Why is the renewing of worship in our churches an important consideration today? What is the relationship between worship and living out our daily lives? What are the links between liturgy and culture and liturgy and mission? And what about the role of church music in liturgy today?

This year’s Spring Convocation keynote presenters bring wide-ranging expertise in connection with these and other questions.

Don E. Saliers

Dr. Don E. Saliers is the William R. Cannon Distinguished Professor of Theology and Worship at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. He is currently writing on liturgy and culture, and method in liturgical theology. Dr. Saliers is director of Emory University’s Master of Sacred Music program. He holds his B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University, his B.D. from Yale University, and a Ph.D., also from Yale. He is the author or editor of at least 10 books and publications. Dr. Saliers will offer two keynote presentations on Tuesday, April 20. In his first keynote presentation, "Cry Lament, Shout Glory: The Stretch of Christian Worship," Dr. Saliers will look at changes and how liturgy forms and expresses us in deep emotions: awe, wonder, gratitude, repentance and hope." Then he’ll discuss the challenges for today and tomorrow. His second keynote, "Do You Hear What I Hear? A Look at Church Music," will focus on the role music plays in our worship lives and controversies surrounding musical styles.

Gordon W. Lathrop

The Rev. Dr. Gordon W. Lathrop is the Charles A. Schieren Professor of Liturgy at LTSP. His specialties are in worship life and all of its components. In addition to teaching about liturgy, Dr. Lathrop serves as a chaplain at the seminary. An internationally recognized litur-gical authority, Dr. Lathrop is a past president of the North American Academy of Liturgy and as a member of Societas Liturgica. He is the author of many books, including a recently completed trilogy of volumes published by Fortress Press – Holy Things: A Liturgical Theology (1993), Holy People: A Liturgical Ecclesiology (1999), and Holy Ground: A Liturgical Cosmology (2003). Dr. Lathrop will discuss, "What Does It Mean to Renew Worship?" at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 21. This year’s convocation theme is in part an occasion to honor and celebrate Dr. Lathrop’s many contributions. He is the senior member of the faculty who has taught at LTSP for 20 years. He anticipates retiring at the conclusion of this academic year.

Worship experiences during the convocation will be modeled after the renewal ideas discussed during the presentations, and worship materials used in renewal will be available during worship and at the Augsburg Fortress Store on campus. Easter Vespers, featuring the Seminary Choir under the direction of Mark Mummert, seminary musician, will take place Monday evening, April 19, at 7:30 in the Seminary Chapel. Singing as Church Again at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Chapel, is a special service of singing and celebration. All registered singing enthusiasts who wish to be part of the celebration’s choir are invited to rehearse in the Chapel with Mark Mummert at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Leaders for morning prayer Tuesday will be Tonya Rike, presider, and the Rev. Melinda Quivik, preacher. For Singing as Church Again, the Rev. Audrey Moody will preside and the Rev. Joseph Conner will preach. Mark Mummert will be choir leader. At 4 p.m. Tuesday for those not electing to participate with the choir, refreshments will be offered in the Library’s Lower Rotunda and two special workshops will be offered. One topic will be "A Closer Look at Our Future Campus." The other topic will be "Making a Gift That Gives Back to You."

This year’s convocation will feature an afternoon banquet on Wednesday. A highlight ofthe banquet will be the presentation of the Distinguished Alum Award.

Monday, April 19,

• Easter Vespers at 7:30 p.m. in the Seminary Chapel.

Tuesday, April 20

Class Reunions
Are you celebrating a reunion year? If you are a member of one of the following classes, please check with your class agent about possible class activities this evening: 1934, 1939, 1944, 1949, 1954, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2003.

• 8:30 Registration begins - Hagan Gym
• 9:30 Opening worship - Chapel
• 10:30 Welcome and introductions - Chapel
• 10:45 Keynote Presentation – Dr. Saliers - Chapel
  "Cry Lament, Shout Glory: The Stretch of Christian Worship"
• Noon Lunch -Hagan Gym
• 1:30 Keynote Presentation – Dr. Saliers - Chapel
  "Do You Hear What I Hear? A Look at Church Music"
• 2:30 Business meeting - Chapel
• 2:45 Small groups on worship ideas - TBA
• 4:00 Choir rehearsal, all singers welcome! - Chapel
  Refreshments – wine, cheese - Lower Rotunda
  Workshops TBA
• 5:00 Dinner at seminary (Optional)
• 6:30 Singing as Church Again Chapel
• 7:30 Dinner, reunion classes or on your own

Wednesday, April 21

• 8:30 Continental Breakfast with Dr. Krey - Refectory
• 9:30 Worship and Holy Communion - Chapel
• 11:00 Keynote Presentation, Dr. Lathrop - Chapel
  "What Does It Mean to Renew Worship?"
• 1:00 Alum Banquet* Radisson, King of Prussia
• 4:00 Convocation ends

* Reservations required. Please see attached registration form or on-line registration form.

Hotel Reservations

Hotel reservations must be made directly with the Radisson Hotel, King of Prussia, PA. A limited number of rooms are being held from Sunday, April 18, through Wednesday, April 21, for Spring Convocation participants. A discounted rate of $89 (one to four occupants) is available until March 21, 2004 for all Spring Convocation participants. Reservations should be made as soon as possible before that date, however, as rooms are limited. When making your hotel reservation, please indicate that you are attending The Lutheran Theological Seminary’s Spring Convocation in order to receive the discount. The hotel is handicapped accessible. If you have special needs, please indicate this when you make your reservations. Check-in is at 3pm. Check-out is at 11am.

Contact information:

Radisson Valley Forge Hotel
1160 First Avenue
King of Prussia, PA 19406
Phone: (800) 333-3333 (Worldwide Reservations), or
610/337-2000 (King of Prussia)
Fax: (610) 768-0183

Transportation

The seminary, in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of northwest Philadelphia, is easily accessible from the region’s major highways. The 30th Street Train Station and the Philadelphia International Airport are both within a half-hour drive or local train ride from the seminary. Rental car, taxi, hotel shuttle services and local train are available at 30th Street Train Station and at Philadelphia International Airport for those arriving via Amtrak or airplane. Tropiano’s Shuttle Service is available between the Airport, 30th Street Station and the Radisson. (Reservations on your own at 800/559-2040.) We strongly encourage guests to make their own transportation arrangements to and from the seminary, as the seminary’s ability to provide transportation is extremely limited. The Radisson runs an in-house shuttle service to the well-known nearby King of Prussia Mall and to nearby businesses. Detailed driving and public transit directions to campus are available on LTSP’s web site.

The headline art is adapted from a work by Pastor Ann Deneen-- a symbol of the praying church. The art is based on an image of a veiled woman, an ornate figure in the Roman catacombs.

Convocation Registration

So that we and our food service provider may adequately prepare for your visit, please register by Monday, April 12, 2004. Due to the logistics of event planning, we cannot guarantee meal and Convocation Banquet reservations received after April 12th.