Easter!
I really love Easter. I think I always have. Really, I'd have to say that it's my favorite holiday. Not just because I still get awesome Easter baskets from my parents (though I do), but because it represents the day that Christ defeated Satan and death and rose from the dead. As I've been pondering the Resurrection, the ramifications absolutely confound me. By raising him from the dead, God sealed the deal for us and for Satan. We are winners, no matter what the outcome might look like right now. I could go on forever, but I'm not going to. I'm just so, so very thankful, and so honored..that the Lord would do THAT. For me (and you!). Amazing.
Celebrating Holy Week in Buffalo has actually been nice. On Thursday night the church held a catered "passover" meal (though it wasn't completely the traditional meal), and then the pastor did a walk through Biblical history to illustrate the purpose behind the Passover and the Sacraments.
Then, Friday night we had a Good Friday service (followed by a long rehearsal). I must say though that that service was probably the best one I've been to at this church thus far. It was very intense and by the end, I could hear people sniffling and crying around me through the darkness. It was encouraging to know that they were at least moved by Christ's suffering.
Last night I directed the choir at St. Mary's Catholic church in Medina. It went quite well actually (better than last year) and was similar to the services at the Lutheran church in Buffalo, so I didn't feel so awkward/out of place this year.
And today. Easter morning. Both services were actually very nice. The big one (which was full...probably close to a thousand people?) was full of a lot of pomp and circumstance. Tons of brass and organ, and lots of shiny gold. Part of the time I was wondering why it had to be so dramatic, but then it kind of dawned on me. This is for Jesus. He's alive! We should be as bombastic and celebratory as possible. I don't know how many people actually cared/thought about the reasoning behind it all, but I was glad for it and actually enjoyed it. The pastor's sermon was ok...I thought he was going to really go somewhere with it, but he didn't. Maybe others got things out of it that I didn't?
My only disappointments for the day: There were no "The Lord is risen!" "He is risen indeed!"'s. AND, no singing of my FAVORITE hymn, "Christ Arose" (Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o'er his foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain and he lives forever with his saints to reign...He arose! He arose! Alleluia, Christ arose!)! I think this is only the second Easter of my life that I haven't sung that hymn in church. Sadness!
However, to make up for it, we (the choir) did fabulously sing the "Hallelujah Chorus." :-D It was fabulous. And, Jimmy (organist/choir director) played my FAVORITE organ voluntary, the Widor Tocatta from the 5th Organ Symphony (I think that's what it's called. It's been a while!). I used to absolutely love when Dr. Congdon would play that after chapels at Houghton. I wish there was some way that I could 'sing it' for you on here so that you could hear it and share in my love for that piece.
Anyway, in other news, I'm trying to work my summer plans out. A theater group in Spencerport is putting on Brigadoon this summer and auditions are in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking about auditioning, although I've never even seen the show before! I know that there's a lot of dancing in it, but the alto lead, Meg, is not really a dancing part, I guess. She's supposed to be the town flirt. :-p I think I could do that! I've requested copies of the movie and the soundtrack from the library, and hopefully they will get to me by Tuesday or Thursday so that I can watch it and see if it's really something I'd like to do. I'll have to find a job that I can work days though for the summer. I'm going to call Tom and see if he'd be willing to let me work at the boat launch this summer instead of the contact station. Fat chance of that happening, but I'll at least try!
Word on the street is that in the fall, a guy I know is directing Into the Woods in Lockport. That is seriously the most amazing show...ever. The baker's wife is probably my dream role. I have a little while to work things out before auditions, but I would LOVE to be in Into the Woods (if I got that part :-p). I'm not sure what Lake Plains is doing yet though. As of now, I'm planning on singing my recital in September, and I should be free to sing in any show I want to after that. I will have the little problem of employment to work out, but as I said, I have time before I come to that decision.
Anyway, I'm really just wasting time before I go to sleep, and it's really late, so I should sleep so that I can be rested for a wonderful day of work tomorrow!
Hallelujah! The Lord is risen!
He is risen indeed! :-D
Celebrating Holy Week in Buffalo has actually been nice. On Thursday night the church held a catered "passover" meal (though it wasn't completely the traditional meal), and then the pastor did a walk through Biblical history to illustrate the purpose behind the Passover and the Sacraments.
Then, Friday night we had a Good Friday service (followed by a long rehearsal). I must say though that that service was probably the best one I've been to at this church thus far. It was very intense and by the end, I could hear people sniffling and crying around me through the darkness. It was encouraging to know that they were at least moved by Christ's suffering.
Last night I directed the choir at St. Mary's Catholic church in Medina. It went quite well actually (better than last year) and was similar to the services at the Lutheran church in Buffalo, so I didn't feel so awkward/out of place this year.
And today. Easter morning. Both services were actually very nice. The big one (which was full...probably close to a thousand people?) was full of a lot of pomp and circumstance. Tons of brass and organ, and lots of shiny gold. Part of the time I was wondering why it had to be so dramatic, but then it kind of dawned on me. This is for Jesus. He's alive! We should be as bombastic and celebratory as possible. I don't know how many people actually cared/thought about the reasoning behind it all, but I was glad for it and actually enjoyed it. The pastor's sermon was ok...I thought he was going to really go somewhere with it, but he didn't. Maybe others got things out of it that I didn't?
My only disappointments for the day: There were no "The Lord is risen!" "He is risen indeed!"'s. AND, no singing of my FAVORITE hymn, "Christ Arose" (Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o'er his foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain and he lives forever with his saints to reign...He arose! He arose! Alleluia, Christ arose!)! I think this is only the second Easter of my life that I haven't sung that hymn in church. Sadness!
However, to make up for it, we (the choir) did fabulously sing the "Hallelujah Chorus." :-D It was fabulous. And, Jimmy (organist/choir director) played my FAVORITE organ voluntary, the Widor Tocatta from the 5th Organ Symphony (I think that's what it's called. It's been a while!). I used to absolutely love when Dr. Congdon would play that after chapels at Houghton. I wish there was some way that I could 'sing it' for you on here so that you could hear it and share in my love for that piece.
Anyway, in other news, I'm trying to work my summer plans out. A theater group in Spencerport is putting on Brigadoon this summer and auditions are in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking about auditioning, although I've never even seen the show before! I know that there's a lot of dancing in it, but the alto lead, Meg, is not really a dancing part, I guess. She's supposed to be the town flirt. :-p I think I could do that! I've requested copies of the movie and the soundtrack from the library, and hopefully they will get to me by Tuesday or Thursday so that I can watch it and see if it's really something I'd like to do. I'll have to find a job that I can work days though for the summer. I'm going to call Tom and see if he'd be willing to let me work at the boat launch this summer instead of the contact station. Fat chance of that happening, but I'll at least try!
Word on the street is that in the fall, a guy I know is directing Into the Woods in Lockport. That is seriously the most amazing show...ever. The baker's wife is probably my dream role. I have a little while to work things out before auditions, but I would LOVE to be in Into the Woods (if I got that part :-p). I'm not sure what Lake Plains is doing yet though. As of now, I'm planning on singing my recital in September, and I should be free to sing in any show I want to after that. I will have the little problem of employment to work out, but as I said, I have time before I come to that decision.
Anyway, I'm really just wasting time before I go to sleep, and it's really late, so I should sleep so that I can be rested for a wonderful day of work tomorrow!
Hallelujah! The Lord is risen!
He is risen indeed! :-D