St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota
The College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, Minnesota
11-15 July 2004

One of the significant patterns in congregational song continuing from the latter part of the last century has been a renewed appreciation of the Psalms. Denominations that have never before compiled psalters are doing so, and traditions that have neglected a historical connection with the singing of the Psalms have begun to recover it. The psalm paraphrase, once the most ridiculed genre of religious verse, has taken on a new life, both in versions intended for congregational singing and in those aimed at the (often secular) reader.

This conference exploring facets of the history and future of psalmody will take place on the campuses of academic institutions founded and maintained by two Benedictine communities deeply rooted in the daily recitation of these scriptures. Deeper still are the traditions that continue in Jewish devotion and worship. Yet for all their antiquity, the Psalms have a timeless freshness, even a sense of immediacy, that makes the lament of a downcast psalmist as keen as the wail of a saxophone in the night. And paradoxically, these scriptures that can be so individualistic are also ones that we want to sing with others, even in the language of others, in order to affirm our shared need for God. As attested by the names and photographs above, The Hymn Society has assembled a stellar group of speakers and leaders to help us explore and experience this abundance of heritage and promise. Their plenary sessions are complemented by a wealth of sectional topics: some related to the Psalms, others dealing with a wide range of historical or practical issues, and yet others offering new words and music for congregations to sing. In all these ways, we will be reminded again how much we have to learn and how much we have to celebrate.

The Conference Program

Sunday, July 11

Monday, July 12

Tuesday, July 13

Wednesday, July 14

Thursday, July 15

SECTIONALS I

1. Brueggemann’s Psalm Types as a Model for Evaluating Hymns—Herman G. Stuempfle, Jr.
2. Hymns as a Resource for the Language of Worship—Robin Knowles Wallace
3. The Grail/Conception Psalter and the Psalmody of Joseph Gelineau [GIA]
4. Voices from the Valley [text collection] —Genevieve Glen, OSB [OCP]
5. As Bright as Lightning [tune collection]—Dan Locklair [Zimbel]
6. The One Who Taught Beside the Sea [text collection]—John Thornburg [Wayne Leupold]
7. Discussion Group I

SECTIONALS II

8. The Challenge of the Praise Chorus—Kenneth Hull
9. Text Writers’ Practicum—Delores Dufner, OSB [limited to 20 participants]
10. A House of Praise [text collection]—Timothy Dudley-Smith [Hope]
11. What Gift Can We Bring [text and tune collection]—Jane Marshall/John Thornburg [Wayne Leupold]
12. A Spanish/English Bilingual Psalter [GIA]
13. The Still, Small Voice [text collection]—Patricia B. Clark / Teach Our Eyes New Ways of Seeing [text collection]—Joy F. Patterson [Selah]
14. Discussion Group II : “Follow-up on ‘Singing Psalms in Jewish Tradition’ ”—Neil Newman

SECTIONALS III

15. Creating Psalm Paraphrases—Gracia Grindal [limited to 20 participants]
16. Routley’s Panorama of Christian Hymnody: The View from Here—Paul A. Richardson
17. Tune Writers’ Practicum—William P. Rowan [limited to 20 participants]
18. Planning Blended Worship—David Horton
19. The Portland Psalter—Robert A. Hawthorne [Church Publishing]
20. The Song Lingers On [text and tune collection]—Mary Nelson Keithahn/John Horman [Zimbel]
21. Faith Makes the Song [text collection]—Shirley Erena Murray [Hope]

SECTIONALS IV

22. Exploring 16th-Century Scottish Psalm Tunes—Gordon Munro
23. Advice on Writing for THE HYMN—Beverly Howard and the Editorial Advisory Board
24. Christ Our Hope [text collection]—Brian Wren [Hope]
25. Celebrate the Journey [tune collection]—Emma Lou Diemer [Zimbel]
26. Cantare Eternamente [bilingual Spanish/English psalter] [OCP]
27. Crossings [readings for hymn festivals]—Susan Palo Cherwien [MorningStar]
28. Sing for Peace [hymn collection]—Shirley Erena Murray/Carlton R. Young/Jane Marshall / The Door Is Open [tune collection]—Carlton R. Young [Abingdon]

SECTIONALS V

29. Teaching Psalm Singing in 18th Century North America—Nancy F. Vogan
30. The Saga of “To God Be the Glory”—Donald P. Hustad
31. Responsorial Psalmody: The Congregation's Easy Access to Psalm Singing—Robert J. Batastini
32. Voices Found [collection of hymns by women] [Church Publishing]
33. Water from the Rock [text and tune collection]—Mary Bittner [Wayne Leupold]
34. Pray Then Like This / We Sing the Shoreline / Honey from the Rock [text collections]—Richard Leach [Selah]
35. Discussion Group III

SECTIONALS VI

36. Psalm Singing in Australia—Dianne Gome
37. Acoustics for Worship Spaces—Neil Thompson Shade
38. The Chorus from Campmeetings to Contemporary Worship—Mark D. Rhoads
39. Planning a Lenten Hymn Festival—Julie Kling
40. A Lectionary Psalter—John Schiavone [OCP]
41. The Glimmer of Glory in Song [text collection]—Delores Dufner, OSB [GIA]
42. Praise, My Soul [text collection]—Herbert O’Driscoll [Selah]

History and Setting

The coordinate educational institutions where our conference is being held—St. John’s University (SJU) and the College of St. Benedict (CSB)—grew out of the work of two Benedictine communities, one for men and one for women, who responded to this need. Five Benedictine brothers came to Minnesota in 1856 from St. Vincent Abbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where they had arrived in 1846 from the European Bavarian abbey of Metten. Their early years were divided among various locations in St. Cloud and St. Joseph, and the current site was not occupied until 1867. Similarly, Benedictine sisters had first come to St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania, in 1852 from Eichstätt, Germany, before going on to establish a small community of six women in St. Cloud, Minnesota, in 1857. In 1863 the sisters finally settled in the monastery’s current location in St. Joseph.

From its humble beginnings in a series of log structures, St. John’s Abbey has developed into the second largest community of Benedictine men in the world. St. John’s has a history of leadership in theological, secondary and higher education. The monks have made liturgical development and publications, pastoral ministry and missionary zeal, programs in religion and psychiatry and ecumenical scholarship their special concerns. Commitment to preservation and promotion of culture is evidenced by establishing the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library and in founding Minnesota Public Radio (MPR). The abbey is especially cognizant of its responsibilities for environmental conservation. In 1989 Saint John’s was among the first Catholic institutions to adopt a policy concerning allegations of sexual abuse or exploitation.

While maintaining their dedication to prayer and living in community, the sisters have also been pioneers in many ways: between 1857 and 1957, they opened a women’s college, four high schools, 51 grade schools, three hospitals, two schools of nursing, a school of X-ray technology, a school of anesthesia, three foreign missions, three nursing homes, three Indian missions and a retreat house! Eventually this community grew to become the largest Benedictine community of women in the world, and it played a key role in the founding of numerous other independent Benedictine houses throughout the United States as well as in Japan, Taiwan, Puerto Rico and the Bahama Islands. CSB and SJU share 3,200 acres of forested trails, rolling hills and secluded lakes – that’s almost an acre for every student! CSB has Lake Sarah and SJU has six lakes, the most popular being Lake Sagatagan (or Lake Sag) which has a sandy beach. Between the two campuses, there are many trails for hiking and lots of water for swimming, canoeing and fishing. Most conference events will take place on the campus of SJU, primarily in the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater and nearby classrooms. But there will be several significant events at CSB. In particular, the Tuesday evening events will all be on the CSB campus.

Accommodations

Early Arrivals

Transportation

Information about shuttle service between the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport and Collegeville/St. Joseph will be provided with your registration acknowledgment if requested.

Amtrak provides rail service to St. Cloud, MN.For reservation information, call 800-USA-RAIL or consult the Amtrak website. Greyhound buslines also serve St. Cloud. For fares and reservations, call 800-229-9424 or visit the Greyhound website.

If you are driving to Collegeville/St. Joseph (or plan to use a rental car while in the area), please be assured that this will be a carfriendly conference. There is ample free parking on both campuses. If you will have a car and will have room for shuttling passengers between SJU and CSB, please indicate that information on the registration form.

Conference Bookstore

Silent Auction

Scholarships