It started with a prayer. The Rev Precentor, Brian J. Courtney, led the faithful in an act of worship to open the Ulster Unionist Party conference.
But if the party was sticking to tradition in some ways, it was trying hard to modernise in others. The conference's Union Jack emblem looked more like the new British Airways logo than a traditional unionist one.
A room had been set aside for the press with sandwiches, coffee and, in an unprecedented move, bottles of wine. The hospitality was appreciated.
The word was that Mr Trimble was modernising himself, too, and had acquired a trendy new haircut and glasses. The glasses rumour was true; the haircut one wasn't. "He has just combed it for a change," joked an aide.
In the foyer, the traditional and the modern mixed uneasily.
An evangelical Christian stall sold pamphlets including Faith, Hope and Homosexuality, Making Love for Life, and Laid Bare - A Path through the Pornography Maze.
Another stall promoted Cool Britannia, a book on being British in the new millennium. The cover showed a blonde woman in shades and a Union Jack mini-dress.
Inside the hall there were non-PC jokes from delegates and leaders alike. One dissident, David Brewster, reckoned the chances of the IRA decommissioning equal led those of Sinn Fein's Bairbre de Brun in the Miss World contest.
Mr Trimble directed his jibes at the political contribution of the UK Unionist leader, Bob Mc Cartney. "Bob is very proud of his reputation, but it puts me in mind of Dolly Parton - out of all proportion and with no visible means of support."
The UUP deputy leader, John Taylor, chose to target Sinn Fein leaders. "By day they wear their nice suits, at night, they put on the black berets of the IRA."
The UUP might be talking to Sinn Fein but Assembly member Danny Kennedy wanted grassroots to know it wasn't "easy or enjoyable". But there are things that have to be done for Ulster.
Biblical references, however, were used to advise ending the risky new relationship. "Dare to be a Daniel/Dare to stand alone/Dare to have a pur pose/Dare to make it known," urged David Brewster.
The UUP's vice-chairman, James Cooper, was a moderniser. Referring to the Rev Ian Paisley's recent trip to Dublin, he said visiting the Republic "as though it was North Korea" and refusing to shake hands with the Taoiseach was not the way forward.
A female delegate said the Provisional IRA was irreformable. Not only was it involved in drugs and racketeering, but it was making pornographic movies as well. "I wonder who stars in those?" quipped a journalist.
The UUP had "criminal" problems of its own. Mr Cooper announced there had been "some bumping" in the car park but reassured delegates the RUC had "caught the culprit" and was waiting to hear if the vehicle was taxed.
A discussion on unionism and the media proved lively. The UUP was still finding it hard to cross the cultural divide. Eoghan Harris was introduced as "Ewan".
Mr Harris was there at the behest of the modernisers to tell delegates what many didn't want to hear - that they could win the PR battle by entering government with Sinn Fein without prior decommissioning.
It was a scintillating performance, even if the argument failed to convince everyone. Ruth Dudley Edwards, who had entertained delegates at dinner the night before with tales of Danny Morrison's cat, said unionists needed to improve their image.
The loyalist contribution to good PR "is probably to throw another cameraman into a ditch", she said. "I have to tell you this is not the way."