Atlanta Tour - Day 2 (Thursday, April 9, 2015)

To begin our morning, Superintendent Kempton led us in a devotional, in which he challenged the students to see their singing as a ministry. He reminded them that, "You will have the opportunity to minister to people today, and you might not even know it happened."

We then arrived at Campbell-Stone retirement community, where the students warmed up on a beautiful garden patio. It wasn't long before a crowd began to gather, and so we gladly transitioned to concert mode. While one group was singing, the other students served the residents coffee, juice, and pastries. Following the impromptu outdoor performance, we made our way inside to sing for a special group of residents who were being honored at a breakfast for their volunteer service in the community. This was a small but excited audience, and God was at work as our students sang arrangements of "oldies" that brought tears of delight to more than one face. (There was even a moment when Senior Logan Belcher's bass voice made one of the residents audibly swoon!)

Following the morning performances, we made our way back downtown for some sightseeing. After grabbing lunch at a food court, we toured the CNN studios where we explored the behind-the-scenes operation of a major television network. After leaving the CNN tower, we took a stroll through Olympic Centennial Park and sang on the sidewalk for crowds gathered in the beautiful Atlanta sun.

Next, the students had the opportunity to visit the Center for Civil and Human Rights. Ms Kauffman briefed the students on what they were about to see and encouraged them to be open to feel and understand the grief caused by oppression, and to sense God's call to recognize and celebrate his Image in every human being.

We finished our night with dinner at Ted's Montana Grill, where many of the students were brave enough to try out the house specialty of bison! We were privileged to sing a benediction to our servers (bringing yet more tears of delight to a few faces). Then, we finished the evening with devotions--the girls with Mrs. Joseph, and the guys with Mr. Vineyard and Mr. Cherone.

Please pray that the Spirit would minister to the hearts of the people we encounter, that we would have an inspiring visit to the Martin Luther King Historical Site, that our clinic and performances would bring glory to God, and that our students would take to heart what they learned at the Center for Civil and Human Rights and make choices toward justice and righteousness in both the big and the small things of everyday life.

Superintendent Kempton giving a morning devotional on the bus

The students singing an impromptu concert on the garden patio at Campbell-Stone retirement community

Sophomore Kyle Carey serving a Campbell-Stone resident some juice

The students giving hugs to our special and thankful audience of resident volunteers at Campbell-Stone

The students touring the CNN studios

A group of Bell'Arte girls (plus a few Men of Note gentlemen) getting ready to start the CNN tour

Junior Faith Porter trying her hand at being an anchor for CNN.

The students singing a sidewalk concert at Olympic Centennial Park

Crowds gathering at Centennial Park to hear the students sing.

Senior Chris Good leading the Men of Note at the Centennial Park sidewalk concert

The students gathered on the lawn outside the Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Juniors Tiffany Perry, Hannah Thiessen, Amanda Fusting, and Annaliese Wilford join Senior Chris good at an exhibit in the Center for Civil and Human Rights.

The students enjoying dinner (bison!) at Ted's Montana Grill