National LCMS Worship Conference

"Sing to the Lord a New Song"

The LCMS Commission on Worship invites pastors, musicians, and any others interested in the church's worship to attend the 2008 Institute on Liturgy, Preaching, and Church Music. This third national worship conference will be held on the campus of Concordia University Nebraska in Seward on July 22-25, 2008. The gathering promises to be an exciting time of worship, instruction and camaraderie for more than 600 individuals of all ages.

The theme for the conference is "Sing to the Lord a New Song." The Psalms of the Bible have long been a source of praise and instruction for the Church, even pre-dating the Christian church of the New Testament. They have been used to shape her worship both corporately and privately and individually. The 2008 Institute will emphasize the use of the Psalter both in presentations and in the many and rich worship services which attendees will experience at the Institute.

Presenters from all around the country will be instructing attendees in plenaries, seminars, and workshops. Both seminary presidents, Dale Meyer and Dean Wenthe will open and close the conference with keynote presentations. Seminars will consist of three, one-hour sessions on the same topic. Workshops will devote a single hour to a topic. This allows participants opportunity for both in-depth study on a single topic and a briefer look at several additional topics.

This conference will also have a special emphasis on children in worship. Families with children are encouraged to bring their children along with them to the conference. Special activities for the children of attendees, along with appropriate supervision, will be provided during the hours when parents are attending seminars and workshops.

Additional special features of the conference include:

·         A hymn festival, art presentation, and conference banquet in nearby Lincoln.

·         Wednesday of the conference will provide workshops offered especially for local church secretaries and church volunteers.

·         A national High School Honor Choir will offer a unique opportunity for Lutheran high school students to perform with noted musicians. For more information and to audition, check out: http://worship.lcms.org/honorchoir

·         A Select Children's Choir, students grades 5-8, will enjoy a week of musical activities and contribute to the conference worship. For more information and to audition, go to: http://worship.lcms.org/childrenschoir

·         Thrivent grants are available to students and recent graduates of the DELTO program to receive financial assistance to attend the conference. To apply, go to: http://worship.lcms.org/DELTOGrant

·         Registration fee set at $225 with reduced rates for additional registrants from the same congregation and for students. The child registration fee is only $50 for a week of fun activities. Early-bird registration deadline is June 2, 2008.

·         A conference brochure was mailed to every LCMS congregation in late February. To download the brochure and/or register online go to the commission's Web site at: http://worship.lcms.org/2008Institute

·         All campus housing for this conference will be air-conditioned!

·         A meal plan through the university's food service is available at an attractive rate.

·         Church music vendors will be present.

·         For those traveling by airplane to Lincoln or Omaha airports, shuttle service will be available at a reasonable cost.

Previous Institutes were held in 2002 on the campus of Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon and in 2005 at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The commission looks forward to bringing the Institute back to one of our own Concordia campuses. Hope to see you there!