Director’s Page                

Institute of Liturgical Studies

Welcome to the Institute of Liturgical Studies.  I invite you to explore our site and discover our offerings for the upcoming 2009 year.  Now in its 61st year, the Institute is committed to a tradition begun by its founders, fostering liturgical renewal for the wider church.  Just as the Institute’s founders had a vision of ecumenical cooperation and collaboration, today’s planners draw from a wide range of denominations for our presenters and participants, while remaining grounded in our Lutheran heritage.   We value tradition, innovation and ecumenical convergence in our practice.

We welcome all those interested in worship, liturgical theology, liturgical preaching, church music, ecclesiastical arts, liturgical drama to peruse this year’s offerings.  Each year we welcome both those who have attended for over four consecutive decades, and those who will attend for the first time.  Some come for the opportunity for continuing education (CEU credit is available for the Institute).  Others come for the opportunity to join colleagues in rich and engaging worship.  Others come for personal retreat, rest and renewal. 

For whatever your reasons, we hope you will join us for the 2009 Institute, The Three Days, April 20-22, 2009, on Valparaiso University’s campus.  Living into The Three Days as the center of the church’s life together, this year’s Institute will focus on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil as the core of the church’s worship and the place of formation for our baptismal identity in Christ.

Along with opportunities for personal reflection, four presenters from varied liturgical disciplines will each bring their own reflections after each liturgy. 

Keynote presenters will offer reflections on the liturgies from their areas of interest:

  *  Philip Horrigan – Environment
Office for Divine Worship, Archdiocese of Chicago, Director of Art and Architecture

  *  Mark Mummert – Music
Organist, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Houston, TX

  *  Gail Ramshaw – Language
Professor of Religion, La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA

  *  Benjamin Stewart – Stewardship of Creation
Professor of Worship, Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago, IL

While this rhythm of worship and reflection will be our predominant focus this year, the schedule will include workshops on theology, music and the arts, and practice as well.

The Chapel of the Resurrection is always the center of our time together, where we gather for prayer, word and meal.  This year, the spacious Harre Student Union becomes the new and beautiful home for our Institute’s registration, plenary presentations, meals and exhibits.  The Union’s proximity to the Chapel will make walking distances more convenient than ever before.

For the second year, the Institute is pleased to offer again a Preachers’ Retreat.  The retreat models a combination of spiritual retreat and small-group workshop sessions, and is designed to create a collegial and mutually-respectful environment.  This year’s retreat will be held June 7-9 in metropolitan Chicago.  Rev. James Honig is the Director of the Preachers’ Retreat.  Rev. Honig is Senior Pastor at Faith Lutheran Church, Glen Ellyn, IL and a member of Institute’s Advisory Council.  Professor Walter Wangerin, Jr., Valparaiso University, is the program consultant.  Facilitators this year include Rev. Susan Nachtigal, Senior Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church, Worcester, MA; Professor Fred Niedner, Valparaiso University; Professor Mary Shore, Luther Seminary; Rev. James Wetzstein, Valparaiso University.

The Advisory Council is excited about these new and engaging opportunities for education and renewal.  Please join us!

In Christ,

Lorraine S. Brugh

Director