Friday night

Friday night's itinerary has been set. Well, perhaps not quite etched in stone, but here's the latest on what to expect upon arrival.

First, check in. Find out your room arrangements, let us know you're here. But don't waste a lot of time doing that. Instead get into the big room where the action is.

The theme of the evening will be "New Life From Old Songs." We'll cover this in various ways:

• Appreciating the literary/spiritual depths of hymns
  
• For poetic language
• For the author's deepest sensation and thought
  
• Singing hymns in a new way
• Same tune, new tempo
• New tunes
  
• Writing new words for old tunes
• The story behind the song
• Singing in harmony, both practiced four-part and freelance

We'll have some demonstrations and everyone will have a chance to participate.

Have your instruments -- including the best instrument God gave you ... your voice -- with you and ready to vibrate from the get-go.

We plan to run the Friday night session from 8:00 p.m. until 10:00. Try your best to arrive by 8:00 so as not to miss a thing.