I missed this thread - sorry! Yes, I'll be there, and happy to provide any local resident support for guests to our fair city.

Re hymns - those who get twitchy about the idea will be heartened by the astonishing collection in the Hrothgar Hymnbook, which includes for example Drop Kick Me, Jesus, Through the Goalposts of Life which to my recollection got sung last year. Those of opposing ideologies can of course mentally remove the commas and still sing it with equal gusto.

They might also check out Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band's hymn CDs, which illustrate the original intent, which was to have a bloody good sing. I suspect the early gatherings, however devout, sounded on approach more like a shanty session than an insipid reverent mumble drowned by an organ. That is certainly the impression you would get on approaching the Hrothgar Hymn Session.

Oh, re Rowan's 'confirmed atheists' are these late converts, or is there a confirmation ceremony I am unaware of?

Chris