Discounted registration to the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship and Music Conference ends April 30 – Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Once again, Montreat Conference Center will be home to the denomination’s largest conference
April 23, 2025
Mike Ferguson
Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE — If you’re considering attending this summer’s Presbyterian Association of Musicians Worship and Music Conference at Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina, now’s the time to register and save some money.
The conference, which is the largest annual gathering of Presbyterians, is set for June 15-20 and June 22-27. Discounted registration ends on April 30, but plenty of space remains to attend the popular conference at Montreat Conference Center and stay at nearby accommodations. Learn more about registration, lodging, classes and conference faculty here.
PAM’s Worship & Music Conference is an annual, intergenerational event designed to nurture, educate, and inspire those involved in worship, music, and the arts, within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and beyond.
“When Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina with flooding last fall, I was worried this beloved conference would be affected,” said the Rev. Elizabeth Deibert, conference co-director and the pastor at Peace Presbyterian Church in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. “But thank God, here we are again in these glorious mountains! As many roads and buildings were repaired after that storm, we hope this conference will repair broken places in you, places worn down from the storms of life.”
“Clothed in Love” is the theme for this year’s conference. The scriptural basis for the conference preacher, the Rev. Dr. Margaret Aymer, who’s dean of the faculty of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, is Colossians 3:12-17. Colossians 3:12 contains some important words, Aymer noted, including compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. “Over the course of the week, my hope is to show how those words come to life through the stories of people in the Bible,” Aymer said.
While she’ll explore familiar stories in the Bible including the Good Samaritan and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, Aymer also plans to look at less-known stories, such as the stories of Abigail, Naaman, and the persistent unnamed widow in one of Jesus’ parables. “My hope is that, as we consider these virtues together in worship, through song, prayer, and proclamation, you will ‘try on’ some of these spiritual virtues this week, and pack them in your bags as you head home,” Aymer said.
“Each follower of Jesus is issued a ‘uniform’ — called to put on love,” said the Rev. Dr. David Gambrell, the PC(USA)’s Associate for Worship and the conference liturgist.
“The new garment of baptism symbolizes this holy calling, a priestly robe for every member of the body of Christ. Our worship services this week will be a kind of dress rehearsal for this way of life in the world. They are designed to emphasize the priesthood of all believers — encouraging the full participation of the whole people of God, from youngest to oldest, in the worship and service of God.”
“Like a choral anthem in which each distinct voice enriches the harmony, our community grows richer with every person’s unique identity and gifts,” said the Amy Cerniglia, conference co-director. “As we explore what it means to ‘put on Christ,’ our differences become not just acceptable, but vital to our worship.”
“This week, you will find sacred space where all God’s children are beloved, valued and welcome to bring their whole selves to worship and fellowship. Through listening and responding, giving and receiving, we will discover new dimensions in both music and faith.”
The co-directors offered up what they believe will be among the highlights for this year’s conference:
More information about the Worship and Music Conference can be found here. Conference lodging information is here.
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