Shallowford Presbyterian Youth

No Internet means no blog

2011-06-29T22:35:00.001-04:00

I am so sorry and I guess flattered that so many of you have missed the blog this week. Unfortunately, our housing site does not have an internet connection that we are able to use. This makes it virtually impossible to upload and pictures or videos.

Not to mention I am awake with your kids from 6:30 am until 11:30 pm each day. :)

I assure you that we are all okay and doing great. We have some wonderful stories to share with you and know that you will all plan to attend on Sunday, July 10 during the SS hour.

See you all Friday around 4:00!

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Vanishing Blog

2011-06-18T20:11:00.001-04:00

For some reason the blog post from yesterday is nowhere to be found. Click on this link to view it:

http://shallowfordyouth.blogspot.com/2011/06/crank-city-tours-welcomes-you-to-new.html

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The Only Thing Better Than a Crawfish Dinner, is Five Crawfish Dinners

2011-06-17T01:52:00.001-04:00

Oh my gosh! You'll never guess who showed up for the performance today! Okay most of you already know, but the kids and the chaperones were all shocked to be greeted by Chris when they arrived at Prien Lake Park for lunch this afternoon. We had a nice little picnic lunch provided by Nick Villaume, and the kids had a chance to run around, finally play some frisbee, with Chris, and blow off some steam.

After about 90 minutes everyone was pretty much done with the Lake Charles heat and humidity, so we headed off for, you guessed it, another shopping mall where the kids had more free time. This time indoors and air conditioned.

Once again we were greeted with open arms at First Presbyterian of Lake Charles. After a brief warm up, we went upstairs for our authentic Gumbo dinner! Yum. The concert was perhaps the best of the tour so far. The audience was very much into it, and the space did amazing things with the kids' sound. They are starting to build some momentum as we head down the home stretch towards the homecoming concert. I think it always helps to have familiar faces in the crowd as well. Tonight we had Chris, Nick Villaume, and Tom and Betty Lamb from Shallowford. What a treat!

YouTube Video

After the concert it was dessert and fellowship before shipping the kids off to home stays once again. Tomorrow it's off to New Orleans for Senior Night! (That was a slightly sarcastic exclamation point) I think we are going to put the child locks on the doors of the van and just drive the seniors around the french quarter so they can see it.

Another big thanks to Nick Villaume for all the leg work and publicity he did for this tour stop. The people were excited and happy to see us thanks to Nick and it was meaningful for us all to get to share our message with a community that means so much to Nick. It's also not every day that your Sr. Pastor flies out to meet your youth choir for a single concert. Perhaps even more rare is having a Sr. Pastor that the kids enjoy seeing and hanging out with. Great days are in store for Shallowford.

Two more days. Start spreading the word. We want to come home to a packed house!

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Location:Lake Charles, LA

Houston We Have A Choir

2011-06-16T00:46:00.001-04:00

It was back on the road today. We had a fairly easy drive so we got to turn the kids lose today in the mall of all malls. The Galleria in Houston complete with ice skating rink and Needless Markups (Neiman Marcus). After that it was just a short ride up to The Woodlands where a wonderful church was waiting on us. We talked about what a difference it makes when you arrive somewhere and you can tell they are really excited to have you there.

We arrived to a beautiful sanctuary, a wonderful music director who helped Emily work with the kids, and a great home cooked meal. We shared stories and desserts after the concert and now the kids have all gone to home stays where they are hoping to strike it rich in the McMansions of this somewhat affluent neighborhood. I'm sure they will all have great stories in the morning.

We got to Houston today and realized that about a third of the boys had left some portion of their uniform in the hotel in San Antonio. That's what happens when you let them stay somewhere for two nights! They sure can sing though!

YouTube Video

It was good to be singing again. You could tell this was a musical congregation and they appreciated what they heard. They are trying to start their youth choirs again so it was inspiring for them to see our group. Tomorrow it's off to meet up with Nick Villaume in his home town of Lake Charles.

Some close up, candids from the day:

In related news, the call came in around 3:00 today that my camera had been found. It's now en route to Atlanta!

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Location:Houston, TX

Dragon-1, Jay-0

2011-06-15T01:01:00.001-04:00

So in a sad turn of events, after I entrusted my water proof camera to the youth all day, who successfully took lots of great pictures, I decided to put it in my pocket while riding Dragon's Revenge this afternoon. Needless to say, the dragon did indeed get its revenge. The bad news is the camera is somewhere between turns two and three. The good news is thanks to my iPhone, the show goes on.

Aside from this sad loss, Schlitterbahn was great. It was nestled in amongst the treetops providing lots of natural shade, there were a good 13,000 less people than a typical day at Whitewater, lines were short, and food was paid for. Despite the sunscreen party at the beginning of the day, the kids managed to get almost as sunburned as we thought they would but it goes great with the choir tour t-shirts that Karen designed.

The main attractions included Master Blaster (voted number 1 water ride in the world) and the before mentioned Dragon's Revenge which were some of the first, if not the first, water rides to actually send you back uphill after the initial descent (think roller coasters here). Despite a slightly longer wait, they were well worth it. They also had lots of other great rides for those looking for a lower degree of thrill.

Now the fun is essentially over! It's back to work and the regular tour schedule starting with a concert tomorrow night in Houston. Here the very meager youth choir of around 10 singers will be joining us as they try to gain some interest and momentum for their own choir. It should be a well attended concert so we are looking forward to getting back in the swing of things. Then it's off to Lake Charles where the choir has already been featured in the local paper thanks to Nick Villaume. I would share the link with you but it has been down for the last day and a half. Check out the Shallowford Facebook page for the link when it starts working again.

Now that we are away from water, there will be more pictures/videos tomorrow. Keep following us!

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Location:San Antonio, TX

Some Fun with Shamu

2011-06-14T03:21:00.001-04:00

YouTube Video

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Worship In Waco

2011-06-14T03:10:00.003-04:00

YouTube Video

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Evening Concert at Oak Hills

2011-06-14T03:00:00.002-04:00

YouTube Video

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One big, hot, sweaty mess

2011-06-14T02:38:00.001-04:00

Wow. We were at Sea World before it opened this morning with thousands of our closest friends. The shows were great. The all new, One World, Shamu show. The Azul dolphin and high wire diving, swinging, etc. act. The sea lion show. Penguin feedings. Gator talks. It was a lot to squeeze in the 5 hours that seemed to fly by. Most of us managed to duck from shade tree to shade tree to air conditioned gift shop enough to keep from getting completely fried, but let's be honest. 100 degrees is just hot. Humidity or not, it was roasting.

After Sea World it was off to the Alamo to see a bit of history. It was a lot for a group of half dehydrated, half sunburned, tourists to take in but man did they have a great gift shop. It's pretty wild to read about the history of the Alamo and see how the city has completely grown up around this iconic building. I must say it ruined the image I had in my mind from old western movies of this lone building out in the middle of the desert. Instead it's across from Ripley's Believe it Or Not and the Guinness Book of World Records Museum. None the less, we were all glad that we took the time to see this part of San Antonio history.

Finally, it was off to the river walk. Perhaps the highlight of our day, the river walk was a great little part of town full of shops, restaurants, cafes, and people watching. Most of us took the 30 minute boat ride through the canals as we learned a little bit of history about the city. Think a much more touristy, much more crowded, and much less romantic version of a Venetian gondola ride, but informative and relaxing nonetheless. It was a great way to end another busy day.

Tomorrow it's off to Schlitterbahn for the entire day!

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Location:San Antonio, TX

Will Sing for Food

2011-06-13T10:09:00.001-04:00

We started the day off with worship at First Presbyterian Church in Waco in an absolutely beautiful hundred year old sanctuary. The host families could not have had nicer words to say about our youth and that was even before they sang. You could tell from what was said both during and following the service that this church is really trying to emphasize the importance of youth and young people in the church and in worship specifically. Our group was in held up as a great example of this in action and something for FPC to live up to.

I think the older members particularly enjoyed our revved up version of O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing, as it drew applause from a church that apparently does not clap for just anyone. The choir director leaned over to one of our chaperones after the applause and said "that is the third time in my thirty years here that they have clapped for someone." What a HUGE compliment.

After worship, it was box lunches and then back on the bus for a short ride to San Antonio for concert number two at Oak Hills Presbyterian Church. We were treated to a great tex-mex fajita dinner and had time to let the kids run around a little bit before singing.

We even had a few familiar faces in the crowd as the Adams Family was there to cheer us on!

It was another long day of singing. I can't believe that worship in Waco was just this morning! Now it's off for a couple days of fun before getting back to business. Tomorrow is Sea World, The Alamo, and the Riverwalk in San Antonio. Weather forecast for tomorrow: High Temp of 101. Wish us luck.

(the wonderful Comfort Inn WIFI is not cooperating this morning enough to allow me to post the videos from yesterdays concerts. Look for them as soon as I can post them)

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Location:San Antonio, TX

Peace, Love, Mammoths, and Dr. Pepper

2011-06-12T00:16:00.001-04:00

We left all the trees and hills behind us today as we made our way out of the bayou and into ranchland. Thankfully it was a dry 98 today and we managed to spend most of our day in the comfort of air conditioning. We're looking forward to going all out however in the next few days as we make it into triple digits.

Our first stop in Waco this afternoon was at the Dr. Pepper Museum. We got a little more history about the popular drink than we really wanted (think really scaled down version of the Coke museum, and then take away all the bells and whistles), but the soda fountain was pretty great at the end. Most of us enjoyed a Dr. Pepper float or shake which is what we really came for anyway.

After Dr. Pepper we decided we hadn't had enough fun for one day yet so we headed just a few miles down the road to Mammoth Site Park. Here there was a lovely jaunt down a newly constructed path to a wonderfully cool (cold not hip) building set over top of a recently closed dig site.

In the site were a handful of mammoth remains, a camel, some unidentified bones, and some beautiful new ferns! It was pretty fascinating to see these still in their original placement just as they were discovered.

Four minutes later, the usual suspects were playing frisbee in the parking lot and we knew it was time to head to the church. We were greeted by a wonderful group of eager hosts and a home-cooked Texas style BBQ dinner.

Tomorrow is double duty as we will sing in a gorgeous sanctuary at First Presbyterian of Waco for morning worship and then travel to San Antonio for an evening concert. You can kiss those clean polo shirts goodbye!

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2011-06-11T01:42:00.001-04:00

So apparently when you are on tour, either time stands still, or there are at least 29 hours in the day. Mama Bear and the chaperones had to reassure each other this morning that yes this was only Friday, Day 2. But we are having a blast.

We left Alabama, and Mississippi behind and arrived in Cajun territory just after 4:00pm today as we pulled into the Northwest Louisiana War Veterans Home. After the concert last year in Cincinnati, the kids were very excited to share their message with this group of veterans. For some it was a little intimidating at first. For others, it was a little too close to home, reminding them of loved ones at home that they don't get to see enough. Either way it was both inspiring and an honor to sing for such a distinguished group of people. The appreciation and excitement in having us there was evident.

After the concert, the kids had the chance to visit with the residents. Some of them shared war stories and told us about their families. Others simply wanted to know more about us and where we were from and why in the world we would drive this far just to see them. I think it really hit home just how meaningful this visit was for the veterans when one man told them that we were the first guests he has visited with in over three years despite the fact that his son lives just fifteen minutes from the facility.

By the time we left the Veterans center, it was after 7:00 and time to invade the Corral made of gold. In case you were in doubt, I can assure you that 56 teenagers (plus Jay) can put a hurtin' on some food. But the kids were great once again and even voluntarily sang happy birthday to a nearby table celebrating with family.

Jay's First Plate

Jay's Second Plate

Jay's Dessert Plate

Finally, after Golden Corral, you know what they always say: if you can, try to swim sooner than thirty minutes after an all you can eat buffet!
The kids blew off some steam and hung out together in the hotel pool for a while before heading off to their rooms to be asleep with the lights out by 11:00! Or something like that.

YouTube Video

Tomorrow is a welcomed off day as far as singing goes, but we head to Waco, Texas for a trip to the Dr. Pepper museum, some free time, and dinner at First Presbyterian of Waco.

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Location:Bossier City, LA

Hearing Aids and Chocolate Chip Cookies, Roll Tide

2011-06-10T00:46:00.001-04:00

YouTube Video

We managed to survive our first food court stop with no casualties or stragglers, putting us in Tuscaloosa even a few minutes early. Upon arrival, our audience was already anxiously waiting for us. After a short warm-up, the kids put on another great show despite cramped quarters and the chorus of hearing aid buzzes and squeals that accompanied their singing.

After the show the kids got a chance to visit some of the residents of Pine Valley Nursing Community, join in a little friendly Auburn vs. Alabama banter, and stuff their faces with some of the best, warm, chewy, chocolate chip cookies.

Following the concert, Jeffery from FPC of Tuscaloosa took us on a drive so we could see first hand, some of the devastation that has ravaged this part of the country. It was truly unbelievable to see entire blocks and subdivisions wiped away, while businesses and homes just across the street managed to go unscathed. I think the kids were a little surprised to see the extent of the damage firsthand.

YouTube Video

Before dinner we had a chance to hang out at FPC and do a little research and development for our upcoming building campaign (foosball please) and get our t-shirts just sweaty and smelly enough that our host families will have to wash them for us tonight so that we can sing in them tomorrow.
Just about that time we realized it had been almost 24 hours since we had had pizza. Thank goodness the troops showed up with you guessed it. More pies! This time it was at least a little local college town pizzeria but admittedly it is slowly turning into a new version of the lasagna tour of 2010! Looking forward to some tex-mex in the days ahead.

We are all safe and sound and tired after what seems like a long day one. Tomorrow, another long drive to Louisiana and a concert at a Veteran's home there. Continue to keep up with us and pass our journeys along to your friends.

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Location:T-town, Tuscaloosa, AL

And We're Off

2011-06-09T10:28:00.001-04:00

YouTube Video

Well we are four miles into the trip and we have already heard "has anyone seen my phone" and "I need to go to the bathroom." All is good in the world. Spirits are high and everyone is excited to finally get our show on the road. Thanks to St. Andrews and First Pres for hosting our pre-tour performances and everyone who came out to support us. We will try to update the blog a couple times a day so you can keep tabs on us. Tonight we are in Tuscaloosa for a concert and a chance to share our message with those who are in the midst of recovery following last months deadly tornados. Only 150 miles to our first food court!

Ride. Eat. Sing baby! Ride. Eat. Sing.
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Location:Atlanta Connector

I like my steaks pink in the middle

2010-06-25T22:42:00.001-04:00

We had a wonderful day at the beach this afternoon. 100 % of the youth are sunburned and are now having aloe parties. We tried our best to get them to reapply but it seems to have failed.

A front moved in late this afternoon just in time to drop the temperature to a cool 75 degrees in time for the baseball game and not a drop of rain. The Youthworks staff even joined us for one last hoorah!! We loved them a lot!

We will be on the road tomorrow around 9 in hopes of pulling into church sometime around 1:30 or 2. We can't wait to see you all.

Last Day

2010-06-24T09:44:00.001-04:00

We're off for our last day of work projects. We had a great evening last night on the beach and are looking forward to a good cookout tonight with the community.

In other news, two of our youth thought it would be a good idea to throw each other through a window in the boys sleeping room last night so we will be making some repairs this morning. But don't worry, I knew this would happen so I brought both of their parents along as chaperones on the trip! :)

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Almost to Hump Day

2010-06-22T22:59:00.001-04:00

Hey all. Sorry for the delay. They keep us pretty busy around here and there are only certain times I can use my phone and certain places I can take pictures.

We are having a wonderful week. Kids who had reservations about the work assignements going into day 1 are now loving them. Some of us are painting, others are spending times with kids, and yet others are with older residents in a rehab hospital.

We are beginning to mingle more with the other churches, one from Indiana and the other from Alabama. They think our group, and our leaders, are pretty cool!!! Imagine that. Anyway, tomorrow we switch work projects and get to spend a free afternoon at the beach!

Can't wait to share lots more pictures and stories with you all.

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Rise and Shine!

2010-06-21T07:03:00.001-04:00

Our first morning here! The youth are up early cooking my breakfast. We are staying in a great little Methodist church and managed to get good sleep last night. Today is our first real day of mission work and then tonight it's off to River Street!

So far so good. Our scripture verse for the week is John 3:30 "Jesus must become greater, I must become less."

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Final Leg!

2010-06-13T12:22:00.001-04:00

This morning we mustered the energy to sing in worship and kept our eyes open for most of the time. It was a beautiful, old sanctuary dating back to 1858. The best part about being in Charlotte is that we were just one little bus ride from home! We're on the road now. Look how excited our kids are about being home:

See you all soon!!!!!

Country Roads, Take Me Home

2010-06-12T00:22:00.001-04:00

Despite sore throats, sunburns, and lack of sleep, the kids really pulled it together tonight for one of their better performances. It's fun to see them finally beginning to embrace the performance a little more, allowing themselves to break loose and have fun with it. Individual singers are fInding ways that they connect and identify with the songs and you can see it on their faces and in their movements The more fun they have with it, the more fun we have in the audience. I can't wait to see how they rally for the homecoming show.

We're up again bright and early heading for Charlotte.

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Life on the road

2010-06-11T19:07:00.001-04:00

We now have a brief glimpse into what it must feel like to be rockstars. After 7+ days onthe road, the bus is beginning to feel like home. Some manage to sleep, some have been glued to their gameboys, iPods, and cellphones since 285, others continue week long card games, or just talk to hear their head rattle.

Barbara Houze has joined us once more for our concert in Charleston, WV that begins in just moments. After tonight, the light at the end of the tunnel gets a little brighter. Pass the word that we're coming home and invite them to our concert on Sunday.

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Coasters, Gorillas, and Tats

2010-06-11T10:04:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a great day! The lines were short, the temperature was a cool 75 (sunburns were sorta held at bay (Emily's is the worst)), and the coasters were screamin'. The crowd favorites were Millenium Force topping out at speeds of 93 mph and Top Thrill Dragster reaching 120 mph in less than 4 seconds! Even some of our youth went on their very first roller coasters!

Even those that aren't fans of coasters found things to keep them busy. Andrew Bogle won a 5' tall gorilla who is now riding shotgun in the van. Emily and Jay had a rousing afternoon on the sky buckets, paddlewheel boat, and train. And the chaperones ended the evening getting tats and watching a fireworks extravaganza.

This morning, after waking up a few oversleepers, it's off to Charleston, WV for an evening concert.

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Cedar Point Day

2010-06-10T09:49:00.001-04:00

Last night we had a great night with the veterans. They enjoyed the performance and the youth got to spend some time hearing their stories afterwards. It really meant a lot to our youth to be able to perform for this distinguished group of people.

After the show we went to Ohio's version of Mayfield for some fresh ice cream and frisbee. We managed to get a few hours of sleep at the mission center of 1st Presbyterian Church. Nothing like 35 guys altogether in one room. Now it's off to the rides for 12 hours!!

Tomorrow it's time to head South again.

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... I was checking the a ... specs on the end line, for the rotary, girder...

2010-06-09T10:27:00.001-04:00

Singers were dropping like flies last night as they performed under the hot lights in Crystal Lake. After a good nights sleep and another omelette by Bogle we are no worse for the wear. We leave behind the familiar faces from Emily's past and head toward Ohio.

Tonight it's Sandusky (hence the Tommy Boy reference) for a concert and a night in the mission center. Tomorrow it's Cedar Point!

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Ahhhh. Home Sweet Home

2009-06-14T13:56:00.001-04:00

Here we come!

2009-06-14T09:51:00.001-04:00

Leaving Clemson NOW!

Hi from Clemson

2009-06-13T17:52:00.000-04:00

We are here in Clemson and setting up for tonight's performance. The sound in this church is great and Bill Cato has gone way above and beyond to make us welcome. Go Tigers!!!

Next stop...ATL! Get ready!

Hotel in Raleigh

2009-06-12T22:28:00.001-04:00

so tonight we are at out hotel and the boys were in the lobby and got into a conversation with some of the guests. when they discovered that the boys are with a choir, the folks asked them to perform. so, after a few mimutes of very loud deliberation, the folks were just about to discount them when the boys snapped right to and launched into an all male rendition of "bound for jubilee."

after that, the manager agreed to open the pool for them, so now we are sitting and watching the kids play.

Baltimore Inner Harbor

2009-06-12T13:07:00.001-04:00

Hey guys. sorry we have not updated in a few days. we are now in petersburg, va headed to raleigh.

yesterday, we stopped in baltimore for lunch and to tour the waterfront.

we spent last night in severna park, md with the folks from woods memorial presbyterian church. it was a great time and the folks there were great.

big shout to the moores flying in to suprise tori. she was thrilled and it meant a lot to us all to see some familiar faces.

althoigh we did not go annapolis, several kids stayed in homes on the bay and a couple got to swim this morning in a nearby lake.

Boston/Salem

2009-06-09T21:29:00.000-04:00

Today started with a rainy, but fun walking tour of Boston. We started at the commons and walked all the way to Quincey market. Along the way, we visited many fascinating historical sites.

After lunch, we got on the bus and drove to Salem. There, we took a walking tour of town visiting the old sites of many key points in the witch trials and US history...and of course spme shopping and running around. After a good dinner, we then took a walking Ghost tour of Salem.

Another day, another mall.

2009-06-08T14:41:00.000-04:00

Monday finds us in the Danbury Square Mall in Danbury, CT. This is by far the nicest mall yet as malls go and I am sure many of our children will spend all their food money on unique items that you can ONLY get at forever 21 in the Danbury mall as opposed to one of the 12 malls in Atlanta.

Anyway, more news from Boston is coming tonight.

Union Church of Christ

2009-06-07T19:36:00.001-04:00

Neff, PA

Tonight, we had a concert at what is for certain the oldest and most historic church of our tour. This sanctuary and main building were buit in the 1700's and there are actually revolutionary war soldiers burried in the "old" cemetary across the street with the "new" cemetary behind the church ONLY dating back to the 1800's.

Each of the churches have had families visit to see the kids perform. In Greensboro, it was Annies grandmother. In Laurel, it was Megs aunt and uncle znd Michaeles aunt and uncle. However, tonight was a chart topper!!! We had Tony's granparents, Tori's relatives and basically the ENTIRE Weirich family!

We really want to thank Kelly's parents, Chester and Carolyn, for organizing a huge welcome, great dinner, large audience and warm and friendly host families. We are really blessed to have him.

That's all for now. But here are some pics from the show that is going on as I write.

Sick kids, but moving ahead!

2009-06-07T08:55:00.000-04:00

We got a couple sick kids today, but nothing severe. Just swollen glands and sore throats, so we are the CVS getting some antibiotics.

We had a good night otherwise. The kids are singing this morning during worship at Laurel Pres and then we are off to Neffs, PA.

Night Night from Laurel Pres

2009-06-06T23:33:00.000-04:00

Great time in MD!

2009-06-06T20:50:00.001-04:00

Dinner is done and we have had a great time here with Michael Hakas and Linda Prucino. They fed all 55 of us and let us play at their awesome home for a couple hours. They have this great barn whose loft has been converted to a pool room.

We got to enjoy talking with Emily, Meg and Laura as well as shoot pool with Julia and watch the guys try to kill themselves with a frisbee.

Now we are off to the church for a night of fun and sharing two showers!!!

FO has arrived in Laurel, MD

2009-06-06T17:39:00.000-04:00

Hey guys! We have kust arrived at the home of Megs Aunt and Uncle. The weather is great and cool and the house and woods are awesome here in MD.

Petersburg, VA

2009-06-06T14:17:00.001-04:00

Stopped for lunch at the Southpark mall after a 3 hour drive today. Allvthe kids have spent a good time wandering the mall and food court. I got to hang out with Johnathan and Andrew. We are just about to get back on the bus to head for Laurel, MD. Should be there in a couple hours and will send more news.

We're off to a great start!

2009-06-05T22:14:00.000-04:00

Well, the concert was a great success. We left town just a little late, but got into Greensboro at around 4:30 and got unloaded and set up in time for dinner at 6.

The performance went off great and Starmount is a beautiful church with a wonderful congregation.

It is 10:00 PM as I write and all the kids are at their host homes. Jay and I are sitting here now visiting with our host Helen and Jerry while Louis and Ross hang out in their room upstairs.

Here are some pictures from the day.

Tomorrow we are up early to clean up and head for Laurel, MD.

T-minus 3 days and counting

2009-06-02T11:14:00.004-04:00

(our fearful leader)

( T-R-O-U-B-L-E)

(gotta love those all day rehearsals)

Well it's that time of year again. Different leader but the show goes on. 55 youth and adults are getting set to sing their way to Boston. The theme this year is "The World is About to Turn" and centers around issues of peace and justice. We hope you will join us for one of our concerts at Shallowford, Wednesday June 4 at 7:00 pm, or Sunday, June 14 at 4:00 pm. In the meantime, keep up with our travels here and pray for us along the way!

Faith in 3D a Huge success!!

2009-01-21T13:24:00.005-05:00

All 29 of us returned home safely Monday, from a weekend at Disney World. While back in the A it was a chilly 20 degrees, we were basking in the 70 degree heat and shedding layers. It was a weekend of not only play but also worship as we got to hear from Tony Campolo and Rodger Nishioka! Wow. Click on the image above to see more pictures from our weekend.

Edinburgh pictures and more

2008-06-16T10:29:00.002-04:00

Sorry to all who have been reading this blog that it is getting ready to come to an end. The trip was wonderful. I promise I will get around at some point to adding pictures from our last two days in Edinburgh. In the meantime, here is a link to 500 of my photos from the trip for you to view. Enjoy.

Scotland Photos Click Here

Stirling and Melrose

2008-06-10T19:22:00.004-04:00

After leaving Focabers we had a nice long drive to Melrose by way of Sterling Castle. Unfortunately, we did not get to sing in the castle as planned because they were unveiling the plans for a new rennovation project and apparently there were people in attendance more important than us. Boy did they miss out! We still got in free however and I think most of the kids were okay with having the extra free time. We had plenty to tour the castle, the old towne jail, and of course the shopping malls of Stirling. We actually got our first drops of rain today, but barely enough to force us inside and only for 20 minutes or so. Then it was off to Melrose where we will be going on a hike and performing tomorrow. I don't have too many good shots of the group at Stirling Castle yet but I will track some down. In the mean time there are a few shots of the castle. I am certainly trying to represent as many people in the pictures as possible but it is proving to be difficult. Bear with me. In the meantime we are having a great time.

Our Last Day in Inverness

2008-06-09T03:17:00.005-04:00

Yesterday we took a tour of the Battlegrounds, where our youth all bought plastic swords and ran through the fields recreating scenes from Braveheart. Just picture Gettysburg and change the accents and the uniforms. We also celebrated our last night in Inverness with a cookout at one of the host homes. Everyone had a great time rolling down the hills, wrestling, and just visiting with each other. There was lots of great food, and ice cream and it was sad to see our new friends go, especially for the boys who had done a little romancing over the past two days.

We sang twice yesterday in Inverness, once during morning worship and once in the evening. We are headed to Focabers where we will sing again and have another ceilidh tonight, now that we know all the moves! We will also be stopping by the cashmere factory on our way. Isn't Father's Day soon??

Inverness

2008-06-07T18:46:00.005-04:00

This morning we left Elgin and set out for Inverness, just a short hour drive away. We arrived just in time to tour the city and have lunch before meeting our boat ride on Loch Ness. The two hour boat ride took us across the lake to Urquhart Castle. Although our attempts at spotting Nessie were unsuccessful we did have plenty of time to play on the grassy hills surrounding the castle. And by play, I mean roll down, slide down, somersault down, push people down and throw people down. Parents, we apologize now for all of the grass stains, but the entertainment was well worth it.

After the castle we returned to Inverness to meet our host families, grab a bite to eat and prepare for tonight's ceilidh (caley), a typical Scottish dance similar to our square dancing. Tomorrow we will sing a shortened program in the morning and then the full length program in the evening at Crown church in Inverness, and will gather for a bbq on the beach in the evening.

Elgin

2008-06-07T03:31:00.005-04:00

Friday, June 6 and a day sightseeing in Elgin. Above are pictures of the cathedral from 1270 mentioned in the last blog as well as pictures from the Biblical Garden. There are a group of volunteers that decided one day to create a garden that would include every plant mentioned in the Bible. Today in the garden you will find most of these plants and placards that indicate where they are to be found in the Scriptures. They have also incorporated statues and other Biblical characters into the grounds representing many famous stories and parables. After our tour of the cathedral and the garden, our choir was asked for a sneak preview of the performance, and so they sang for a small audience in the gardens.

After the gardens, we took a short walk over to the Elgin Youth Cafe. This is a place where local youth can come to hang out, get help, stay out of trouble, etc. The boys got to play Wii, foosball, ping pong, pool and don't worry everyone got to check their facebook accounts! I took lots of pictures so that we will be able to convert the chapel basement into a replica of this great space. After lunch it was off to the Abbey.

At Plusgarden Abbey we had a chance to tour the grounds and the real treat was getting to speak with one of the monks. It was one of the same monks that the group met in 2000 on a boat in Iona and Bob and several of the monks recognized each other! Such a small world. He shared a little about himself and about their way of life and then asked again if our group would sing for them. So the choir gathered around again, in the Abbey and sang as the monks all perpared for worship. This was a place truly built for sound and even Gary Adams was nearly brought to tears.

The first performance/worship service was last night and was a huge success. The choir sang before a packed house at St. Giles church and fellowshipped with tea coffee and shortbread afterwards. It was a long and busy day but nice to get in a routine again.

Today it will be off to Inverness where we will tour the town, take a boat tour of Loch Ness, and have a cookout and Ceilidh (dance).

After some sleep and a shower!

2008-06-06T01:11:00.004-04:00

It is 6:15 am local time, Friday June 6. We arrived yesterday safe and sound, all luggage and people accounted for. Our buses and their drivers were waiting to collect us and take us on our way. Upon arrival we found the hottest day of the year thus far here in Scotland, an unbearable 72 degrees and sunny, with a slight breeze. You can imagine our discomfort.

Our first stop was Scone (skooon) Palace where we had a chance to tour the grounds, eat in the underground cafe, listen to bagpipes, get lost and found again in the hedge maze, and of course...play with the peacocks. The palace was consturcted in 1808 for the Earl of Mansfield and was the former locale for the crowning of the Kings of the Scots. Presently, the current generation of Mansfields still live underneath the palace and use the estate for entertaining purposes.

From the palace it was off to our first overnight destination, the small, quaint town of Elgin (elginn as opposed to eljin). After a three hour drive and nap, we arrived to find our host families waiting on us. We quickly dispersed and went off to our homes for the evening. At 11:00 pm local time when I turned the light out, the sun was still setting.

Today, Friday, we will be touring around the town of Elgin with a stop at the ruins of a cathedral built originally in 1270 but destroyed by Alexander Stewart sometime in 1390. Tonight is our first choir program and we will find out how many youth actually forgot to bring black socks or made it with only one shoe. Continue to pray for us, but rest assured we are all safe, sound and quite happy.

Adventures in Hartsfield!

2008-06-04T14:45:00.007-04:00

All have arrived safely at Gate A21 after two gate changes, and most importantly, Barbie is safe and sound. Doug and Pilot Moore are here with us to make sure we get the best treatment possible!

It's now 8:47 pm Atlanta time and we are finding out that we have somehow escaped the comfort of southern hospitality. That's right we are at New York's own JFK airport where the bagel sandwiches are $18 and the and the restaurants close at 8:00. Thankfully we are safe and sound inside the friendly confines of the Delta Club Room. Outside it's a gorgeous 66 degrees and raining and we are headed shortly to meet our connecting flight. Our next post will come from the other side of the pond.

Crank City Tours Welcomes You To New Orleans

2000-12-31T19:00:00.001-05:00

Chris, Nick, and I started off the morning in Lake Charles with a little pep talk/devotion. Nick talked a little about how meaningful it was to him, to have the choir sing in his hometown. Many people dream of coming home to their old stomping grounds to say "hey, look at me now" but this choir represents the company we keep and the pride that we have in our church far better then we could ever do with our own words.

I talked a little about trust, and how it is so necessary on a journey like this. Many of you probably heard your youth coming home, talking about these paper cranes and how it would never work. Just days before the tour, kids were still saying, "we aren't ready." But The Awakening and Song of Peace are two of their headliners and tearjerkers in the program and you can tell now that the kids sing these songs with a lot more confidence.

Finally, Chris challenged the kids to think about the idea that every time they sing, every time they stay with families, they are actually changing the world a little at a time. Just as Chris and Emily and I accepted our jobs with some hope of changing the world, these choir members have the same task. We talked about how at each concert you can sense the Spirit in the room and that a shift is taking place. As we go back home, our youth are charged with helping to change not only the world, but their own congregation as we encounter some exciting and new opportunities.

It's dress day!

After the heavy morning, we had a shotgun lunch in Baton Rouge so that we could make it to New Orleans with plenty of time for Cafe DuMonde and Jackson square before the concert. We all stuffed our faces with beignets and coffee and then ventured out into the stifling heat for a short glimpse into life in the French Quarter. After barely surviving the sweltering temperatures this afternoon, we arrived at First Presbyterian Church of New Orleans where the news was only slightly better. The sanctuary air condition had not been turned on and the thermostat read a steady 84 degrees for the duration of our show. As you will see from the pictures and video, we made the call to sing in what we already had on and jazzed it up with some mardi gras beads courtesy of the church. Despite the heat, the choir really responded with a wonderful show to for a slightly smaller but surprisingly energetic and appreciative crowd.

Riding high on the wave of another great performance, it was off to the nicest Hampton Inn I have ever stayed in. Only snafu, every room in the entire hotel consists of one king bed! Try telling 4 middle school boys they will be sharing one bed. Pretty sure some are sleeping in the tub as we speak. Just kidding, we managed to get it mostly sorted out with pull out sofas and rollaway beds.

The Seniors and Emily and I had a great night tonight. We went just a few blocks away for some great cajun food, a little live music and dancing, and good times at Mulates. What a special group that will be leaving us this year! All in all it was another long and great day on the road. We look forward to moving even a few states closer tomorrow as we roll into Auburn.

Get the red carpet unrolled and iron. We're headed home!

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Location:New Orleans, LA

The Video

2000-12-31T19:00:00.000-05:00

You know these budget motels. They'll leave the light on for you but don't try to download any large files using their "free" wifi.

YouTube Video

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