Although there is little explanation for them, there are now pictures up from May 22nd and 23rd. Check back so for the final few updates, or ask your chorale member when they arrive home! (The links to pictures are under “pages” to the right)
Today we made that long awaited drive across the state of Texas - all the way from South Lake to El Paso. That means we are now on our way back to California. The last few concerts have been an amazing blessing to us as a chorale. At the end of several the congregation has leapt to its feet with applause, though probably out of practical motivation, since we’ve been saving the “Flight of the Bumble Bee” for an encore…
The “Flight of the Bumble Bee” was written by Rimsky Korsokav as for strings originally, but the version we’re performing obviously has been adapted for choir. It’s great fun, fast, playful but intense, and now that we have Johny pretending to catch the Bee at the very end, funnier than ever!
There have been so many wonderful moments on tour, not just those from concerts, and each of us has different moments that we treasure. We’ve had so many gracious hosts who’ve provided us lodging and food, been ministered to and given the opportunity to minister at so many wonderful churches, and had such fun times with one another. Be sure and ask that special chorale member you’ve been praying for, whether granddaughter or son, friend or fiance, cousin or nephew what one of their favorite memories from tour is.
But hey, we’ve still got three more days, so know need to get all sentimental here! Check out the photos to the right under the title “pages”, from May 21st!
We’ll have some more updates and pictures about today… tomorrow. Since I’m staying with a member of our US Military, its up for a 6:00 run at his invitation. Not a bad idea with the amount of amazing food we get served on this tour. Be sure and check out Paul Mikhaylenko’s photos from tour so far in the album to your right “Week 1 Photo Collection”!
Here’s the actual “what all is on this here blog thing post”. On this here blog thing we have both text updates, you’re reading one right now, congratulations!, and pictures, which can be found under the pages header in the right hand column. (They’re titled May 14-17, May 18, May 19… etc.)
We had a wonderful concert last night at Lakeside Bible Church. The church was absolutely packed and full of hospitable and friendly people. The BBQ beef and baked potatoes were great, and so was desert too…
This morning we had another quick meeting before we took off to Tyler, TX. Thanks to a very generous couple we all met on tour, we enough cash (all in five dollar bills) for them to treat us all to Prince Caspian. So we took off with the intent of making a 1:00 showing in Tyler, TX. Unfortunately we were running just a little behind, but thanks to Paul Ellsworth’s cell phone and nerd knowledge (only to be exercised in dire emergency) he saved the day by texting google and finding a 1:30 show time at another theatre. We arrived with time to catch the previews even!
Thank you so much to that very generous couple! We enjoyed the movie immensely, and it was quite fun having a whole theatre to ourselves! 1:30pm showings on Tuesday apparently are not extremely popular. Actually, there was one couple there in the middle of the theatre when we came in. We promptly surrounded them, thereby sending the afternoon movie going crowd at that theatre to the power of six. Great movie that had been long anticipated by many of us - and it was an absolute blast getting to watch it with each other!
We left the theatre at 4:20 and promptly pulled into Calvary Baptist, which was about ten minutes down the road, if that even. There we had a great meal - some wonderfully tender chicken, beans, a great macaroni and cheese and even salad with cheese and bacon bits, and of course genuine southern sweet tea. Paul Ellsworth led us in devotions, as Marcus has been going the Senior guys in chorale and giving each of us the opportunity to lead a devotion before we minister. Paul offered some wisdom he had learned about humility, we prayed for the hearts of those in the congregation, and that we could be an encouragement to them, just as we knew they would be an encouragement to us. Then we stormed in (a term we use for walking fast up onto the risers with ‘purpose’, it does not refer to angrily stomping down the aisles) and went right into “My God is a Rock”.
We went through our regular selections of music before we finished the concert with “Lead Me to the Rock”. Doc told did not disappoint tonight but went through his regular, but always fresh, little tidbits of wisdom, and a full educational practice session with the congregation as to how to sing properly during “O For A Thousand Tongues”, one of our congregational songs. Tonight he was particularly picking, stopping them several times to, in a light-hearted manner - make sure everyone was singing.
Now we’re at our home-stays, getting rest, ready for a big day tomorrow of touring Southwestern and singing at Countryside Bible, in Southlake, TX. Thanks for your prayers!
Ya’ all take care now.
- Josh Wheeler
Welcome to our Southern States Tour blog! Check out the links to your right. The first update of the tour is available there, as well as our tour schedule. We greatly appreciate your prayers that God will be glorified through our ministry! Please for the hearts of those at our coming concerts, that they will be encouraged and convicted, and for the souls of those who have not yet been reconciled to their maker. As well, pray for continued good health and focus for us chorale members.
We’re having a wonderful time! The unity of the chorale has been an incredible testimony to those we have been ministering too. As well, our hosts who have so graciously allowed us to stay in their homes each night have been a wonderful blessing to us. The demonstration of a common bond, through Jesus Christ as Lord, that unites us as believers is an amazing testimony to Christ’s love as demonstrated in His church.
- Josh Wheeler
Chorale had a 6:45 a.m. call time to head toward Amarillo TX. Choral was excited to be able to stop at a Wal Mart for forty five minutes during our drive. An exciting event happened during the bus trip—A small white Mazda that had CA licence plates spend past us going around 90 mph. The wind was blowing so badly that his car was sliding all over the highway. The whole bus was amazed and yelling because he was weaving in and out of buses and semis. Then we all started joking about him getting pulled over and low and behold a cop sped by us and caught the little car. We were all thrilled that justice had been served. We drove by the Cadillac farm on our was to Amarillo.
Once we got to the church we learned that about four men had attended the Shepherd’s Conference as well. Doc said that we were enthusiastically received and royally treated. There was a girl that Melisa and Deborah stayed with who was interested in the college. Her name was Dava and she cried the entire concert because she knew that she couldn’t go due to financial reasons. Please pray that the Lord will supply a way to get her to Master’s if it is in His will.
After staying the night in Tempe we started driving to Las Cruces NM. Grace Covenant and University Presbyterian Church both hosted the concert and housed members of the Chorale. Before the service Robert Crady led devotions. It was a wonderful time of sharing. We began the concert feeling refreshed in the Lord. The concert went very well. Members of the Master’s Wind Ensemble accompanied the Chorale on Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. It was the first time for Chorale to sing at either of those churches. Doc felt encouraged and was excited about the way that the Lord was using Chorale to spread the word about The Master and Master’s. This concert was also interesting because the only reason that we went to Las Cruses in the first place was because of the Shepherd’s Conference. A couple had gone to the conference and heard Doc say that our tour was going through NM and contacted the Music Dept. the next day.
We met at Christ Community Church in El Centro early Sunday morning. This church had a great local outreach. It was originally a drug rehab center for local men and women but it then grew into a church that is greatly influencing the community. It was a special Sunday because it was Mother’s Day! The bus trip was eventful and Doc read us a story. We traveled to Tempe, AZ to sing for the night service at the First Baptist Church of Tempe. The music worship pastor in Tempe is a Master’s grad and his name is Dan Thomas. That night Sarah Dixon’s family got to come and listen to the concert as well as Jac Trotter’s sister.
The Chorale was met in front of the gym and we were supposed to leave at 11:30. We stayed there and the bus never showed up, some games started and then Doc called us all in to a group. He announced that the reason that the bus was late was so we could give a small concert to the schools donors that were having a lunch on North Campus. We sang My God is a Rock and the Flight of the Bumble Bee. Dr. MacArthur prayed for the group and sent us on our way. Doc thought that the reason that the bus was late was an opportunity that the Lord gave us to share our music.
We showed up in El Centro and were a little rushed to get ready on time. The church family was so welcoming, they prepared a wonderful Mexican meal for us before the concert. Pastor Michael Beach from First Baptist Church of El Cerntro came into our devotionals and encouraged us with scripture and a prayer. Doc got interviewed by a local newspaper, which was a good opportunity to share about the ministry.
Welcome to the Chorale Tour 2008 blog! More will be added soon!