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Conference Information

BEFORE THE CONFERENCE BEGINS

Opening Worship. The Conference will officially begin with worship at 7:30 PM on Sunday in Anderson Auditorium.

Sunday Check-In. Pick up conference materials and check-in in Upper Anderson on Sunday from 2:00-5:00 PM or at the conclusion of evening worship. If you are unable to come to Sunday Check-in during those hours, your materials will be held for you in the PAM office. Parking is available in front of Anderson Auditorium, and all parking in Montreat is free. View a map of Montreat here.

What to Bring. All conference sessions and services are informal. Some choose to dress up more for the Thursday and Friday evening concerts, but that is entirely up to you. The temperature in the mountains can vary greatly, and in general it will be warm. Choose comfortable clothing - comfortable shoes for walking and a sweater or jacket and long pants for cool mornings and evenings. An umbrella or rain jacket is a must since afternoon thunderstorms are common in the mountains. The Montreat Store has sweatshirts and rain jackets for sale.

Communion Server Training. Those who have signed up to serve communion on Tuesday will attend training on Sunday at 4:30 PM in Anderson Auditorium. Those who have signed up to serve communion on Friday will attend training on Tuesday at 5:30 PM in Anderson Auditorium.

Auditions. All auditions are open Sunday 2:00-5:00 PM and following worship until 9:30 PM.

Locations as follows:

Children and Youth Talent Show. Walkup (see note about youth talent show below)

Adult Chamber Choir. Convocation Hall

Senior High Chamber Choir. Assembly Inn 1

Auditioned Advanced Handbells. Way Out A

Instrumental interviews. Assembly Inn room 218

Auditions are both walk-up and sign-up. Please honor audition times that have been reserved.

Audition results will be posted at presbymusic.org/audition and on the sliding doors to Assembly Inn.

Children and Youth Talent Show. Get your group together or prepare your solo piece for the talent show! Sing, dance, play an instrument - however you’d like to showcase your talent. Children and youth may audition Sunday afternoon 2:00-5:00 PM and following opening worship until 9:30 PM in Walkup.

Montreat Conference Center Childcare, Clubs, and Evening Childcare. Please register here prior to arriving in Montreat. If you are having difficulty registering online, contact the Clubs Registrar at clubsreg@montreat.org or call 828.419.9837. Registrations for Evening Childcare must be made by Tuesday before the conference begins (June 11th for week 1 and June 18th for week 2).

COMMUNICATION

Conference Book. Your conference book contains all worship bulletins, class and evening event schedules and programs, PAM information, sponsor advertisements, conference center and Montreat town information, a Conference Center map, and so much more. Make sure to have it with you at all times and write your name and contact info on the cover, so it can be returned to you, if lost.

Daily Notes. The Daily Notes will be sent via email and uploaded in the conference app every day and will contain important information not included in the Conference Book such as audition results, pop-up seminars and concerts, class schedule and room revisions, art and instruments for sale, etc.

Conference App. You do not want to miss announcements, class and schedule changes, or information about pop up events! The best place to find all of these things is via the Yapp app. Download Yapp from Google Play or the Apple Store. Use the conference id WM24 to access the conference.

If you are reading this on a smartphone, click the above Yapp icon. If you are using a computer, use your smartphone's camera to scan the QR code above. Need help? Someone will be happy to assist you at Sunday check-in or in the PAM conference office.

Social Media. Share the good word about the conference with your friends! Use the hashtags #PresbyMusic and #PAMWM24 and tag the Presbyterian Association of Musicians (@presbymusic) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Name Badges. Please wear your name badge at all times. This is your ticket to all conference events.

CARING FOR BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT

Medical Care. There is a First Aid station located on the upper level of the Allen Building, behind Anderson Auditorium. A healthcare professional is on duty Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-1:00 PM and 1:30-4:30 PM. Emergency: Please call 911. There are walk-in clinics and doctors’ offices in Black Mountain. The nearest ER is in Asheville, approximately 20 minutes away.

COVID. If you test positive for Covid while attending the conference, please follow the CDC’s current guidelines which is to stay home and away from others if you have respiratory virus symptoms that aren't better explained by another cause. You can resume normal activities once your symptoms are improving and you’ve been fever-free—without the aid of fever-reducing medications—for at least 24 hours.

For the five days after you resume your normal activities, you should take extra precautions, like wearing a well-fitting mask and maintaining distance from others, gathering outdoors or in well-ventilated areas, cleaning hands and high-touch surfaces often, and testing when possible before gathering with others. If symptoms or fever return, you should start back at square one: staying home and away from others until you’ve been improving and fever-free for at least 24 hours.

Pastors On-Call. If you’d like to talk to the conference pastor on call, contact the PAM conference office (828-275-7362) or any member of the planning team. They will have the on-call pastor get in touch with you.

Week 1: Brant Copeland, Week 2: Chris Moore-Keish

Communion. The Eucharist will be celebrated by intinction during worship on Tuesday and Friday. Bread that is free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, and tree nuts will be offered at each station and a wafer that is free of gluten, wheat, dairy, nuts, egg, soy, and corn will be available at a single station at the front of the auditorium.

For those wishing not to take communion by intinction out of caution for Covid, there will be a limited number of pre-packaged communion elements free from gluten available in the front lake side of the Auditorium near the allergen-free station. Communion servers will use hand sanitizer prior to serving, and conferees are encouraged to do the same. The communion servers will hand the piece of bread to the recipient who will dip their piece of bread into the cup.

CONNECTION

Conference Offerings. Two offerings will be collected during conference:

Wednesday evening for the PAM Scholarship Fund. So far in 2024, 63 scholarships have been awarded totaling $37,681. These scholarships help offset the cost of attending PAM conferences and events (including registration, lodging, meals, and travel) as well as memberships for pastors and worship leaders serving in their first call.

Friday evening for the PAM Annual Fund. The annual fund supports the ministry of PAM, including conferences, membership, certification, and more.

You may give in-person, online, or you may fill out the Commitment Card that will be available during Friday worship in order to provide your information for us to contact you.

Exhibit Hall. Please visit the conference sponsors in the lobby of Anderson Auditorium. They are here to support you and the important ministry you do in your churches. Exhibitors will be available to connect with you at their booths as follows:

Week 1: Thursday and Friday, 9:30 – 11:00 AM & 6:30 – 8:30 PM, as well as Thursday evening at the dessert reception directly following the Chamber Concert

Week 2: Monday and Tuesday, 9:30 – 11:00 AM & 6:30 – 8:30 PM, as well as Monday evening at the dessert reception directly following the Organ Recital.

Member and Donor Reception. The third annual Beer and Hymns member and donor reception will be held following the Talent Show on Tuesday evening June 18th and 25th at the White Horse Music Hall (105 Montreat Road, Black Mountain, North Carolina). Mark your calendar for this can’t miss event!

There are an abundance of free parking options within easy walking distance of the venue. There are parking spaces adjacent to the building, free parking lots, and on-street parking all over town. The Presbyterian Church adjacent to the venue also allows use of their parking.

Chaperone Questions. Chaperones are crucial to the health and safety of our children and youth during the conference, and we are grateful for you! If you are attending the conference and registered as a chaperone, you will attend all of your assigned classes.

First Time Attendee Questions. Immediately following opening worship Sunday night, a PAM volunteer will be available at the front of Anderson Auditorium to answer your questions.

PAM OFFICE LOCATION AND HOURS

Allen Building, lower level, behind Anderson Auditorium. Hours are:

Monday 7:30-10:50 AM and 1:30-4:30 PM

Tuesday-Friday 8:00-10:50 AM and 1:30-4:30 PM

ONSITE MUSIC STORES and HOURS

Beethoven & Company. Allen Building A, upper level.

Sunday 2:00 - 5:00 PM

Monday 8:15 AM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday-Thursday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Friday 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM.

Jeffers Handbell Store. Way Out Building.

Sunday 2:00 - 5:00 PM

Monday 7:30AM - 5:00 PM

Tuesday-Thursday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Friday 8:00 AM - 12:00PM

Handbell participants must purchase their music prior to the first rehearsal and are to supply their own gloves and folders.

FOOD AND DRINK ONSITE

The Galax Dining Room at Assembly Inn. Guests staying in Montreat housing may dine in the Galax Dining Room at Assembly Inn. Unfortunately, conferees who are not staying in Montreat Conference Center housing and did not pre-purchase a meal plan are unable to dine in the dining room. The deadline for purchasing a lunch only meal plan for week one is June 9 and the deadline for week two is June 16. Visit the Lodgi ng & Meals page to learn more. There will be no walk-in dining available.

Montreat Store. Snacks and soft drinks are available in the Montreat Store.

The Huckleberry Café. A local gem for visitors to the Montreat Conference Center and for the local community. Serving eight flavors of ice cream, coffee, espresso drinks, burgers, chicken, salad, and fries. Plus, a small breakfast menu for those early birds. The café is newly renovated and waiting for you to visit! Located on the top floor of the Moore Center. Café Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-9:00 PM, Saturdays 8:00 AM-3:00 PM, and closed on Sundays.

Ice Cream Receptions. PC(USA) Special Offerings will host an ice cream reception after the Talent Show on Tuesday and PAM will host an ice cream reception after the Chamber Concert on Thursday evening of week 1 and after the Organ Recital on Monday evening of week 2, both in the lobby of Anderson Auditorium.

PUBLIC EVENTS

Evening events and worship will be open to the public. They are also available to watch via livestream here.