Living Water at the Worship and Music Conference

by Amy Cerniglia

The year 2023 marked a milestone for the Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) as we gathered for a week-long Worship and Music Conference at the beautiful Montreat Conference Center in North Carolina. After lowered attendance in the wake of the pandemic, this in-person event saw the greatest numbers of adult registrants in conference history. We came together as a community of worship leaders, preachers, organists, directors, choir members, guitarists, handbell ringers, and faithful people of all backgrounds seeking to worship the Triune God. The theme for the conference, “Thirst No More,” reminded us of the deep inner longings that only the Living Water can quench.

As attendees filled Anderson Auditorium for opening worship, our sense of anticipation was palpable. Many kids and youth from our church were attending for the second or even third time, with a couple of first-timers excited to hear what we talk about all year. The conference preacher, the Rev. Larissa Kwong Abazia, chose John 4:1-14 as the scriptural basis for her sermons throughout the week. This passage about Jesus and the Woman of Samaria set the tone for the conference, emphasizing the theme of finding fulfillment and renewal in the presence of God.

Of course, music played a central role throughout the conference. Hymns were sung with great passion as musicians’ voices resounded in the auditorium. The power of music to unite and uplift was evident throughout the conference, reminding everyone of the integral role it plays in worship. Every year, the chance to sing alongside my church’s kids, youth and leaders fills me with joy. On a typical Sunday morning, I might sing along from the organ bench, but I am never singing as a member of the congregation outside of this conference.

When a director asked me to help recruit singers for a small ensemble in worship at one point during the week, I invited one of the families that had attended the conference with my church. The musical father, son, and daughter practiced with me at my pastor’s house that night, and they were so excited to sing together as a family in conference worship the next day. 

As the co-director for the 2025 Worship and Music Conference alongside my pastor, Elizabeth Deibert, I was blessed with many new ideas by attending this year’s conference with 22 other church members. Our group included many kids, youth and adults who participated at every level of the conference, which offers multi-generational opportunities for all ages and stages of musical experience. 

During a sermon early in the week, Abazia shared a moving story of a young parishioner who had experienced deep emotional pain. The woman had come to worship in tears, seeking solace in community. Over the course of several weeks, her friends supported her without pressuring her to share her pain. Eventually, she testified that the healing power of the gathered community and their unwavering faith transformed her sorrow into joy. A terrible life experience had drawn her closer to new friends and faith that provided vulnerability, healing, and transformation.

“We were part of releasing her from the lament that had captured her. The fullness of God compelled it all. And so, we lean in, eagerly soaking in the liturgy as it washes over us.” – The Rev. Larissa Kwong Abazia

Rev. Kendra Buckwalter Smith, the conference liturgist, encouraged attendees to embrace unexpected encounters and engage in meaningful conversations. Drawing from the story of Jesus and the woman at the well, she invited the congregation to reflect on their own encounters with God in unlikely places and with unlikely people. Throughout the week, our youth shared their experiences of encountering the divine in unexpected ways—in small groups, in drum class, even in seeing a bear on the side of the road! 

At the conference, I also had the joy of running into some of YOU! Rev. Terri Jo Crego was one member of Peace River Presbytery that ventured up to the mountains with us. We left Montreat with hearts full of joy, minds expanded with new knowledge, and spirits refreshed by the Living Water. Next year, our conference theme is “Lead Us Homeward.” As a member of the 2024 planning team alongside Pastor Elizabeth, I hope you’ll join us for a week of worshipful opportunities that point us toward home.