We Worshiped on Wednesday
Wednesday! This is the turning point of the week! All the rehearsals start to come together and culminate with the first performances of the week. But they were more than just performances. Let me explain.Dr.Brinkley once again started us off on an excellent note by focusing on the phrase "Walk Humbly". She encouraged the All-Staters to listen to God's still small voice and to journal their "God journey" as much as possible. She also shared her personal calling with the All-Staters that took place while she was walking by a dumpster one day. She was helping the All-Staters realize that God can call anyone and everyone - no matter what they are doing or where they are doing it.
After that, it was back at it in the choir room with some more warm-ups to start the final longgggg day of rehearsal. Much of the rehearsals involved the All-Staters going over trouble spots and adding in some extra effort on the harder pieces. And memorization. That's always fun for the first concert! (Can I get an Amen?!)
A fun tradition of Wednesday is to sing for the cafeteria staff in Marshbanks. A beautiful rendition of Walk in the Light with the cajon and djembe got a round of applause from the softball and other camps in the room. One guy even joined in the singing and dancing with the choir. This is always a great way to say thanks to the staff of the cafeteria on our last day at Campbell.
The next rehearsals were in the chapel to prepare for our first concert! All the last details and long rehearsals couldn't get the All-Staters down because, you know, its All-State and we're excited to be here.
After grabbing a quick bite to eat, it was time for group pictures! (And some people who wanted one with a friend!) So thankful we got to take all our pictures inside this year because it has been pretty scorching at Campbell over the past few days.
Now time for the first performance! Butler Chapel on the campus of Campbell University is a great place to worship and sing and the All-Staters did a lot of both of those on Wednesday. In the introductions, Phil called tonight a "worship concert" and that it most definitely was. While performing beautiful and chorally advanced renditions of all the selections, there was a definite presence of worship that filled the room. The arrangement of Chris Tomlin's "I Will Rise" brought the house down. So if you are coming to a concert soon (Which you all should be!) get prepared to worship!
And as any current or former All-Stater will tell you - Sunni Sky's after the concert makes all the rehearsing and long days worth it.
After family group time, some All-Staters still had lots of spare energy left (who knows how?!) and there was a spontaneous singing and dance party in the lobby. A wonderful ending to a worshipful day.
Your Faithful All-State Blogger,
Carter