London Choir Tour 2009


Day Two

We got up early on Sunday, ate a quick continental breakfast, and then walked several city blocks to St. Andrew’s Fulham Fields Church to lead in worship, providing the music for the Lord’s Supper.




We arrived about an hour before worship so that we could rehearse and make any last minute adjustments for the service. The interior of the church was truly beautiful. There was an intricately carved and gilded panel that ran floor to ceiling behind the choir, and the area from which we sang was richly appointed.



Most of our students had not participated in an Anglican Mass and were amazed by the rich liturgy used as well as by the copious amounts of incense that was dispersed through the room by the young attendants.




After singing our two songs for communion, the priest asked if we’d sing the Gospel number we’d just sung again at the end of the service. We gladly complied and moved forward to sing just before the benediction. We enjoyed a time of fellowship with the churches' parishioners after the service and took some group photos to commemorate our visit.




The rest of the day would be spent viewing the Tower of London! Our first stop of the afternoon was Tower Bridge. This historical bridge is often confused with London bridge. London bridge was actually sold to the US years ago-- the story goes that the US actually thought they were getting Tower Bridge, but ended up getting something else completely.



We huddled up for a group picture just before entering the Tower of London!



Moving inside, we saw the priceless Crown Jewels of England.




In deference to the ancient legend and the decree of King Charles II at least six ravens are provided with Raven's Lodgings at the Tower of London. A Yeoman Warder, or Beefeater, has the specific role of Ravenmaster at the Tower and takes care of their feeding and well-being.



Getting around the city by coach can be difficult due to traffic and parking, so with the help of our guide we quickly learned to navigate the London tube system called the Underground.



Our first foray into the tubes was a bit stressful, as we had to cross the city at a very busy time of day. The students quickly learned to line up all the way down the platform and to move onto the tube quickly before the doors closed. It’s a pretty efficient way of transport and the tube maps are color coded and easy to understand.



There is often a slight gap between the platform and the train—a voice can be heard over a loud speaker every few minutes informing all travelers to “mind the gap".



Traveling the tubes we decided to stop by a supermarket for dinner, thinking that everyone might find something to their liking to eat. However, we were unprepared for what a crowded small supermarket in London actually was like…



After stocking up on things we thought we might like to eat, we got back on the tubes and headed back to the Hotel Ibis. We debriefed on all we had seen and experienced so far in our devotions time and headed for bed. Tomorrow we would head to Stonehenge , Salisbury Cathedral, and the City of Bath.