Sessions

For over 35 years, the Calvin Symposium on Worship has annually gathered together worshipers from many Christian traditions across Canada, the US, and beyond, bringing together people from a variety of roles in worship and leadership, including pastors, worship planners and leaders, musicians, scholars, students, worship bands and teams, organists, visual artists, preachers, chaplains, missionaries, liturgists, council and session leaders, and more. Cosponsored by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary, the Symposium aims to encourage leaders in churches and worshiping communities of all sizes and settings. In 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic, the conference was held entirely online.

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Schedule
2021
Friday, January 1st
12:00 AM

Deeply Formed Ministry

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Jennifer Holmes Curran, Sherman St. Christian Reformed Church
Danjuma Gibson, Calvin Theological Seminary
Rich Villodas, New Life Fellowship
Joanna Wigboldy, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

12:00 AM

This is an on-demand panel discussion video for the 2021 Online Calvin Symposium on Worship. The panelists discuss the values and practices that sustain people for the work of ministry and the Christian life.

12:00 AM

Forgiving as We’ve Been Forgiven

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
L Gregory Jones, Duke Divinity School
Emmanuel Katongole, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies
Célestin Musekura, African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries
Satrina Reid, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Charlotte vanOyen Witvliet, Belmont University

12:00 AM

This is an on-demand panel discussion video during the 2021 Online Calvin Symposium on Worship.

12:00 AM

Healthy Leadership in Anxious Times

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Tod Bolsinger, Fuller Theological Seminary
Micah L. McCreary, New Brunswick Theological Seminary
Kathy Smith, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Trisha Taylor

12:00 AM

This is an On-Demand Panel Discussion Video for the 2021 Online Calvin Symposium on Worship. The panelists discuss how leaders can engage sensitive issues in healthy ways while planning and leading worship in multicultural contexts.

Monday, January 11th
12:00 AM

Hope for America’s Most Segregated Hour

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
David M. Bailey, Arrabon
John D. Witvliet, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

12:00 AM

A 60-minute documentary film followed by a 60-minute Q&A time, hosted by David M. Bailey, executive director of Arrabon.

Friday, January 1st
12:00 AM

Learning about Worship from the Ancient Church

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
María Eugenia Cornou, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Justo L. González
Catherine Gunsalus González, Columbia Theological Seminary
David Rylaarsdam, Calvin Theological Seminary

12:00 AM

This is an on-demand panel discussion video for the 2021 Online Calvin Symposium on Worship. The panelists discuss what we can learn about worship from the early church and how this learning can help us shape faithful public worship practices today.

12:00 AM

Multiple Pathways for Youth

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Bo H. Lim, Seattle Pacific University
Emmett G. Price III, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Sandra Maria Van Opstal, Chasing Justice
Kristen Verhulst, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

12:00 AM

This is an on-demand panel discussion video for the 2021 Online Calvin Symposium on Worship. The panelists discuss how offering multiple pathways for youth to engage and take leadership in worship and church life can also serve to bless and encourage those who live at the margins.

12:00 AM

Preaching and Singing the Resurrection

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Mary S. Hulst, Calvin University
Glenn Packiam, New Life Church
Joni Sancken, United Theological Seminary
Noel Snyder, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

12:00 AM

This is an on-demand panel discussion video for the 2021 Online Calvin Symposium on Worship. The panelists discuss what we can learn about resurrection―both Jesus’s and our own―by preaching and writing songs about resurrection texts and themes.

12:00 AM

Singing the Psalms in a COVID-Shaped World

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Carlos Colón, Baylor University
Nikki Lerner, The Culture Coaching Lab
Swee Hong Lim, Emmanuel College of Victoria University, University of Toronto
Rebecca Snippe, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

12:00 AM

This is an on-demand panel discussion video for the 2021 Online Calvin Symposium on Worship. The panelists discuss how singing the Psalms shapes our view of hope and forms us for Christian living.

12:00 AM

The Absent Congregation: Reflections on Preaching in a COVID World

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Denise Kingdom Grier, Maple Ave. Ministries
Scott Hoezee, Calvin Theological Seminary
Meg Jenista Kuykendall
Bill Lindner, Harderwyk Ministries

12:00 AM

This is  an on-demand panel discussion video for the 2021 Online Calvin Symposium on Worship. In this panel discussion, three pastors reflect on lessons learned and new insights gained about preaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thursday, January 7th
12:00 AM

The Theology Behind Early Christian Worship

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
María Eugenia Cornou, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Justo L. González
Catherine Gunsalus González, Columbia Theological Seminary

12:00 AM

A discussion of the relationship between worship and theology in the early church, and what this means for us today.

12:00 AM

Universal Design, Public Worship, and the Christian Life

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
John D. Witvliet, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

12:00 AM

Join John D. Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, in this opening session welcoming all to the online Symposium experience, highlighting the legacy of Barbara Newman and her work on universal design for worship, and reflecting on vocational worship leadership in Christian community as we begin 2021.

Friday, January 1st
12:00 AM

Virtual Worship

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Jeremy Begbie, Duke Divinity School
Julie Tai, Fuller Theological Seminary
Lisa M. Weaver, Belmont University
John D. Witvliet, Belmont University

12:00 AM

This is an on-demand panel discussion video for the 2021 Online Calvin Symposium on Worship. The panelists discuss wisdom about public worship and the Christian life during 2020 and ways to be the body of Christ virtually that we can carry forward.