The patch to upgrade Lutheran Service Builder to version 1.8.3 has been released via the automated update service, and all users should receive the update the next time they start Builder while connected to the Internet. This patch is extremely small (~520 KB), especially compared to previous updates. Because of this size adjustment, dial-up users can confidently download the update and install it with little trouble.

A full Installer for 1.8.3 is now available here. If you encounter any issues with the patching process, please contact Support at lsbsupport@cph.org or by phone at 800-346-6120 and a technician will be happy to assist you.

A complete list of changes is available in the full article.

The following changes have been made to Lutheran Service Builder since version 1.7.15:

• Having a default liturgy selected in Preferences no longer causes Builder to crash in the Content step.
• Users can once again select specific slide resolutions in the PowerPoint step.
• The “Jump to a Hymn Number” box has been re-added to the hymn search by popular request.
• Books with only one chapter will now respond correctly to Scripture citations.
• The Info pane now displays the year in the Three-Year Lectionary in which a particular hymn is suggested.
• The Scripture search in the Find a Single Worship Resource interface now accepts Scripture citations as input and will return the reading requested. (e.g., John 3:16-20)
• Builder will once again offer to locate your databases if they go missing or if you move them from their installed location.
• Collects are now searchable by topic in the Content step.
• Midweek services no longer disappear from the list of suggested services when a service is planned for the previous Sunday (or vice versa).
• When used in a service, the Propers that have them (Introit, Gradual, Verse) should now include the Scripture citation as a subcaption (on the right margin). Depending on the service, Builder may present them by default, or you may have to select them in the Outline step. They will not yet appear in the Single Worship Resource export (that will be added in the future). The data for these changes has been supplied in a separate update; if the citations do not appear, you may not have received it.

We plan to release at least one more update to the 1.x series of Lutheran Service Builder over the next few months, and are collecting your reports to ensure that it takes care of the majority of bugs experienced in Builder 1.x. It is likely that the 1.9 release of Lutheran Service Builder will be the final 1.x release.

Development resources and attention have now shifted to our upcoming Builder 2 release, and we are actively searching for congregations to assist us in testing Builder 2 and providing suggestions during the development process. If you or your congregation would be interested in aiding our team during this testing period, please visit this thread on the Builder forum and follow the stated instructions. We are hoping to involve between 50 and 100 congregations in this testing process, so there is a lot of room left for you to be involved.

The main requirement is that your computer must be running Windows XP or Windows Vista to run Lutheran Service Builder 2. If you are using Windows 2000, your computer will not be able to run Builder 2. Please consider upgrading by later this year.

More news on Builder 2 will be released over the months leading up to its release.