Thank you

for a wonderful weekend

shared with over 250 instrumentalists

from several southeastern states,
including South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

A magnificent time with Camp Kirkland, Richard Kingsmore, Kenn Hughes and many others mixed with multiple publishers/composers reading sessions, instrumental master classes, Global Missions emphasis, Jazz Band sessions, concerts from the Nashville Praise Symphony and Calvary Jazz from Winston Salem and more was the making of a power packed Instrumental Encore conference! Participants ranged from 40-50 trumpeters, 20 trombonists, 36 flutes, 27 clarinets, 9 violins, 2 harps and more with total participation between 250 to 300 present for the Instrumental Encore. Here are just a few comments made about the conference:

“We experienced a shower of God's blessing this weekend with Instrumental ENCORE! A sweet spirit prevailed. The conversations in the halls, the learning, the musical "ahas", the spiritual and worship moments, the satisfaction of finding good music for use in our churches, and the GREAT Master Classes will impact worship and bring people to Christ.  The powerful testimonies from persons sharing how they have been brought to Christ through instrumental music reminded us of the importance of our responsibility in each of our local churches. Hearing the testimonies of how God is touching and changing lives through instrumental ministry encouraged all of us. The Nashville Praise Symphony was a great example of lay players coming together to impact an entire city. The Calvary Jazz Orchestra rocked the house with a great, fresh sound. Greg Huff and the Calvary Jazz Ensemble demonstrated how Instrumental Music is a powerful outreach tool for Calvary Church in Winston-Salem.” - (Dan Ridley-Baptist State Convention of North Carolina Music and Worship leader)

Many thanks goes to the combined efforts of the Carolinas Instrumental Team, Tri City Baptist Church, the Instrumental Encore staff in Atlanta, Georgia, the master class teachers, the Nashville Praise Symphony, the Calvary Jazz of Winston Salem and all the participants for making this event happen. It is the combined effort that made the conference possible. In a correspondence of gratitude with Rhea Pettis, music ministry leader at Tri City Baptist Church I stated:

“The Instrumental Encore is a conference of its type which glorifies the work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through instrumental music across the world. This is truly a conference which will be used in what I call an Acts 1:8 missions as we witness to others through instrumental playing to the ends of the earth. This is seen through the fruits of this Instrumental Encore Conference expanded through the Global Missions Projects which many of the participants were exposed and will give of their time in future worldwide ministry missions. Only God knows how far this ministry truly reaches across the world!” – (Fred Weber – Instrumental Team Chairman)

We look forward to next year as we begin preliminary plans focusing on the 2009 Instrumental Encore Conference with our Carolinas Instrumental Team, the Instrumental Encore staff.

See you next year!