OCS London Choir Trip 2009

Day Four


The figure of speech “saving the best for last” definitely applied to our last full day in England! We were up early and enjoyed a full English breakfast at the Limply Stoke Hotel. Following breakfast we loaded up the coach and set off for the city of Gloucester for a performance at Gloucester Cathedral. This would be our last performance on the trip and we were eager to sing. The cathedral was built in the Norman style at the center and then in the Gothic style in all surrounding areas.



Upon entering the cathedral, our eyes were immediately drawn to the magnificent stained glass windows.



Looking to the right we saw the ornately carved pipe organ.



We had just a few minutes to look around before it was time to assemble for our concert. Taking the time to warm up and focus, we prayed as a group and then began our performance. The choir sang beautifully, their voices filling the cathedral. It was a moving experience for the students and for those in the audience and we were thankful to be able to end with such a positive and uplifting concert. The picture below was taken just as we were taking our places to warm up and pray.



One of the many things that captured our imaginations were the finely sculpted images found on both the interior and exterior walls.









We had a little time after our concert to explore the cathedral and grounds, finding a beautiful courtyard which offered us an opportunity for taking pictures.







Leaving Gloucester, our spirits were high—we’d had a great performance and had been touched ourselves by the music and the time in the great cathedral. Our afternoon would be spent in Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, and then at Warwick Castle, the oldest castle in England.

We saw thatched roof cottages in Stratford, and were amazed by their charm. A thatched roof was always “signed” by its maker with a specific pattern cut into the thatch near the apex of the roof.





The city was charming with its Victorian storefronts, whitewashed walls, and lovely gardens. We took in the sights and found some lunch in small groups. Although our time there was short, it was definitely memorable.







The last stop of the day would be Warwick Castle!



The castle was built in the 11th century and was the fortified residence of William the Conqueror. It was sold in the 20th century to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and was restored at that time. The kids had a great time exploring the castle and its grounds.













This would be our last night in England. We loaded up the coach and drove to our hotel in Coventry. The hotel was located next to the St. Michael's cathedral in Coventry, which we’d wanted to see, but made it in too late to visit. Don, Marla, and I strolled over to peer through the gates to look at what remained of the once glorious cathedral. The Lufwaffa bombed the cathedral in Coventry during WWII and what remains is now a memorial to those who lost their lives in that attack.





A new cathedral has been built to replace St. Michael’s and has this figure of the Archangel Michael in victory over Lucifer.



Tomorrow would bring a pre-dawn departure for London Heathrow. What a week we’d had! Our hearts and our minds had been enlarged by this experience—we’d seen places we’d only heard of, sung in glorious cathedrals, shared God’s message through song, and grown as people. We hope to take what we’ve learned and put it to use in our lives and our music.

London Choir Tour 2009


Day Three Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Bath




An early morning departure had us checking out of the Hotel Ibis and boarding a coach for Salisbury. The drive took us out of the city and into the countryside and we were able to make a stop at Stonehenge, the great monolithic circle of stones that have stood sentinel since before the time of the Roman invasion.



Along the way we saw many barrows (burial mounds) that are an integral part of early British folklore and tradition.

“Construction of Salisbury Cathedral commenced when the bishopric was moved to Salisbury from Old Sarum in 1220. By 1258 the nave, transepts and choir were complete. The magnificent west front was ready by 1265.

The tower and spire were completed in 1320. Salisbury Cathedral's spire is the tallest in England and is 404 feet tall. The spire, while the cathedral's crowning glory, also proved to be its most troublesome feature. Together with the tower, it added 6,500 tons to the weight of the building. But for the addition of buttresses, bracing arches and iron ties over the succeeding centuries, it might well have suffered the fate of spires on other great ecclesiastical buildings and fallen down. To this day the large supporting pillars at the corners of the spire can be seen to bend inwards under the strain.” SacredDestinations.com





The kids had a fantastic time touring the cathedral and exploring the cloisters.



Our next stop would be the picturesque city of Bath!



On arrival, we headed for Bath Abbey to sing in their afternoon recital for visitors. We found this to be our most challenging concert, as the standing area we were asked to use had very difficult visibility between students and director. This was good for the students, teaching them to think through performance challenges and make purposeful decisions to be successful. After the recital, we walked through the city in small groups, looking for a good place to try for dinner and to get in a little shopping time—the first opportunity we’d had to do so.





There were street performers in the plazas and we saw a fiddle playing, bicycle riding, tightrope walker, a flame-juggling unicyclist, and an incredibly talented violinist.





While in Bath we visited the ancient Roman baths that the city was known for. A good portion of the structure has stood the test of time and the springs that fill the bath are still hot. Archeologists have uncovered a vast network of baths, rooms, and what they suspect could have been a small temple. The springs of Bath were said to have healing properties and many people have made pilgrimage to bathe in its waters over the centuries.



We moved on to our next hotel in the Cotswold hills and settled in for the night. The hotel’s picturesque exterior promised a quaint night’s stay, but the interior was a warren of tiny corridors, twisting stairs, and odd-smelling rooms.



What a day! We headed off to devotions and bed thinking of the rich history of this country and of the beauty we’d seen. We had one more full day to go and couldn’t wait to take it in.

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.