lansdale, PA 19446
9:30 am Skills Workshops and Masterclasses
Saturday’s offerings include continuations of the skill-based and masterclass-style workshops listed under Wednesday’s offerings. All workshops take place at Trinity Lutheran Church, Lansdale, PA.
- A Sacred Trust: Nurturing Healthy Pastor-Cantor Relationships – George Detweiler, Donald Meineke
- Conducting – Ryan Kelly
- Children’s Choral – Michael Burkhardt (observation of children’s choir rehearsal)
- Composition and Arranging – Mark Mummert
- Handbell Techniques: The Body Is the Instrument – Michael Joy
- Improvisation: Drawing from Many Streams: Musical Styles in Today’s Hymnody – Omaldo Perez
- Leading Assembly Song: Band-Led and Contemporary Song – Clayton Faulkner
- Leading Assembly Song: Keyboard Emphasis – Daniel Aune
- Music that Makes Community – Paul Vasile
- Percussion Techniques – John Sall
- Technology and Worship – Kevin Barger
11:00 am Sending Eucharist, including participants in the children’s choir camp led by Michael Burkhardt
Sack lunches provided with registration
Following the sending eucharist, shuttles will depart for:
Philadelphia International Airport [Map]
Conference Hotel
Post-Conference Event Options