P.S. 2009 DUMC Summer Youth Tour

Refreshed after a good night's sleep in our own beds, we gathered as a group for one last concert before calling this year's tour a wrap. It was a packed house, and the lack of air conditioning made things very cozy. As Walt remarked, it seemed much like the churches we visited these past 10 days in New England, where air conditioning is a rarity. The kids were excited to be performing before the home crowd and already nostalgic about this chapter coming to an end. The orchestra sounded magnificent and dazzled the audience, particularly friends and family who were hearing them for the first time. The choir was ready to sing with full gusto, no longer feeling the need to hold back to save their voices. At full throttle their performances were just incredible. We were treated to some new music, as Brian and Seth serenaded the offertory break with lovely clarinet/flute duets they had rehearsed but never performed during the tour. A special part of the evening was the addition of tour alumni for the encore pieces. It seemed a wonderful way to tie this year's experience together with the rich history of tradition from prior tours, and to segue forward to whatever may come next. The audience would have loved for the singing to continue on and on, but there was a party to get to, so Walt drew the concert to a conclusion. On behalf of the tour group, Dan Krotz presented Walt a token of our appreciation. In Dan's words . . . as thanks for all the support Walt has shown us, we wanted to give him a bit of support as well. In the form of suspenders - one pair with smiley faces, another with musical notes. Dan also thanked our tireless tour director, Cathy Dobrzanski, for all of her hard work and coordination, and Joe D. gave her beautiful flowers to show our appreciation for all she did to make this such a wonderful experience. We then moved the party down the road to the Damascus pool. A huge thank you to Wendy Hembrough and all of the parents who helped organize this and provided the delicious food. It was a lovely way to unwind and enjoy one another's company. For once, the weather actually cooperated! As the kids swam, the adults traded tour stories and chatted about plans for the rest of the summer. Sadly, the evening's festivities concluded around midnight. The kids shivered in the cool night's air, hugged one another and said goodnight, realizing the summer would now switch gears and they would begin to scatter for sports camps, summer jobs and family vacations. But the memory of their shared experiences will remain fresh for a long time to come, and the journey their faith has taken is now indelibly woven into their hearts and souls.

Jackie P.

As the official "blog poster and picture uploader" I would like to thank Jackie Perry for her thoughtful and inspiring words these past few days. She truly has a gift with words and I know we all appreciate her work! Please take a moment to thank her next time you see her!

Have a restful summer, dear DUMC friends.

Love,

Beth T

Click Here for Photos from Homecoming Concert & Party