Sunday: An Old Friend

Well, then. A full day, per usual on the music mission. I started the day by actually reading this note that was included with our room keys at the first hotel. Hm. Looks like we could have had a discount on dinner last night if we had checked in first? You may not be able to read it. It's mostly boring hotel things, but at the bottom it says, "Ya'll Better Sing!" I'm going to ignore the incorrect apostrophe. (It's "y'all" because it's a contraction...I guess I didn't ignore it.)

I was told there were no waffles, but there was a waffle maker! So I cranked that baby up, Jimmy Buffet playing in my head..."but there's batter in the baker, and soon it will render a non-frozen waffle to help me hang on."

Wastin' away again in hotel waffle-ville. Searchin' for my lost packet of syrup.

Some people claim that there's a youth choir to blame, but I know...it's my own dang fault. Cool thing for the morning. As I was sitting working on the blog, one of the hotel staff asked if we would sing something before we left, so we did. As we were leaving, one of the chaperones overhead him say, "I needed that." 

We boarded the bus and headed for St Paul's Ivy church in Charlottesville. It was an early morning, even by tour standards. I don't usually ask us to leave by 7:15, but, well, that's just how it had to happen. But sleep deprivation is torture for a reason, and while Phoebe looks like she's in good shape in this picture here...there's something not right lurking in the background. Disturbing.

Despite our late departure, we arrived at St Paul's at about the right time, giving us more or less and hour to warm up and get situated. St Paul's is an Episcopal church, so we had to talk about how worship would be different and how to use the kneelers (because, get this, they actually sometimes kneel to pray?). We sang four songs throughout the service. The church really was beautiful, though the youth would like for me to let you know that the pews are exceedingly squeaky, as was the damper pedal in the piano. I was able to attenuate the squeak with a couple of well-places squirts of WD40, though they should probably have a professional have a look at that.

Nick believes I take the Closing Prayer too fast. So I decided to just let him do it. He does it too slowly. But his conducting hands are pretty good, and it's fun to sing with the ensemble for one song...

This is us in the service while singing a hymn. I will say the hymn singing was en pointe. (On fleek? No...they don't say that anymore.) Robust singing on tunes we share in our hymnal, though probably not tunes the choir knows well.

This guy, James, was sitting in the 4th row. I guess that's his seat...we were supposed to have 4 rows reserved, but there he was. So I chatted with him for a moment, and he said, "So you guys are from Decatur?"

"Yes...Atlanta. Decatur is kindof Northeast of there."

"Yes I know. I graduated from Chamblee High School."

"Shut. Up." (<---not my actual comment, but more fun to type)

"Yes. 1968."

"I need to get your picture with these guys...he just graduated, they are in school there now, and she is going to be starting there next year."

There is just one moon, and one golden sun, and a smile means friendship to everyone...

You may be wondering why we went to an Episcopal church in the middle of basically nowhere. It's because of this guy. We worked together for years at Decatur First, and then he moved to Roanoke. Just a few months ago, he moved to Charlottesville! Since we were coming through, he invited us to sing. I have many Mitch stories, but for now suffice it to say he's been an important person in my personal and professional journey, and it was fantastic to see him.

Apparently it was sundae Sunday, which means there is no adult sermon in the service (just a children's sermon), and they serve ice cream after the service. Cole and Nathan are salt of the earth, so when the event was over, they asked if they could help take down the tables. Asked. If they could help. Move tables. See, Oak Grove? This is the kind of youth you have, and you should be proud of them. I am.

Next photo contest was "look to your left," which was for people to take pictures out a window. The responses came in throughout the day, but this one one of the early ones. It didn't win, but I thought it was well done. Sir Trots a Lot is awesome.

After ice cream and a lunch stop (in that order, mom) we headed to Brighton Gardens for a concert. The ice cream and a wrong turn delayed us, but we made it by about 15 minutes late. Somehow I don't have a picture of the whole group singing, which is weird, but I did get pictures of the good part.

We even had one youth learn sign language from one of the residents!

And then on the road again. Can you guess who is hidden under the hoodie?

We had plenty of time for dinner, which was a pleasant change from lunch (where my instructions were: get back on the bus as soon as possible). It's nice to be able to take your time to eat and visit.

Other photo contest entries. There were a lot, but I've narrowed it down to 2...first, the honorable mention. Do you see the cows?

And the winner. How many hidden Johns do you see?

We had more time for devotional, and a great space to do it. We talked about the service...how it was different and what we liked about it (including the suggestion that we institute sundae Sunday at Oak Grove, but also more liturgically focused ideas like passing of the peace and prayers of the people in the style that they offered it). We also talked about our time at Brighton Gardens and how the trip is going. Spoiler alert: it's going well.

Brooke says twinning is winning.

These guys were playing whiffle ball under the lights. Somebody won, and somebody lost.

I came up to the 6th floor to begin room checks, and this is what I found. These rooms are really grouped like this. And also, the rooms on the left adjoin, and the rooms on the right adjoin. An interesting wrinkle that has seldom if ever happened on tour...and a wrinkle that made room checks an adventure,

But...an adventure I can cope with because look here...waffle irons. 3 of them. Game. On.

I'm a little late posting this because I took the opportunity to nap after I untaped rooms, leaving me just enough time for breakfast and getting on the bus. I'm actually finishing this post in the American History Museum at the Smithsonian because there's a bench with a power outlet in case my computer battery dies. Poor Rachel, she decided to hang with me to watch my back.

She's headed to the holocaust museum after lunch, though, so she's not stuck with me forever. But I'm super grateful she's here. (Meaning, technically, this is a Monday picture, but I'm sneaking it in on the Sunday post because I'm in charge of the blog and I can post what I want to post).

Until next time!