TMC Wales Tour

Thank You from Dave Cave, Sussex Street Baptist Church, Rhyl

2007-11-01T08:39:00.000-06:00

Dear Jonathan

Cafarchion - Greetings from Sussex Street Baptist Church in North Wales. This Dave Cave, senior minister writing to say how blessed we were by the visit of your choir.Since your visit I have heard stories of men and women of all ages in tears as you ministered to us in testimony and song. It was a time of great fellowship and encouragement. May The Lord bless you richly for your willingness to make the journey to Wales to come and share God's love with us in the way that you did. Attached are a couple of pictures of the day. There are more on our web site under September Pictorial News (http://www.rhylbaptist.org.uk/)I trust you all returned safely and in good helath.

In the love of Jesus,

Dave Cave

Caernarfon Herald Article

2007-10-10T15:26:00.000-05:00

The following article was printed in the Caernarfon Herald. I report from the Herald was present when the Omega Bus sang at the Primary School.
- Jonathan Nelms

Great week for the kids!
Sep 27 2007
by Helen Harper, Caernarfon and Denbigh Herald
MEMBERS of the Chester Jets basketball team dropped by at a Caernarfon school last week to pilot their new Hoops 4 Health initiative, promoting healthy eating, no smoking and an active lifestyle.
Headteacher of Ysgol yr Hendre, Arwel Jones, who has been involved with basketball for 25 years both in Caernarfon, and more recently coaching the Holyhead team, said: “The team were in Abersoch for a bonding session and on the way back they were looking for someone to trial Hoops 4 Health with.
“They knew about me so they contacted the school and asked if they could come over.”
The pupils got to meet the players including new signing Jayson Obazuaye, a 23-year-old Nigerian international who has just graduated from the University of Colorado.
“It was a great experience for the kids to meet people from different backgrounds. The team were great male role models for them.”
Then on Friday, members of the Tennessee Baptist Men’s Chorale popped over to the school to sing with their choir.
The visiting choir presented the school with copies of their latest CD, and in return, the school gave them DVDs of their last school production of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
Mr Jones said: “The Tennessee choir had learnt a song in Welsh and the two choirs sang it together. It was truly uplifting.
“They wanted to experience the land of song and it was a fantastic experience for the kids.
“I am very proud that the Chester Jets and the Tennessee choir came here. Both events made it a great week for the kids.”
helen.harper

The link for the article is http://icnorthwales.icnetwork.co.uk/caernarfonherald/news/tm_headline=great-week-for-the-kids%26method=full%26objectid=19853064%26siteid=50142-name_page.html#story_continue

a note and a drawing from John Morris

2007-10-09T10:48:00.000-05:00

This is the church where we heard a wonderful monologue by
our own TMC member, Bill (John Newton) Anderson and then sang
Amazing Grace together! What a singularly stellar, spiritual time it was
for Barbara and me! I don't believe that there was a dry eye in the church
even before Bill finished the monologue. I know that there weren't any dry
eyes as we sang, and afterward.

What wonderful fellowship we all have together! Thank you Paul, Charlotte,
Jonathan, Mary, and Vicki. (I have already stated that I think Eddie Hodges
in the hardest working professional in his chosen area of expertise.) I'm so
very grateful to be a part of a great group of men (and women) who love the
Lord and who love to minister through beautiful hymns/songs of our faith.
May it never end!

Thank you God, for all of your many blessings to each of us!

Blessings,
John

Thank You from Dafydd Job

2007-10-02T15:33:00.000-05:00

Dear Brother Jonathan,
I hope you got back saely to the US, and were not completely exhausted by the end of your time here. Thank you for coming over and for the testimony of the Chorale. It was good and encouraging, and people appreciated your witness. I hope that you also were encouraged. I was only sorry that more people did not come to hear you, especially on the Saturday evening at Bangor. I had been away over the previous few weeks, or I would have done more to help with the publicity. However those of us who were there were blessed very much. I heard a number of people (not all believers by any means) saying: "You can tell that these people believe what they're singing."
As John Robinson said, I write and translate hymns into Welsh. I have a burden that as we enjoy the fruit of the past in our hymn singing, so we should be producing our own contemporary expression of worship. So I am always on the lookout for new hymns. I was wondering whether it is possible to obtain the words and music of some of the songs you brought with you to Wales. I am thinking particularly of the words, because obviously with most of these pieces we would have to adapt for the congregation to be able to sing. If you could either send me something, or tell me where to get hold of them I woud be grateful.
In the meantime than you once again for coming to hep us in our witness
God bless,
Dafydd

Thank You Note from Cor Meibion Caernarfon

2007-10-02T11:42:00.000-05:00

Dear Joanathan,

Just a short note to thank you, Paul, the choir, and the accompanists for a great night on Saturday. We thoroughly enjoyed and were most impressed by the quality of your performance. We were most grateful for the meal beforehand and for the opportunity that gave us to "break the ice" and get to know you. To cap it all those of us who made the Celtic Royal then had a wonderful "wind down" - indeed Raymond is already looking forward to burning up the roads of Tennessee!

Diolch yn fawr a pob lwc.

Regards,

Owain Wyn
Chair
Côr Meibion Caernarfon

www.cormeibioncaernarfon.org

London

2007-09-24T10:04:00.000-05:00

We're in London. Sorry we haven't updated. We've haven't been in town during daytime hours to get to the internet cafe and I didn't bring my laptop.
today we went to Olney to the church where John Newton was rector. He is the writer of "Amazing Grace". Now we are in Londaon. Can't upload a picture because my wire is in Caernarfon.
If you need detailed info, I'm not your man.
Some are going to the theatre to see "Wicked" tonight. Others are site seeing on their own.
Tomorrow we see the London Bridge and Westminster Abbey and those kinds of things.
Last night's concert was incredible.
Have to run. Cheerio!

Wales update Friday - don't know the date

2007-09-21T04:52:00.001-05:00

I think it's Friday anyway. I'm at an internet cafe paying 50 pence every ten minutes for internet and computer use. We're very tired. We get in late at night.

We sang three concerts yesterday: one on the town square in Caernarfon (the pictures you see here), one at a hospital and nursing home (half of the group went to each place) and then the big concert last night at a chapel in a small village of about 500 people. Another choir joined us. They hadn't been scheduled, but they heard about us on the BBC and from the other choir and seeing posters and they wanted to sing with us too. It is really cool. We sing at a different chapel each evening. A lady from the BBC has our CD and is coming to our concert at the big hall at the University in Bangor tomorrow night.

This picture is of the chapel we sang in last night. the tomb stones were 7 and 8 feet high!

The response from the people here has been "brilliant" as the Welsh would say - a much bigger and better response than the missionaries had ever imagined. After the evening concerts we have "tea" - I guess we would call it a reception. They serve desserts and of course tea. They have giant tea pots and serve in china of course. No paper goods here. The tea here is quite smashing. Charlotte explains it is because it doesn't have orange pekoe in it. I don't know the reason, but with some milk and two or three spoonfuls of sugar it is very delicious.

God is doing some great things here through our trip. My bill is adding up quickly, so ta-ta for now.

Posted by Lyndel. Yesterday's post was actually posted by Eddie.

First 100 days (minus 98) report

2007-09-20T03:48:00.000-05:00

Yes, we are here in Wales (not England).

Finding our baggage is easy . . . finding Internet service is not!

After arriving on Tuesday we did some brief sightseeing, had a time of orientation, and did some promotional "singing on the square".

Our missionaries, John and Kent, have been great hosts as well as very good Welsh instructors. Their preparations for our visit are beginning to show results already. They have been so excited with the response generated by this "Men's Choir from Tennessee". We have also met with pastor Howell (local church pastor) who shared with us some helpful insights into the Welsh culture.

Our first concert was last night in Llangefni on the isle of Angelesey. We sang to a full house and shared the evening with the "Cor y Traeth Choir". We concluded the evening with a rendition of "Morte Christe" (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross) including both choirs. It was a resounding success.

The people were so recepetive and gracious to us. There were about five churches that provided us with not only a wonderfully delicious buffet of Welsh cuisine (real home cookin'), but also sponsored a tea reception after the concert. It was a great time for the women in our group to have some personal contact with these ladies.

Today (Thursday) we are about to spend the day prayer walking in Caernarfon, singing in the schools and nursing homes in Bangor, and another concert tonight in Llasannana (more about that later).

Everyone Should Listen to This: Rugby, Hymns, and Evangelism

2007-09-13T22:32:00.001-05:00

I found an archived radio show on BBC Wales' website. It is a great introduction to the relationship of the Christian church and rugby in Wales. This is particularly relevant to our mission trip because the Rugby World Cup is currently being played. The program focuses on the relationship of hymn singing in chapel and rugby. It concludes with a fantastic introduction to evangelism in Wales.

To hear the program, follow the link below and select the archive for All Things Considered (no relationship to the NPR program in America). You will be amazed at how relevant this is to our trip. - Jonathan

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/wales/aod.shtml?wales/allthingsconsidered

Wales Press Coverage

2007-09-10T16:08:00.000-05:00

Gentleman,

We depart for Wales in less than a week. I'm sure that you're working on many preparations to be away. It is going to be a great trip. Over the next week I'll be posting quite a few reminders and updates to this blog. I wanted to begin with this image of a press release from Wales.

The article points out that "the churches in America still sing the hymns from the Welsh tradition as a vibrant way to express their worship of God." What of wonderful testimony of our singing. The article also says that this tour is our "thank you" for the rich musical tradition of the Welsh. Remember that these statements are our point of contact on the field. Just like the worshipers of the Bible, our vibrant worship compels us to vibrant witness. Let's be ready to offer both.

Grace and peace,

Jonathan Nelms

What To Wear

2007-09-07T16:09:00.000-05:00

You will look "spiffy" in your new longsleeve tshirt.

CHARLOTTE IS MAILING THESE TO YOU EARLY IN THE WEEK (Sept. 10-13)! WE WILL WEAR THEM TO TRAVEL MONDAY

BE SURE TO BRING CHORALE ATTIRE

Khaki slacks, Blue denim TMC shirt, white, blue, or red longsleeve tshirt to wear under the denim as needed (if it is cool), your NEW longsleeve black TMC tshirt (being sent to you this week), a white or red (your choice) collared shirt to wear under black tshirt (this can be a golf polo type, or a collared oxford type shirt - your choice), TUXEDO. You will probably want more than one tux shirt as we will be wearing tuxes to all the major concerts. See below:

WHAT WE'LL WEAR WHEN

Monday to travel - longsleeve black TMC Wales tshirt (whatever comfortable pants for travel) We have a short mini-concert at the Castle courtyard in Conwy

Tuesday - you'll still be in your same clothes until we arrive at the hotel

Wednesday - casual wear during the day TUXES for the pm concert in Llangefni --ladies may wear nice pant suits, or dresses as preferred

Thursday - WEAR blue denim TMC shirt, khaki slacks, white, red, or blue shirt under denim if it is cool, concerts in the afternoon divided into two choirs - hospital and nusing home, We will change into TUXES for the pm Concert in Llansannan

Friday - Wear black longsleeve tshirt with white or red collared shirt underneath and khaki slacks for school concerts divided into choirs 1 & 2, We will change into TUXES for the pm concert in Pwllheli

Saturday - Wear casual clothes for the day of rehearsal and the dinner with the Caernarfon choir, and then change into TUXES for the pm concert at Bangor - ladies nice pants or dress

Sunday - Wear TUXES for the am services at Sussex Street Baptist Church in Rhyl, and remain in tuxes for afternoon rehearsal and evening meal and concert with the Rhos Male Choir in Rhosllannerchrugog - (upon arrival at the hotel in Telford you may want to burn your tux) - ladies wear nice pants or dress

Monday - casual wear (London) theater attenders can wear casual wear or may want to go business casual

Tuesday - casual wear (be comfortable for changing of the guard and Westminster Abby) PM Celebration Dinner is at the hotel - business casual

PAUL'S PACKING LIST

Slacks - 1 pair khaki, 1 pair bluejeans, 1 pair casual (in addition to what I will have on to travel)

Tuxedos - 1 black tux, 2 shirts (maybe 3) - be sure to include cufflinks, studs, bowtie, cumberbund

Shirts - 1 blue TMC shirt, 1 black TMC tour shirt (WEAR TO TRAVEL MONDAY), 1 longsleeve tshirt to wear under blue TMC shirt depending on weather, 1 white button down collar oxford shirt to wear under black TMC tour shirt, 5 longsleeve shirts for casual and casual business wear

Sports jacket, sweater, light jacket (?) - checking weather before departure

Shoes - 1 pair tennis shoes, 1 pair black dress shoes, 1 pair casual shoes (wearing Monday)

Socks - 5 pairs black, 3 pairs others to match slacks, white socks for tennis shoes

Underwear - yes (contact Jere Adams for name of website for wash & wear)

Shaving kit - in bag

CDs for giveaways - Charlotte will send with tshirt

Did I forget anything?

Welsh National Anthem - Millenium Stadium

2007-09-05T06:33:00.001-05:00

Wow! Some great singing.

Cwm Rhondda: The unofficial Welsh National Anthem

2007-08-31T07:55:00.000-05:00

Here is an interesting article copied from the BBC. Here's the original post. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3477927 My favorite part is the joke that is footnote #2.

It is arguably one of Britain's best-known tunes, having been chanted by football fans over the country, berating the referee as he makes another dodgy offside ruling. That celebrated curmudgeon Victor Meldrew was subjected to a tirade by garage staff sung to its melody: they had spitefully recorded over a cassette tape left in his car. Virtually everybody who is British knows this tune yet very few could name it and even fewer sing it properly. This is an attempt to put this state of affairs right.

The Hymn
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.

'Cwm Rhondda' is a belter of a hymn that defies one to sing it quietly (you can listen to it here). It is the very embodiment of hwyl, the Welsh love of homeland and of culture, and as such has come close to supplanting the official Welsh national anthem. This is especially the case at rugby 'internationals', where the faltering, bathetic, falsely-devout Land of My Fathers is soon dispensed with in favour of something far more robust. England fans often respond with their own countermeasures, often the Negro spiritual Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, but soon buckle under the sonic onslaught of 'huge gangs of tough, sinewy men…terrorising people with their close-harmony singing'1
The religious overtones to this performance are more an affectation than anything else. If the rugby fans had ever gone to chapel then they might actually have learned to sing the whole hymn, not just the chorus. The Welsh comic song-writer Max Boyce wrote an unusually incisive song – Ten Thousand Instant Christians - about it being one of the 'hymns of yesterday, only half remembered' and about the cod spirituality of rugby fans. In mitigation, they can claim that there are so many versions of the lyrics that they might as well make up their own.
The History
The history of 'Cwm Rhondda' goes some way to explaining this confusion. For those who find it difficult enough to understand the huge number of variations of the Christian faith, Welsh non-conformism must seem like a microcosm of this bewildering variety of sects and movements. Originally a branch of Methodism, the movement fragmented down to almost atomic levels. A religious map of Wales would have looked like something dragged from the wreckage after an explosion in a paint factory, dominated by countless shades of Orange. During the 18th and 19th Centuries, a community would have several chapels, each vying for prominence and larger congregations2. Just about the only thing uniting them was a distaste for the trappings of 'high church', with the result that chapels often tended to be drab and utilitarian.
The music had to go some way to making up for this austere approach to faith. Welsh hymn tunes were simple, rousing melodies which could be easily grasped by congregations who often were hearing them for the first time. Also, the tunes were often named after the places where they were written, so that peripatetic organists could instantly recognise the tune and let the chapel sing whatever lyrics they wanted. 'Cwm Rhondda' simply means 'the Rhondda Valley.' However, despite its Welsh name, the hymn is actually written, and properly performed, in English. 'Cwm Rhondda' was written by John Hughes, the organist of Capel Rhondda in Hopkinstown, near Pontypridd. Hughes had been asked to write a tune for the inauguration of the chapel and its organ in the early 1900s. He took an earlier set of words written by William Williams (Arglwydd, Arwain Trwy'r Anialwch), who published them in 1745, and arranged a tune to them. Unusually, there had been a large influx of English-speakers into that area as the railway was being built and the chapel was originally intended to serve as a place of worship for them. Hughes used an English translation, 'Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah,' for its first performance in 19073, with Hughes himself at Capel Rhondda's mighty organ and it rapidly gained in popularity.
The Present
Now the tune is well-known the world over, although the lyrics seem to be infinitely mutable. For instance, American congregations may know it as 'Christ is Coming' or 'God of Grace and God of Glory.' This is for two reasons. Firstly, unlike the unofficial English national anthem, Jerusalem , the original words themselves are unexceptional; even the lyricist's own mother would have been hard-pressed to rank him as a poet on a par with William Blake. Secondly, the simple scansion allows all sorts of rhymes, no matter how clunky, to be shrink-wrapped around the melody. But it's the melody that makes the hymn; the chapel even contains furniture donated by converts from Hinduism who were moved by the power of Hughes's music.
As for the chapel itself, it has proved to be less durable. Dwindling congregations throughout the Principality have meant that Capel Rhondda is going the same way as many of the other chapels. In particular, its façade is crumbling and it requires a large amount of funding before even the first phase of the work can be completed. It would be a terrible shame if this chapel, like the other two members of the 'holy trinity' of the typical Valleys community - the coalmine and the rugby field - followed the others into the state of desuetude and neglect that has come to characterise the area in general. But whatever becomes of it, its most famous cultural product will certainly live on, whatever words end up being sung.
Related BBC Links
Find out more about religion at BBC Religion
1 A quote from BBC's 'Blackadder the Third'. 2 This religious Balkanisation is epitomised by the joke about a Welshman who gets shipwrecked on a desert island for ten years. When he is eventually rescued, his saviours find that he has built a coalmine, a pub, a rugby field and two chapels. They ask him why two chapels, so he points to one and says: 'that's the one I don'tgo to'. 3 Some maintain that it was actually first performed in 1904.

Some Welsh

2007-08-23T16:35:00.000-05:00

The BBC has a web site where you can learn Welsh by playing some games. I don't think they work very well and the language is very difficult, but if you go to the web page http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/colinandcumberland/north/game/game1.shtml and click on the "Little Black Book" you can find some phrases and words and the pronounce them for you.

For instance
Good morning - Bore da
Good afternoon - P'nawn da (w makes a "oo" sound)
How are you? - Sut wyt ti? (u makes a long E sound,s makes a "sh" sound. Sounds like they are using rather fowl language to me, so you might just go listen for yourself.)

Have fun. Good luck.

Lyndel

NEW REHEARSAL ADDED TO SCHEDULE

2007-07-30T11:59:00.000-05:00

There will be an additional rehearsal on Thursday, August 23, at Forest Hills Baptist in Nashville! This will be an important rehearsal for memorizing, building confidence in those tough spots, and crystalizing our attempt at Welsh pronunciation.

August 23, 10am - 3pm at Forest Hills in Nashville
Wayne Causey - hosting (Debbie Stevens)

And MORE Pronunciation

2007-07-06T09:29:00.000-05:00

Here is the chorus to How Great Thou Art in a Paul Clark version of phonetic spelling. If you did not get the wav files of Kent Morris reading and singing this text let Charlotte or me know and we will send it again. Look closely, this is just 2 lines repeated.

Con vih-nite, con, vuh ahgoid vyu, ee tee

Mor vower oy tee, mor vower oy tee

Con vih-nite, con, vuh ahgoid vyu, ee tee

Mor vower oy tee, mor vower oy tee

Pronunciation

2007-06-11T17:51:00.000-05:00

This is an attempt at a pronunciation key for the first stanza of "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah," as will be sung in the Songs of Praises medley. We'll do our best and let them straighten us out when we get over there. We'll work on this at our regional rehearsals and I hope to post an mp3 file to help you as well. Meanwhile, memorize the syllables:

Wellen servich hroong uh murh - tweeth
U- thrich ty - loong om hoth vrihd
Er -o - ran uhrooeen i nabod
Ev yoochlow guthruhchayr bid
Hen fich vore! Henfich vore!
Cav ei welled vel uh mae
Cav ei welled vel uh mae

Tentative Music List

2007-06-11T17:41:00.000-05:00

Here is a music list as of today. Because we have different venues the music will change to adapt accordingly, but will come from the following listings. The one exception may be what the Welsh Male Choirs may request us to do when singing combined with them in those concerts.

WALES TRIP MUSIC LIST (tentative)

We Are Not Alone
Praise Him
Last Words of David combined with Welsh Choirs
Salvation Is Created combined with Welsh Choirs
The Old Rugged Cross
How Deep the Father’s Love for Us
Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior
Hallelujah By and By!
Fill-a-Me Up
My Girl (new)
Mighty Men of Song
Praise His Holy Name
Midnight Cry
SONGS OF PRAISES-Medley (1 stanza Welsh)
What the Lord Has Done In Me
Let My Life Be a Voice for You
How Great Thou Art (solos and TMC on Refrain in Welsh)

Progress Across the Pond

2007-05-23T17:20:00.000-05:00

The concert with the Caernarfon Male Voice Choir and the Male Voice Choir from Rhos have been confirmed. These are two of our "anchor" concerts of our tour. Each of these choirs has a following that will come to the concert to share in the experience and in support of these organizations, as well as to hear the singers from America (us). At the concert with the Caernarfon choir we will have use of the large pipe organ as well as the concert grand piano in the main concert hall of Bangor University; PJ Pritchard Hall.

The concert with the choir from Rhos will take place in the Stwt Theatre http://www.stiwt.co.uk/

This photo was taken by Jonathan Nelms during our site visit trip in 2006, when the Stiwt Theatre was celebrating its 80th anniversary. Following our concert here we will enjoy a "tea time" with the people connected to the choir as did Jonathan, Ed Seabough, and I when we were privileged to attend the Rhos Male Choir concert there last year. The "teas" provide a wonderful opportunity to visit with the people of the other choirs, share with the delightful people of Wales, and get to know more about their lives and culture. It is in these environments we look to build relationships that may provide opportunity to share our faith.

REHEARSAL DATES AND LOCATIONS (updated)

2007-05-23T17:10:00.000-05:00

These are the correct dates and locations for the rehearsals scheduled in the different regions of the state. Note that two are in MIDDLE TENNESSEE, that is so more of you can attend those. Also note that the rehearsal on July 26 is for EVERYONE. Attend if at all possible!

Thursday, July 12
Beaver Dam Baptist Church, Knoxville - Mike Bundon, Host

Thursday, July 19
First Baptist Church, Mt. Juliet - Jonathan Gardner, Host

Thursday, July 26--EVERYONE
Forest Hills Baptist Church, Nashville - Wayne Causey, Host

Thursday, August 2
Calvary Baptist Church, Jackson - David Whaley, Host

All rehearsals will begin at 10:00am and end at 3:00pm Lunch Provided on site - Nominal Cost (tba)

Passport Up to Date?

2007-05-05T16:24:00.000-05:00

Check Your Passport to be Sure it is up to date and will not expire for at least 6 months AFTER the Wales trip is completed (September 26, 2007)

Rehearsal Dates and Locations

2007-05-05T16:11:00.000-05:00

Thursday, July 12
Beavere Dam Baptist Church, Knoxville - Mike Bundon, Host

Thursday, July 19
Forest Hills Baptist Church, Nashville - Wayne Causey, Host

Thursday, July 26
First Baptist Church, Mt. Juliet - Jonathan Gardner, Host

Thursday, August 2
Calvary Baptist Church, Jackson - David Whaley, Host

All rehearsals will begin at 10:00am and end at 3:00pm
Lunch Provided on site - Nominal Cost (tba)

Prayer Needs

2007-05-05T15:38:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Lyndel Littleton for "being me" to get this blog started. He has also done a lot of work on our Tennessee Baptist Church Music Conference website that we hope to have online in a few weeks. He and Jonathan Nelms, last year's president Ricky Clark (whoever that is) and the rest of our officers have given us such good leadership toward new means of staying in touch.

Regarding our Wales trip there has been an enormous amount of work done, but there is still yet much to do. Our missionary contacts have changed somewhat and I am uncertain as to how or if this will change our preliminary processes. I would appreciate your prayer in this regard as so many details for concerts, travel, promotion, and ministry are dependent on those who are there in Wales.

More specifically, let me ask you to pray for a young man named Kent Morris, who has now been assigned to our project. Here are other specific prayer needs regarding details:

Pray for the officers of the Caernarfon Male Choir as they meet this week to discuss our joint concert at the Pritchard Jones Hall on the campus of Bangor University
Pray for the leaders of the Rhos Male Choir as they plan for our combined concert in that city in the Stewt Theater
Pray for the directors of both of these choruses as we enter into conversation about material we will sing together at the concert - this material can be an important part of how the Lord might speak to the hearts of our fellow musicians there
Pray for Ed Seabough and the people of Travelink as they assist in wire transfers and other details of securing concert halls, piano and other services needed
Pray for a few of our own who are still trying to decide about their ability to make the trip
Pray for wisdom for me in selecting the right music to effectively communicate our message

We will update the blog with information as is appropriate, and will remind you to check it through other means as we continue to try to stay connected through the process of preparation.

Let the Blogging Begin!

2007-05-05T12:07:00.000-05:00

Blogging is a new experience for me. But after seeing how easy it is to keep everyone informed about the latest news regarding our trip to Wales I decided to take the plunge and start blogging. Actually, at this time, I don't even know that I am writing this or that I even have a blog. Our President-elect, Lyndel Littleton, signed me up for a blog account, set up this blog, and is typing what you are reading! I will be so excited when I read this myself!

I'll use this blog now to tell you about rehearsals, repetoire, to share prayer concerns regarding this great ministry opportunity, etc. While we are in Wales, your family will be able to log on here and see what we are doing.

Of course I will still be sending out my Monday e-mails, but you'll be able to check back here and see all of the Wales information in one place. Leave a comment if you like.

Paul (as written by Lyndel)