Lancaster residents Leslie Bustard of Square Halo Books looks toward the second "Ordinary Saints - Creativity, Collaboration, and Community" conference with a passion for giving attendees a chance to learn and be challenged. "I love to bring people together to offer each other goodness and beauty and an enjoyable experience," said Leslie. "I also love to give artmakers and teachers a chance to share their expertise so they can give (to others)."

This year's conference will once again be held at The Trust Performing Arts Center, 37 N. Market St., Lancaster, with registration starting at noon on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. The conference will run into Friday evening and resume on Saturday, Feb. 18, ending at about 10 p.m. Poet Malcolm Guite, author of "Lifting the Veil," will be the keynote speaker. Tickets, which are necessary to attend, may be purchased at http://www.squarehalobooks.com/conferences#/2023-conference. Organizers anticipate that tickets will be available through the end of January.

This year's conference celebrates the 25th anniversary of Square Halo Books, a publishing house Leslie was involved in founding along with her husband, Ned, and Alan and Diane Bauer, who are located in Baltimore. All this year's speakers have written for Square Halo, which focuses on "publishing works that present contextually sensitive biblical studies ... with the goal of providing materials for encouraging and equipping the saints." "We are all about giving a platform to people who don't have one," said Leslie. The book "Ordinary Saints: Living Everyday Life to the Glory of God" was published in celebration of Square Halo's anniversary.

This year, special Friday afternoon activities have been added to the event at no charge. Presentations will be made by Tom Becker of the Row House forum and author Lisa Smith, a songwriters circle will be held with Matt Wheeler, and Friday night's featured speaker will be art historian Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt.

On Saturday, a number of speakers will be featured. "The author Sean Smucker and Christie Purifoy will be with us," said Leslie, who added that there will be an emphasis on speakers from the surrounding area. "Christine Perrin, a professor at Messiah University, will speak (along with) Dan Spanjer, a historian, who is now principal at Veritas Academy," she added. Lancaster Bible College professor Shanika Churchville will speak on "Ordinary Scholars: Justice in the Writing Classroom." Other activities will include a round table reading of "Babette's Feast" led by theater director Bonnie Bosso, a tea and poetry reading, a pop-up printing session, and a pub night.

Entertainment will be featured as well. "Our concert (artist) is a band called The Arcadian Wild, and they are a bluegrass band," Leslie noted. "We feed people breakfast and lunch and a lot of snacks from local places," she added.

Following the difficulties of COVID-19 restrictions the last few years, Leslie hopes to see attendees have a chance to gather and experience joy. "My goal is that people are refreshed," she said. "I want to offer a gift. I envision us bringing people together looking at all of life before God and how it can be glorifying."