Touring Choir Takes to the Road!
Today the PTS Touring Choir took to the road on our first performance of the year by celebrating World Communion Sunday at Mt. Airy Presbyterian Church. About 35 minutes from Princeton, Mt. Airy is located in the rolling farmland of western New Jersey. I was simply amazed at the beauty of the drive, where each curve and hill crested brought new views of the amazing color that is fall near Princeton. To be honest, I was not expecting to worship at a church with cattle grazing across the street, but when we pulled into the small parking lot (which was mainly grass) we were greeted by a chorus of cows coming in for breakfast.
We had the joy of worshiping with the joint congregations of Mt. Airy Presbyterian and Stockton Presbyterian Churches. These two congregations evidently do many activities together due to their small sizes. We were joined in singing by the choirs of each congregation, they added another ten or so to our ranks.
In celebration of World Communion Sunday we sang music from across the globe, from classic European hymns to a Muskogee (Native American) Hallelujah, a South African Benediction to a Pakistani response. It was quite wonderful! I even had a (one-line) solo during our communion anthem. My favorite selection would be a tie between "Sing Alleluia to the Lord", a responsive prayer song that I first learned at church camp, and the Pakistani response. I had never sung in Urdu before, and it was quite fun!
As promised, here is a photo of me is our awesome choir robes. Unlike every other choir I have ever seen we do not use the Geneva style robe. Instead, we wear a blue Cassock with a white over-gown (I believe the technical term is an "alb" but I'm not 100% sure on that - I think they look like an acolyte robe!). The good thing is that we all look ridiculous together! I don't think I will ever complain about a "normal" choir robe again.
Have a wonderful day friends!