Children's Music Mission: Friday Night

The time is now. It is my first music mission at Oak Grove UMC. I'm a little out of practice. My last actual music mission was well more than two years ago. Even my virtual trip is now just shy of two years past.

This trip is also different because it is my very first time leading a Children's Music Mission. I've been on one or two before, but leading one is...different.

I've been blogging about music missions for a long time, though since I'm at a church I'm aware you may not have seen those. Here's the thing. I've always wanted to be able to let the church (and beyond) know the great work that our choirs do when they go beyond the walls of the church. So I started taking a few pictures and writing a little to go with them. So you'll know what we've been up to. I usually blog once each day, so this time around you can expect another post tomorrow, and then a final post on Sunday.

We started today at the Benton House in Decatur. I've sung there before with other choirs. I had been wondering if my moving to a new church would somehow change the dynamics of tour. It took exactly 45 seconds for me to see that it did not. That's how long it took for the activities person at the Benton House to walk out to greet me and say, "So...they tried to call you, but..."

Turns out the Benton House has been closed to extra visitors, and they have not been eating in the dining room for a minute. It is reopening...tomorrow. This is bad news because we were planning on using the piano there. And, well, singing inside.

I gathered the kids together and said, "Well, guys, welcome to music mission. It's time to be flexible. We're going to stand under this portico here and sing to the residents who can come out on the porch. Also, we'll be singing without a keyboard of any kind."

It turns out we can sing most of our songs without a piano (though it's of course better with!). And we weren't able to visit with the residents either. But, well...

...it was great. When I turned to the audience gathered on the porch, I could tell they were deeply appreciative that we had come. They clapped and cheered us with gusto. I've often felt like it's the concerts where things seem to go the most wrong that they often go the most right. The kids sang like champs, and right out of the gate, we began to serve in mission through music.

What a great beginning.

After we sang, we headed back to the church to enjoy some dinner. Chick Fil A, if you're curious. Look, I don't feel like I need to advertise for these guys, but I do want to say they were on point. We ordered for 30 folks, and it was perfect. Also, shout out to Nick for picking it up for us.

Then we got on the bus.

It's a 56 passenger bus. Which means we have plenty of room for these kids and their parents (nearly all of whom are traveling with us). It's funny because I'm used to a bus full of youth. Most of these kids disappear. But you know they're there, because you can hear them. They are so excited they chanted "Chattanooga" and "Chattanooga Hotel." And "Bucky's." To their chagrin we did not stop there. Perhaps we'll have time on the return trip... Shoot, when I got on the bus, the driver said, "Are you planning to stop, because the Atlanta kids are never happy unless you stop at Bucky's." Apparently he's not wrong.

We watched a movie while we drove. I chatted with the kids some, and the parents. Arrived at the hotel around 9, let everyone know the plan, and then headed to rooms.

I'm not quite sure what to do with myself, actually. Typically I would have had a devotional time and then gone to check on all the rooms, but since they are all rooming with their parents, I don't have to do that. I'm actually, uh, not responsible for them right now. Weird.

So I guess that means today is over. I'm going to post this and get to bed...and it isn't even 1am. I'm already looking forward to tomorrow morning because waffle time!!! Don't worry...I'll post about that tomorrow.