Epworth Forest Choir School 2013

Choir School 2013 is now a memory. The music was incredible! The worship was extraordinary! Choir School is worth going to just to experience the music or the worship but we happen to get both! With Craig Courtney as the music director and the Rev. Dr. Derek Weber as the chaplain,  Dr. Randy Frieling as the Adult Choir Accompanist extraordinaire, and more talent than one can imagine, it was a fulfilling week. CS is held on the campus of Anderson University in Anderson Indiana.
The following photos will be to remind me of who all attended this year. It doesn't capture the beauty of the music and worship but from people's faces, you can see that they love CS:

Kim LaRue and her Worship Class set the stage for our theme of "Follow The Leader"

Kathy Thies and I walked each morning.

Randy and sweet Eleanor

Randy and Sandy

Kathy and I saw a poster about CS on a wall many years ago.

We experienced CS at Epworth Forest with Varner and Anna Chance (who founded EFCS in 1954 in North Webster.)

LaPorte is always well represented!!!

My roommate, Nellie (2nd from the right) was new this year.

Pat (left) is one of my "old" roommates.

 

What am I doing in a picture???

Time for a quick break!

 

Wednesday evening everyone gathers at Park Place Church of God for Worship and Recital Night. If a CS person chooses to take part on Recital Night, they come prepared to audition. People are chosen by what will make a balanced program and it is incorporated into our worship service.

Patrice and Jill are some of the "old" people that I love to catch up with each year.

Dave T. is the "strong/silent" type that works hard behind the scenes to make us look good. He is also a very looooow bass.

Marti is new this year. She and Kathy T. were old friends at Ball State and reconnected with each other! Small world!

                  

Who doesn't just LOVE Lucy Lehman???

Kathy, Nellie and Pat

The sanctuary before the service

Glenda and her brother Glen (new this year).

Glen arrived from Texas to visit. He is very smart (Dr. of something to do with chemistry) but I really loved him anyway!

 

The Recital Night began with Schuyler Brinson and Randy Frieling playing a piano/organ duet called "Capriccio". I would love an entire evening of just listening to those two guys play!

 

Thursday morning and Ginger and I are ready for more rehearsal.

Sara was new this year and she certainly loves life. Can you tell?

Since the rehearsal rooms are COLD, we loved taking breaks in the sun.

Anderson University is a beautiful campus.

Craig Courtney (center in blue shirt) talks to Sue Ametsreiter. Sue was new this year and came with the Courtneys. They have been friends for many, many years. She was delightful to get to know.

I even learned how to pronounce her name properly!

 

And then.....

the Colts began to arrive in town.

The Colts' "set-up" crew arrive about Wednesday and they begin to prepare for the players arrival. We leave CS by Saturday noon and they move in. It is fun to watch how the big trucks come in and bring all the upgrades: food, mattresses, equipment, etc.

(I wonder if any of the Colts want to join Choir School! Hmmm!)

 

Thursday night (called Thursday Night Live) is a fun night for any one or any act with no auditions. Some of the acts are pulled together at the last minute:

 

The (Chordsmen) boys can SING!!!

They pulled this terrific number together

the night before. What talent!

"Lynda and the Lyttles" is entertaining every year.

One never knows what they will come up with!

 

Friday is the culmination of all we have learned throughout the week. Our final concert is usually held at a church in Anderson but with the completion of York Hall on campus, we held our concert there. We had morning rehearsal and worked on placement of everyone.

 

 

 

Craig directs our final rehearsal.

 

At last, it's nearly dinnertime and then our concert.

 

Craig and Susan Courtney

These wonderful young men came to Choir School for the first time this year. They study at Capital University and sing with the Chordsmen under Craig's direction. Meeting (and listening) to them was worth a week on bad mattresses!

 

Schuyler and Randy

(Unstoppable on any keyboard!)

 

How many people are so fortunate as to have a visitor come to the concert? A visitor from my past! An "old" 1st grade student!! A student who is an RA at Anderson University and close to having a degree in Social Work!!! I LOVE catching up with Amanda Martin! They don't come any sweeter than her. She was texting her best friend during the concert (who also happened to be in my class!) and was telling her about being at the concert. What a treat!

 

 

The concert is over and we collect back at the dorm for prayer. Derek is the best!

 

The young men are ready to have fun as we old folks head to bed!

 

 

Saturday morning is time for breakfast and our final morning worship. Kim LaRue can make a meaningful altar out of most anything.

 

Choir School 2013 is over for another year. Now it's time to go home and "follow the leader".

 

 

 

Aunt Nancy

             This is my dear Uncle Wayne and Aunt Nancy.

You would love them very much.

They were married for over 60 years.

Uncle Wayne died a few years ago and a celebration of Aunt Nancy's life will take place in Chicago as I write this.

I wish that I could be there to represent our family but

time and space won't allow it.

On my 9th birthday, it was my turn to go home with the Culvers

to Chicago and stay with them for a week!!!

It was the closest to heaven I would ever get (I thought then)!

Steve, Chad and Peter were always nice to me (I'm sure they were threatened within an inch of their lives)!

They played games!

They did puzzles!

They had a wading pool!!!!!!!

I got to listen to records!!!!!

But best of all...I was "dressed up":  adorned with little white gloves, taken to DOWNTOWN Chicago and we had LUNCH!!!

and SHOPPED!!!.

I was soooo happy!

Aunt Nancy bought me a little white blouse with pink on the pocket with MATCHING pink on a narrow, pin-striped skirt!

It was AN OUTFIT!!!

IT WAS NEW!!!

I was complete!!!

I felt beautiful!!!

I had such joy in my soul, I don't remember much else about the trip but I knew that being with the Culvers was a treasure!

I loved to listen to them talk to each other.

I always felt that they were from another world.

Even their "accents" were wonderful.

They sounded (and still do...especially Chad) like they were from Boston or someplace like that.

They were all soooo smart!

They could tease each other and banter and it was all meaningful!

They were a unique family.

I was blessed to have them in my life.

Uncle Wayne and Aunt Nancy had a lot of catching up to do but they are together again and that makes me happy.

May God bless Steve, Chad and Peter and their families,

for they will miss their mother.

She was a very special lady.

Sisters and Such...

Mother (92) and Aunt Eleanor (91) haven't seen each other in many months. Aunt Eleanor lives at Maple Lawn Nursing Home in Coldwater MI and it is difficult for her to get out and about. Today, however, was a doctor's appointment in Battle Creek, so Cousin Carol Ann Woodman (who visits her mother nearly every day) and I decided to meet for lunch. We met at Cracker Barrel at 2:00. Carol Ann brought along her granddaughter, Jordyn, who is one very loved little girl! I believe that Aunt Eleanor referred to her great-great-granddaughter as "the apple of her eye" a few times.

                               The meeting of the sisters:

Mother & Aunt Eleanor

 

Jordyn, Aunt Eleanor and Carol Ann

Aunt Eleanor invited anyone who wanted to,

to sit on her lap. Jordyn took her up on it!

Since they were on the other side of my table,

I made them pose for me several times.

Jordyn LOVES to pose!

Jordyn and Grandma Carol

Smaaaaack!

"I love you more!!!"

 

It was difficult capturing the Sisters in a photo.

I took many pictures!

I deleted many pictures!

One would look at the camera.

The other would look away.

One would smile.

One would talk.

The other would talk.

Finally...

I just let them talk.

They look mad but trust me...

they weren't!

This is how you look when you are

in your 90's...

hard of hearing...

have memory issues...

and

have a camera flashing in your face every 5 seconds!

"Ok Eleanor. Humor her and smile."

(I do love this picture of Mother.)

Smile!

Smile....again!

"Do you think she's done yet???"

"I'll grab the camera and you take her down!"

"Ready?"

"Oh wait. How fast can you move?"

"It takes 5 minutes to get out of this chair!"

"Just ignore her and she'll leave us alone."

"I'm telling you, I hate those Kodak's!!!"

 

We really did have a great time together.

*   *   *

 This is a sad time as well because their beloved sister-in-law, Nancy Culver, is near death in Chicago.  Our heart-felt prayers go out to our cousins

Steve, Chad and Peter Culver and their families

during this difficult time.