Well it has been a great last stop on the 2015 Tour. We arrived in Eatonton yesterday to the familiar faces of the Turney family. We got there early enough for an extended rehearsal and time to play with the wonderful acoustics in the space. There was an energy in the room unmatched by any other concert so far as the kids begin to smell home (or each other) and prepare to perform for a familiar crowd. 

As the sanctuary filled up, we stuffed our faces with southern fried chicken, mac and cheese, green beans, banana pudding, etc. It was hard not to eat too much but it was all so good. They had welcome banners, decorated tables, and snack packs for the kids to take with them after the show. 

When it came time for the performance, many of the singers were surprised to see mom or dad sitting in the audience. It was a packed house that was ready to party. The energy from warm-up carried over to the performance that was easily the best on tour so far. Several of the Seniors had given inspirational pep talks as they experience the last of the lasts on tour and it seemed to give everyone that extra jolt. They nearly brought the house down with "Walk in Jerusalem" and the soloists were on point. The raucous crowd was excited to see what the Turney's had been bragging about for years. 

The kids were so excited to be going home to homestays afterwards. The chaperones were even more excited for the kids to be going home to homestays afterwards. As we sat on Lake Oconee enjoying a wonderful celebratory dinner, distant screams and laughs from what were certainly our kids could be heard drifting through the darkness from all corners of the lake. 

This morning we sing in worship at First Baptist Eatonton, and then hit the road for the quick ride back to Shallowford. We can't wait to see everyone!

At 9:30am when we stepped out of the hotel into the thick, swampy air we knew we had made the correct decision in not going to the beach. Still worn out and a little sunburned from our day at Busch Gardens, we decided instead to head towards Ocala for another mall food court stop and an afternoon movie matinee. After an extended lunch stop, some of us went to see Jurassic World and the others Pitch Perfect. It was a nice two hours out of the heat and killed the necessary time before it was time to head to the church. 

We arrived at First Presbyterian of Ocala not quite knowing what to expect, but found a beautiful sanctuary, several excited greeters, a wonderful meal, and more than adequate accommodations for the night. It wasn't the largest crowd we have ever sung for, but they were very into the show. 

Tonight we're all together at the church for what I'm certain will be a restful night before our longest drive of the tour tomorrow crossing back into Georgia. The folks in Eatonton, led by the Turney's, have the red carpet ready to roll out and we're excited to be close to home. 

Sorry for the late post, but we were out until the wee hours of the morning for Seeeeenior Niiiiiiiiiiight! (you have to say it like that) Okay, we got back at 12:30, but on choir tour that might as well be 4am. 

Yesterday was a great day at Busch Gardens. Something for everyone, roller coasters, wonderful animal exhibits, funnel cakes and turkey legs, and when your dogs were barking and you had a mixture of sweat and sunscreen in your eyes, there was a wonderfully dark and airconditioned ice skating show. It didn't matter how corny it was, the A/C and padded seat were worth it. 

The coasters were great (well I didn't ride any, but they looked great). Loops, dives, corkscrews, and dips that take you in and through animal enclosures, water-filled lakes, and tunnels. The have the tallest freestanding drop tower in North America at 335 feet. Congo River Rapids, Stanley Falls, and Tanganyika Tidal Wave if you're looking for something a little wetter. Or if you just want a great way to see the park, there's the Serengeti Railway and the Skyride that take you around and over their mini version of Africa's great plains. 

Unfortunately, of my 475 pictures from the day, none of them have people in them so you'll just have to take my word for it. It was a great day at Busch Gardens. 

After a long day of fun and play, it was back to work today. We boarded the bus and headed North. After not one, but two, mall meal stops we arrived at the impressive campus at the Westminster Suncoast Retirement Community in St. Petersburg, FL. And boy were they ready. Even the guard at the gate was anticipating our arrival, had highlighted maps to show us where to go, we had hosts greet us at the door, a sound guy to provide technical assistance, and a full house show up for the performance. 

Much like the Salvation Army Recovery Center, it was a crowd particularly eager to see and hear young people! They were amazed at the level of music the choir produced and even more impressed with how the choir conducted themselves (ha!). There was toe tapping, humming, and a few even song along to some of the crowd favorites. 

It was a bright and beautiful space to sing in. It was especially powerful to hear our kids speak and sing about the powerful and life giving properties of water as a steady rain fell on the roof of the building outside. 

Here are some videos from the concert. 

Tomorrow we need another day off. So it's off to play at Busch Gardens and Senior Night festivities. Let's hope the weather cooperates. 

Click here for more photos from the day. 

What a great day in Islamorada! The kids always look forward to the first day with no singing! This morning we went our separate ways, fishermen and women one way, and snorkelers the other. Some went with great anticipation and excitement while others will slightly more trepidation and fear. On the fishing vessel, it was so fun to watch first timers get over their fears. Of touching dead squid, and handling a sharp hook, of reeling in fish and keeping lines from tangling. My favorite part of the day was watching kids begin to get the hang of it and even start to teach others around them tips and tricks, trading rods that were good luck, and cheering on each other as they hauled in their first fish. 

Okay I lied. My favorite part was actually catching a shark. I think in the end, the crew was pretty impressed with our haul. We ended up with over a hundred Yellowtail a handful of Snapper, some small grouper and other assorted fish, a Yellow Jack, and a nurse shark. After lunch, kids began to feel the effects of the heat (and the smell of bait) and we decided to call it quits and head for shore. 

When we rendezvoused with the snorkeling crowd it was apparent they had equally as much fun. They stopped at two different sites and saw beautiful crystal clear waters, a wide variety of fish a aquatic life, and took lots of underwater selfies. 

After everyone was back on shore, we met up at the Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar for a wonderful bayside dinner right on the sand. We started with appetizers of our freshly caught Yellowtail, blackened and fried, followed by a wonderful assortment of fish and shrimp, ribs and burgers. After dinner, we hung around, listened to live music, played at the waters edge, and water for the sun to set as tourists do in the Keys. As sunsets in the Keys go, it wasn't the greatest, but the bar is set pretty high around here!

We got back to the hotel in time to swim for an hour or so and now everyone is tucked in after a long day in the sun. Tomorrow, we begin the trek back North. 

Click here for more pictures from today. 

First off, ten points if you recognize the blog title (see Archer). 

We left Cocoa Beach this morning headed for our surprise destination. The kids spent the better part of the 4 hour drive dreaming up best case, and even worst case scenarios that ranged all the way from a private One Direction concert to having to perform an extra show! As we neared the canals, and signs for everglades tours became more frequent, a few of them put two and two together. Thankfully, it was received as an awesome surprise and turned out to be perhaps even better than Emily expected. 

We inhaled a picnic lunch and hit the water in our fleet of airboats in hopes of beating the imminent rain clouds. Whether we were spinning laps around the marsh grasses like something out of Tokyo Drift or casually floating through the shallow waters looking for gators and learning more about the indigenous species, it was a great trip. 

After the boat, we had the opportunity to see and hold some of the critters more closely. Emily came lip to lip with a potential prince, some of the girls narrowly escaped deadly scorpions, and we all had a good laugh. All in all, it was a great afternoon outdoors. We avoided the rain, and we saw swamp people. 

As we almost come to expect these days, the concert at the Salvation Army Adult Recovery Center was powerful. The kids, the residents, Emily and the chaperones were all moved. The choir sang to a packed room of over 120 residents along with some other community members, family, and friends who came out to hear the concert. The energy was palpable. It was as if the choir was preaching, or better yet, praying for this group of men. Praying that they might find God's amazing grace, or that if they hadn't already, they might find a bridge to help them over the troubles in their lives. 

This center is doing such amazing things and it was great to be able to play even a small role in the recovery process. One resident noted that although different, the concert achieved the same end result as the anger management class they were missing. The men were highly engaged throughout the performance and were clearly filled with the Holy Spirit. We were sad to leave so soon, but one can only wait for Golden Corral so long!

We finished the night with the Chocolate Wonderfall and a rambunctious ride to the hotel. We are currently at the Gateway to the Keys and are ready for some fishing and snorkeling in the morning. 

Click here to see more pictures and videos from the day.

Folks drifted into church this morning after a great night of homestays. Many got a chance to walk around The Village after the concert last night and get cold treats, others went back to homes for a dip in the pool. We really got the impression that the church had gone the extra mile to make sure we all had comfortable accommodations and it made the first night of tour a great one.  It was no small feat for this community to take in all 77 of us! It's never bad to make friends who live at the beach either!

It's always neat to sing the next morning in worship after a Saturday evening concert. There is always a buzz in the air; some excited to come back and hear the choir sing again, and others who have caught wind of what they missed and come to see what all the 'fuss' was about. This morning the sanctuary was packed with a little bit of both. It was a wonderful service and our choir played an integral role from start to finish. A real partnership. Following the service, we were sent on our way with well wishes and promises that their doors would always be open. 

The rest of the day was pretty much spent eating. No really. A 1:30 stop at Orange Park Mall in Jacksonville, followed closely by a 4:15 stop at Merritt Island Square Mall for a quick dinner before warmup and concert. We managed to force food down both times and I think a few of us were feeling the effects afterwards. Spirits were lifted a little when our President and Vice President (Jacob and Marshall) joined us from their trip to Carnegie Hall!

Just when we thought we might be singing for a handful of people, the faithful friends of Merritt Island Presbyterian began streaming in. Familiar faces, family, and friends eventually filled the pews for an encore performance from just two years ago. Many of the congregation knew and remembered Emily from her early days in Merritt Island so it was a great homecoming for all. 

We loaded up the buses as quickly as possible following the concert as precious pool time was wasting. We've currently taken over the Days Inn. Tomorrow we are off to Ft. Lauderdale where a surprise adventure awaits the choir. 

Click here for more photos and videos from today. 

Good morning! 

Well yesterday we completed the choir tour triple crown! We rode. We ate. We sang. It was an uneventful ride from Atlanta through Macon in route to St. Simons. We descended on unsuspecting Colonial Mall in Macon like (matching) flies on flypaper with one security guard asking, "Uhhh, how many of you are there?" Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, or Italian. They had all the mall food court essentials. We made it back on the buses with everyone AND their wallets though some of them already a good bit lighter from the hour long shopping spree. 

Following lunch we wound our way through the backroads of rural GA before meeting back up with the interstate just in time for a pitstop. We arrived in St. Simons just in time for a quick walk around the pier and "downtown" area. The church was waiting for us with a wonderfully prepared meal. No lasagne. No pizza. Life is good. 

Every year is a new year. The Chapel Choir has spent an entire year singing together, but we reach this point in preparations for touring and living together and things always have a tendency to get real in a hurry. So as we are rushing around to find sleeping pads, black pants that are two inches longer than last years, and four extra pairs of black socks, it's nice to sing for a familiar crowd. 

For their first pre-tour performance, the Chapel Choir sang for a packed house at KingsBridge Wednesday afternoon including a large contingent of Shallowford members. They started off strong and for the first time in years, nobody fainted at the first performance. This bodes well for the coming days. 

We have one last performance at Shallowford Thursday night before we hit the road for the real thing on Saturday morning. Thanks for following us on our journey and we'll see you at the Homecoming Concert Sunday, June 14.