Lobsters, lighthouses, ferry rides, a concert and a chocolate moose!

This morning, after an 8:45 wake up call, everyone met in the hotel lobby for breakfast. The lobby was barely big enough to hold all of us! Despite the close quarters, the students remained pleasant and we even received some compliments on our behavior!

After breakfast, we walked two blocks over to the harbor where the students were given some brief instructions before setting out on some sight seeing in Old Portland. The city was beautiful. God truly blessed us with a great day. Not only was the weather fantastic, but the food and fellowship were as well! Lobster was the selection of choice for most students (since we are in Portland after all!). Some students decided to eat whole lobsters while other decided to eat lobster roll - a sandwich consisting of pulled lobster meat mixed with mayonnaise. Lobster roll is a delicacy of New England and we certainly got a taste of Portland!

      

After about two hours in Old Portland, we loaded up the buses and drove over to Portland Headlight - a national park and famous lighthouse. The weather here was beautiful as well!  Students spent their time throwing Frisbee, playing soccer, eating lobster, and climbing the rocks along the shore. God blessed us with beautiful New England weather and we glorified Him by enjoying his creation!

         

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped by the renowned Maine chocolate shop, "Len Libby" – home of the world’s largest chocolate moose, Lenny!  This was a great opportunity for the students to get their hands on some delicious candy at a local novelty!

When we returned to the Hampton Inn and Suites after our tour of Portland, we quickly changed into our concert attire. After a brisk walk to the harbor, we loaded the ferry to Peaks Island. We were blessed with fantastic weather and an enjoyable thirty minute ferry ride to Peaks Island where we would be singing in just three hours!

    

When we arrived at Peaks Island, we walked from the ferry to Brackett Memorial United Methodist Church. After about an hour and a half of rehearsal and a pizza dinner, we were ready to perform.

We started the concert at 7:30 and sang to a crowd of about forty. The choirs sang Hark I Hear The Harps Eternal together before splitting up into the individual choirs. Men’s Ensemble sang My Lord what a Morning, The King of Love My Shepherd Is, and Old Brown’s Daughter. Bell’arte followed with Prayer For The Gifts, Lux Aeterna, Blessings, Simple Gifts, and Say A Little Prayer For You. Men of Note jumped in with Bridge Over Troubled Water. The Madrigals sang The Lonesome Road, Give Me Jesus, Every Night, and Build Me Up Buttercup. When all the choirs had sung, everyone gathered on stage for an African song medley and closed with the gospel tune Faithful Over A Few Things. Overall, the choirs sang beautifully and the concert was a huge success. We recieved a standing ovation, countless complements, an interview with a local journalist, and even sold some CDs! The lord really blessed us with the opportunity to sing praises to his name and show his light to the people of Peaks Island. A special thanks to Faith Cox and Larry Ducharme from Brackett Memorial United Methodist Church.

               

When we returned to the hotel, the girls and guys split into separate groups. The guys had free time to use the hotel weight room and pool. The girls had a desert reservation at the restaurant connected to the hotel. Each group had ample opportunities to fellowship and make some lasting memories. We thank God for a good day.

      

Today's Tweets:

Jane Brown (principal)

what a great day. Loving the trip

Nicole Densmoor (sophomore)

Sung blessings down the street of Portland ☺

Catherine Mayes (senior)

lighthouse and lobsters

Nicole Densmoor (sophomore)

Ate lobster for the first time!

Jodi Hoffman (sophomore)

Awww, doesn't everyone look dapper in their gowns and tuxes :)

Trent Owens (freshman)

Say A Little Prayer For You is probably my favorite song out of all the songs the choir sang.

Today's Verse:

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." - Psalm 19: 1-4

We look forward to the challenges and joys that tomorrow will bring! May God continue to bless us, keep us safe, and allow his light to be clearly seen in how we interact with each other and those we meet along the way!


All for him!