All of us want our churches to be welcoming – places of gracious hospitality and generous spirit. As we plan our music and liturgy, are there questions that we can ask that will enable us to create such an atmosphere, an environment where people – both the long-time member and the new visitor – can experience, even briefly, a place of safety in an often disturbing and transient world. Through liturgy and music can we establish a "comfort zone" for people to be open more fully to the transforming experience of sitting at table and sharing in bread and wine.

For example, how can our service leaflets enable God’s people to worship fully? How can our musical selections address the tension between the comfort of the familiar and the refreshing insights of the new? Are there questions to be asked about our physical spaces, the language of worship and hymnody?

Through conversations and presentations, this conference will explore these and other questions, identify possible answers (each parish is unique and what might work in one, might not in another), suggest ways to engage parish leadership to explore this topic, and share resources and ideas to enhance our worship experiences in our home churches.