We began our morning with some fellowship time on the patio outside of the hotel as we waited for shuttles to bring us to our first stop for the day. Some of the students prayed in small groups for the day.
Our first destination was the Martin Luther King National Historical Site. We sang a concert outside of the visitor center. It began to rain as the students started singing, and the rumbling thunder was a beautiful reminder of the might and power of God, and it provided a moving backdrop for the performance. We then were invited to watch a brief video about the final days of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life before we walked across the street to visit his gravesite and the the reflecting pool. The students sang another brief concert in front of the grave, including an emotionally-charged rendition of one of King's favorite hymns, "Precious Lord," by the Madrigal Singers. After that performance, we visited Ebenezer Baptist Church, which King pastored with his father and where his funeral was held. The sanctuary had been restored to the way it looked on the day of his funeral service. The students had an opportunity to sit in the pews and reflect on the significance of his life and work.
Our next stop was Georgia State University, where we were led in a clinic by Dr. Deanna Joseph, GSU's director of choral activities. She was floored by the level at which the students were performing, calling them "world class," and saying that they were "better than 99.9%" of the multitudes of high school groups she has worked with in the past. She was so impressed that she asked for our performance dates so she could spread the word among the Atlanta choral community!
After our clinics, we headed to the world-famous Mary Mac's Tea Room for some INCREDIBLE southern cooking. The buffet was a bit overwhelming, and we all stuffed ourselves full of fried chicken, sweet potato sufflée, and buttery whipped potatoes. Then, we gathered our servers so that we could sing them a blessing, and the kids' boisterous rendition of "Tink of Me" drew a crowd of excited spectators from the main dining room. We were even invited to take a picture with them to hang on their "Wall of Fame" next to world famous politicians and celebrities!
Our final destination was Saint Brigid Catholic Church in the suburbs of Atlanta. Upon arrival, we used some free time for a sing-off competition. The students were divided into small groups and challenged to come up with creative renditions of "Old MacDonald" set to different musical stylings. While every group was impressive, the standouts were our "Opera" group (winners of "closest to the genre" with their
Phantom of the Opera-inspired performance) and the "Classic Rock" group, which was named "most creative" and "best overall".
We finished our day with an evening performance in the gorgeous sanctuary on Saint Brigid Church. The students sang a compelling set of sacred selections for an appreciative audience of parishioners and community members, many of whom said they hoped to attend another one of our performances before we leave the area!
Please pray that we will continue to grow in their relationships with one another and with God. Pray for continued safety. Also, pray that the students and chaperones would be able to apply the lessons they've been learning about community and justice to their everyday lives.
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| Juniors Brooke Wadsworth and Faith Porter praying on the patio outside the hotel to begin the day |
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| The students singing outside the visitor center at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Site |
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| The students reflecting at the pool around MLK's gravesite |
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| The Madrigal Singers performing an emotional rendition of "Previous Lord" at MLK's gravesite |
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| We had a moving experience exploring the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Site. |
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| The students had the opportunity to reflect on MLK's life and work while sitting in the pews of Ebenezer Baptist Church. |
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| The Bell'Arte Singers working with Dr. Deanna Joseph of Georgia State University |
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| Junior Matt Loock, Senior Micah Meadows, and Junior Elliott Smith filling up their plates (and "smiling" for the camera) at Mary Mac's Tea Room |
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| We were invited to take a photo with the staff and Mary Mac's to hang out their Wall of Fame! |
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| The grand champion "Classic Rock" group devising their creative plan |
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| The "Country" group making us all laugh with their performance |
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| The "Opera" group's Phantom of the Opera-inspired performance |
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| The choirs singing at Saint Brigid Catholic Church |
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