Nice Weekend

Well, we made it through all our rehearsals and the concert last night with New Irish Arts. We really never felt jet-lagged as we got a good night's rest Friday night.

It was quite an experience for us on several different levels. First, Beth and I hadn't sung with a formal choir for some time. Second, it had been at least as long since I had to sight read vocal music, so I was a bit rusty. Third, just singing with a group of 130 or so people and being the only non-Irish in the group was exciting. Fourth, I had much empathy for the director, as the whole event reminded me of the many times I was in charge of a large group of performers, coordinating them for dress rehearsal, with all of the challenges that holds.

The best part of the evening wasn't when we were singing fully with the orchestra and band, but instead it came at the end when the director told the "audience" (following a standing ovation) that we weren't there to "put on a good show", but to lift up the Name of the Lord. He then had all stand and we sang "Holy, Holy, Holy" a capella (without instruments). The place erupted in such wonderful 28-part harmony that it would have given me chills had it not been so stifling on the choir risers. I did have to stop singing a couple of times as my emotions welled up within.

We're having a wonderful time with our friends David and Pearl Porter and their kids Joshua, Jeremy and Carys. We met David in the Czech Republic in April at the Europe Worship Link Conference and it was he who invited us to come up to Belfast and join in the NIA choir for the day. We're very glad he did.

Tomorrow, we are hoping to meet up with William and Rebecca Olphert, who we met in January on our way through Balymena, just a bit north of Belfast. They are Calvary Chapel people with a church plant that they started.

Then it's back to Dublin to stay with our good friends Alex and Linda Gason for a few days and get some planning, meetings and phone calls done.