Tuesday, June 28

Our first concert today was at the Crown Center for Senior Living.

We sang and rang an outdoor concert at Shriners Hospital for Children.

 

The St. Louis Zoo is fabulous. Here, mom and baby elephant are enjoying the cool water.

Our last concert today was at McCormack House. Our students were completely exhausted, and we wondered how we would have the strength to sing and ring a full concert. Then an amazing thing happened. When we arrived at McCormack House forty-five minutes before the concert start time, a number of residents were already waiting in line for us. As we set up, the room began to fill with people with warm smiles and eager hearts. We began the concert and immediately felt an amazing strength that came from the Lord through these people. The choir was immediately energized and sang their best and perhaps most meaningful concert of the week. It was a defining moment, and our students will never forget it.   

Monday, June 27

Today we traveled to Charleston, Missouri, where we worked with Shining Light Ministries. Rev. Dean Wallace leads this ministry to the rural poor children and their families in this small town two hours south of St. Louis. Also there was Pleasant View Baptist Church from Clarkesville, Tennessee. They are leading a sports camp during the day and nightly revival services. We sang in the evening service, which was outdoors.

On our way to Shining Light, we ate at Lambert’s Café. It’s a fun place where they throw rolls to you from across the room. The portion sizes are HUGE! Janet Darden was served a salad the size of New Hampshire.  

For this trip, we learned a stomp band (trash can band) piece that we could in turn, teach the children at Shining Light. This was our first time to ever do this, and boy, was it FUN! Our students at TGBC loved it, and the children and youth at Shining Light loved it as well. We used a song by Lecrae (Go Hard) that calls for a strong commitment to Christ. We used trash cans (metal and plastic), five-gallon buckets, metal trash cans and metal pails, in addition to shakers, cow bells, a djembe (African drum), vibra-slap and drum sticks. The chaperone stick band was awesome. Our students did an amazing job interacting with the children. There were lots of hugs and fun play. 



Sunday, June 26

This morning we sang and rang as a part of the worship service at Canaan Baptist Church in St. Louis. Valerie Williams' uncle, Mike Wright, is the Minister of Music there.

For lunch, we ate at a nearby Q-doba Mexican Grill and sang after our meal. One of the patrons there videotaped it, and as we left the building, we heard our own voices streaming out of a car that had the windows down! That was a lot of fun.

In the afternoon, we sang a full concert at the VA Medical Center. Before the concert, we were able to visit with several veterans in the nearby wards. As a part of the concert, we sang Salute to the Armed Forces and honored the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and the Marines.

 

One of the most moving moments occurred when one veteran in a wheelchair struggled to stand as we sang God Bless America. When he finally made it to his feet, he offered a crisp, strong salute and remained there until the close of the song. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place.

 

In the evening, we sang and rang a full concert at First Baptist Church, Crestwood, where we were very well received. Our students sounded fabulous! After the concert, we enjoyed a nice fellowship time with their church family. Our kids interacted so well with the people there.  

Ringing Praise also sounded great. The bells rang 3 pieces on the program. Cadenzato sure is hard, but it sounds really cool!

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Our first "unofficial" concert was at the Burger King in Paducah, Kentucky. The staff repeatedly asked us to sing, and so we threw some Zulu on them and sang We Are Singing for the Lord Is Our Light. The kids sounded great.

We made it to St. Louis on schedule. Thank You, Lord, for safe travel.

We had a great time at the Cardinals game. We ate some hot dogs (MY favorite food----not), but we ate a LOT of DippinDots. At the top of the eighth inning, we ran for cover because we had a storm headed our way. We look forward to worship tomorrow morning at Canaan Baptist Church.

St. Louis Youth Choir Itinerary

   Saturday, June 25

      8:30 - Arrive at TGBC and load bus  Casual Dress (appropriate!)

      9:00 - Depart TGBC for St. Louis!

    11:15 - Lunch in Kentucky (approximate time)

      3:30 - Arrive at hotel, unload

      4:30 - Depart for Cardinals baseball game

      6:15 - Cardinals game (you need your own money for dinner here)

    10:45 - Devotion Time

    11:00 - In Room

    11:15 - Room Check

    12:00 - Go to sleep so you can give your best gift tomorrow!

Sunday, June 26

      8:30 - Depart for Canaan Baptist Church  Long Khaki Pants and Tour Polo

    10:15 - Sing in morning service at Canaan Baptist Church

    12:30 - Lunch

      1:30 - Depart for St. Louis VA Hospital and set-up

      3:00 - Concert at St. Louis VA Hospital

      4:15 - Depart for dinner

      5:15 - Depart for First Baptist Church, Crestwood

      6:30 - Concert at First Baptist Church

      7:30 - Fellowship with folks at church—cookies & punch

      8:30 - Head to the hotel  (OK to go to the pool)

    10:30 - Devotion Time

    11:00 - In Room

    11:15 - Room Check

    12:00 - Go to sleep so you can give your best gift tomorrow!

Monday, June 27 

      9:30 - Depart for Shining Light Ministries in Charleston, MO

  Shorts and Tour T-shirt

    12:00 - Lunch at Lambert’s Cafe

      2:30 - Informal concert at nursing home in Charleston, MO

      3:30 - Stomp band rehearsal for children/youth at Shining Light

      4:30 - Stomp band rehearsal for children/youth at Shining Light

      5:30 - Dinner

      7:30 - Sing in evening revival service at Shining Light

      9:00 - Depart for hotel

    11:00 - Arrive at Hotel & quick devotion time

    11:15-  In Room

    11:30 - Room Check

    12:00 - Go to sleep so you can give your best gift tomorrow!

Tuesday, June 28

      8:30 - Depart for St. Louis Zoo Shorts and Tour T-shirt

      9:00 - Arrive at St. Louis Zoo

    11:00 - Sea lion show at the zoo

    11:30 - Depart for lunch

      1:30 - Concert at Crown Center for Senior Living

      2:45 - Depart for Shriners Hospital for Children

      4:30 - Concert at Shriners Hospital for Children  

      5:45 - Dinner

      7:30 - Concert at McCormack House

      8:45 - Head for Hotel

      9:15 - Arrive at Hotel  (OK to go to the pool)

    10:30 - Devotion Time

    11:00 - In Room

    11:15 - Room Check

    12:00 - Go to sleep so you can give your best gift tomorrow!

     

Wednesday, June 29

      9:00 - Depart for Cathedral Basilica  Long Khaki Pants and Tour Polo

    10:00 - Tour Cathedral Basilica and sing there (informal)

    11:00 - Depart for lunch

      1:00 - Sing at St. Louis VA Hospital in wards

      3:00 - Depart VA Hospital for Arch (Jefferson National Expansion Memorial)

      5:00 - Depart Arch for concert (light snack on the way)

      5:30 - Concert set-up

      6:30 - Concert at Sunrise on Clayton

      7:45 - Depart for dinner

      8:30 - Dinner at Zia’s on the Hill (really nice Italian restaurant)

    10:00 - Head for Hotel

    10:15 - Devotion Time

    11:00 - In Room

    11:15 - Room Check

    12:00 - Go to sleep so you can give your best gift tomorrow!

Thursday, June 30 Casual Dress Casual Dress (appropriate!)

      9:00 - Check out of Hotel

      9:30 - Depart for Six Flags (in groups of three or more-lunch on your own)

      1:30 - Check in with a sponsor by this time

      4:30 - Depart Six Flags for Home—Don’t even THINK about being late!

      7:00 - Dinner

    11:00 - Arrive at TGBC

Home Concert June 19, 2011

Parent Meeting Last Night

A good crowd of parents joined us last night to learn more of the details for our St. Louis Trip.  If you missed it or want an extra copy, here is the info handed out last night.

Guidelines/Expectations

· Respect each other and your tour sponsors. All tour sponsors have the authority to ask you to do or NOT to do something. Disrespectful behavior of any kind will not be tolerated.

· Any problems or sickness should be brought to the attention of a sponsor immediately!

· Cell phones are not to be in your possession while we are in ANY concert venue or group meeting. If you break this rule, Bro. Phil will take your phone and keep it for 24 hours! No mercy!

· Be on time. We have a tight schedule. You will be charged $1.00 per minute for every minute you are late the first time. The second time, it doubles!

· Girls, thou shalt not enter any guy rooms FOR ANY REASON EVER, and vice versa.

· Keeping the bus clean is everyone’s job!

· DRESS RULES: Tour Shorts must be knee length. For casual wear, all shirts must have sleeves, no midriffs, and no inappropriate advertising. Do not wear tight or revealing clothes. Shorts must be a modest length. Girls, if your casual shorts are deemed too short by a female sponsor, you will return to your room without discussion and put on long blue jeans or khakis.

· You may only go to the pool at assigned times.

· NEVER open your hotel room door before verifying that the person at the door is from our group. PERIOD.

· Keep the noise level down in the hallways and in your room. Other guests at the hotel must not be disturbed.

· NO PRANKS-PERIOD!

· You must ALWAYS be with at least one other person in the group during our free times.  When we are at Six Flags and the zoo,  you must be in groups of three or more.

· When something needs to be done, jump in and DO IT! Don’t wait to be asked. That’s servanthood.

· No boy/girl matchups! This trip is about giving our undivided attention to our Lord’s service.

· Remember that you are representing Christ, Tulip Grove Baptist Church, our Youth Choir, and yourself. Make sure your witness has a positive impact for Christ on all those around you.

13 days until we leave for St. Louis!