Video courtesy of Mary Faith James.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Charles Wesley Singers - If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments
2011 Tour - Day 8: The New Room and Bath
Our gracious hosts returned us to High Cross Church where luggage was loaded onto the buses and a section check was held. We were amazed to be introduced to a remarkable man and his wife, Michael Wesley Cross and Audrey Cross. On his mother’s side of the family, Michael is the great-great-great-great grandson of Charles Wesley. Musical ability is a gift that has been present through the generations, as there have been many Guild Hall music teachers and performers through the years. Even now, nearly everyone in the family plays musical instruments or sings. Michael and Audrey have grown children involved in music – their son lives in Los Angeles and has written music for the Shrek movies.
Once on the bus, breakfast became the topic of conversation, especially what people in England eat on toast in the morning. We have seen orange marmalade, fruit jams in curious flavors (rhubarb and butter), lemon curd, Marmite (a yeast extract that is loved or hated), Bovil (a beef extract that appeals to fewer people than Marmite), Nutella (hazelnut and chocolate), and chocolate spread (Seriously, this is simply spreadable chocolate!). Only a few of our youth have been adventurous with unusual foods.
Alexandra and Bryn brought back a sampling of “Squashed Flies” from their host home – a flat baked sweet treat containing dried black currants that is aptly (albeit disturbingly) named. They also told us their host was going on a picnic to be held on a 60-foot long picnic table, which seats 100 people and was cut from one big tree.
We drove to the city of Bristol where lunch was “on your own” with £8 in an urban setting that gave us lots of options. Primark, the local department store, even had a café, much like Macy’s at home. There was time for a little shopping. The local M&S (Marks & Spencer) market was interesting to explore for sweet and salty snacks we can’t buy in the US.
A highlight of the day was visiting The New Room, which was built in 1739 and was the first Methodist church in the entire world. John Wesley established the Methodist faith with an emphasis on personal and social morality. Philip Carter, who is the Music Director for both The New Room and Totterdown Methodist Church (where we have a concert planned for tonight), greeted our youth. Walt announced that our Charles Wesley Singers, a liturgical choir, is the only ensemble in the world named after Charles Wesley. Charles Wesley wrote over 8000 hymns in his lifetime, and the choir filled the balcony upstairs to pay him tribute and give their best to God. They sang several numbers, including two by Thomas Tallis (“Tallis Canon,” and “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments”) as a beginning. Walt played the organ in this colonial chapel as the choir sang pieces written by Charles Wesley: “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “And Can It Be,” and “Love Divine.” Where Walt leads, the choir will follow. With many visitors taking in the gorgeous music, Walt asked the choir to sing “Love Divine” to a completely unfamiliar tune that is relatively common in England. The choir came through beautifully, and the sound was rich and strong. Methodist or not, we can all appreciate the beauty of music sung in glory to God. The informal program ended with the entire congregation standing to hold hands, saying The Lord’s Prayer together in a spiritual bond.
Today, The New Room looks as it would have appeared in 1748 when the church was rebuilt. Living quarters for John Wesley and his assistants are upstairs, and most of the furnishings are original. John used The New Church as a springboard for the Methodist movement to engage in missionary work. He also preached against slavery at a time when that was not a popular position. John convinced his brother Charles to move to Bristol and raise a family there. Charles was prolific in writing music, but he was also an evangelist, a theologian, and a scholar. We were blessed to have our youth from the New World have an appreciation of people and events from the Old World.
We made a side trip from Bristol to visit the town of Bath, another World Heritage Site and truly a man-made wonder. When the Romans occupied Britain in the first century AD, they built a palatial compound of baths around naturally occurring hot springs. (These are the only hot springs in Great Britain and the bubbling water still pumps out over 15,000 gallons of water each day.) The Romans built a temple of worship to celebrate their sun goddess Sulis Minerva, and they named the settlement in her honor. Foundations and relics from the original buildings still exist, dating as early as 76 AD. An altar where cattle were sacrificed in the temple has survived through the centuries. Other gods were worshipped as well, including a water god and a moon god. Only the temple priests and the Roman rulers were worthy enough to use the baths. Even in those ancient times, the main bath had a vaulted ceiling. Roman society was advanced enough to have a room with rocks heated from the hot springs to use in therapeutic massage.
History shows that the Romans left Britain and the town was renamed Bath. During the Victorian era the baths were fully functioning as a spa that was touted to have healing qualities. A second-story walkway was built in recognition of past Roman figures, decorated with statues of great Roman leaders such as Julius Caesar.
The weather was warm and sunny this afternoon, and many of our group opted to enjoy shopping in town. Bath has a huge abbey that was open to the public and had an orchestra rehearsing. Many of our youth lingered in the central square, enjoying ice cream and live music from street musicians. The spacious town square, the warmth of the sun, the music, and the casual crowds made this feel very much like a Roman plaza.
We had dinner at Preview Buffet as a scheduled stop en route to our evening concert. This restaurant was able to accommodate our large group easily with a wide selection of meats, vegetables, salads, and desserts, all in a short time. Parents, rest assured your children are eating! Back in Bristol, we arrived at Totterdown Methodist Church and the buses pulled up next to a bright yellow poster advertising our performance. We were greeted again by Philip Carter, having met him earlier in the day at The New Room.
Totterdown Church was built in 1875, and it is a large church with a rounded ceiling that makes for a wonderful concert. Our youth sang and played beautifully for a very appreciative audience. As with other performances, the Haydn mass was amazing. Tonight the sounds of the horns and the timpani in the final movement were especially compelling. The concert program closed with sincere appreciation from Philip Carter. He said it was especially nice to see young people so engaged and performing like an accomplished adult group. He described the choir as having fully developed voices and the orchestra as having absolutely superb string tone.
Our concerts typically have an intermission, which is announced as an “interval” to British audiences. The ladies of Tottendown Church served home-made tarts, cookies, and cakes along with tea, coffee, and cold drinks. The cakes were so good that recipes were requested of parishioners Ann and Derek Rees, who have run a catering business for over 30 years. They are responsible for the food at their annual Totterdown Church Bazaar, which is the equivalent of a DUMC Turkey Oyster Dinner. At the Church Bazaar, they typically offer a selection of main courses such as chicken pie, casserole steak, cheese and potato pie, and faggots (a dish from sheep liver, intestines, and heart.) They are known for their desserts of apple pie (America does not have the market on this!), cheesecake, trifle, and chocolate profiteroles. Thanks to Ann and Derek, English Tiffin (chocolate) and Coffee Walnut Cake are sure to show up at a DUMC potluck dinner in Maryland!
We left the church happily knowing we would see our new friends again the next morning at their Sunday service. We left the church and stayed this night in a hotel, Holiday Inn Express. With everyone finally settled into rooms, we were one tired bunch by the time the 11:00 PM curfew check gave us a knock at our door.
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or
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Once on the bus, breakfast became the topic of conversation, especially what people in England eat on toast in the morning. We have seen orange marmalade, fruit jams in curious flavors (rhubarb and butter), lemon curd, Marmite (a yeast extract that is loved or hated), Bovil (a beef extract that appeals to fewer people than Marmite), Nutella (hazelnut and chocolate), and chocolate spread (Seriously, this is simply spreadable chocolate!). Only a few of our youth have been adventurous with unusual foods.
Alexandra and Bryn brought back a sampling of “Squashed Flies” from their host home – a flat baked sweet treat containing dried black currants that is aptly (albeit disturbingly) named. They also told us their host was going on a picnic to be held on a 60-foot long picnic table, which seats 100 people and was cut from one big tree.
We drove to the city of Bristol where lunch was “on your own” with £8 in an urban setting that gave us lots of options. Primark, the local department store, even had a café, much like Macy’s at home. There was time for a little shopping. The local M&S (Marks & Spencer) market was interesting to explore for sweet and salty snacks we can’t buy in the US.
Today, The New Room looks as it would have appeared in 1748 when the church was rebuilt. Living quarters for John Wesley and his assistants are upstairs, and most of the furnishings are original. John used The New Church as a springboard for the Methodist movement to engage in missionary work. He also preached against slavery at a time when that was not a popular position. John convinced his brother Charles to move to Bristol and raise a family there. Charles was prolific in writing music, but he was also an evangelist, a theologian, and a scholar. We were blessed to have our youth from the New World have an appreciation of people and events from the Old World.
We made a side trip from Bristol to visit the town of Bath, another World Heritage Site and truly a man-made wonder. When the Romans occupied Britain in the first century AD, they built a palatial compound of baths around naturally occurring hot springs. (These are the only hot springs in Great Britain and the bubbling water still pumps out over 15,000 gallons of water each day.) The Romans built a temple of worship to celebrate their sun goddess Sulis Minerva, and they named the settlement in her honor. Foundations and relics from the original buildings still exist, dating as early as 76 AD. An altar where cattle were sacrificed in the temple has survived through the centuries. Other gods were worshipped as well, including a water god and a moon god. Only the temple priests and the Roman rulers were worthy enough to use the baths. Even in those ancient times, the main bath had a vaulted ceiling. Roman society was advanced enough to have a room with rocks heated from the hot springs to use in therapeutic massage.
History shows that the Romans left Britain and the town was renamed Bath. During the Victorian era the baths were fully functioning as a spa that was touted to have healing qualities. A second-story walkway was built in recognition of past Roman figures, decorated with statues of great Roman leaders such as Julius Caesar.
The weather was warm and sunny this afternoon, and many of our group opted to enjoy shopping in town. Bath has a huge abbey that was open to the public and had an orchestra rehearsing. Many of our youth lingered in the central square, enjoying ice cream and live music from street musicians. The spacious town square, the warmth of the sun, the music, and the casual crowds made this feel very much like a Roman plaza.
We had dinner at Preview Buffet as a scheduled stop en route to our evening concert. This restaurant was able to accommodate our large group easily with a wide selection of meats, vegetables, salads, and desserts, all in a short time. Parents, rest assured your children are eating! Back in Bristol, we arrived at Totterdown Methodist Church and the buses pulled up next to a bright yellow poster advertising our performance. We were greeted again by Philip Carter, having met him earlier in the day at The New Room.
Our concerts typically have an intermission, which is announced as an “interval” to British audiences. The ladies of Tottendown Church served home-made tarts, cookies, and cakes along with tea, coffee, and cold drinks. The cakes were so good that recipes were requested of parishioners Ann and Derek Rees, who have run a catering business for over 30 years. They are responsible for the food at their annual Totterdown Church Bazaar, which is the equivalent of a DUMC Turkey Oyster Dinner. At the Church Bazaar, they typically offer a selection of main courses such as chicken pie, casserole steak, cheese and potato pie, and faggots (a dish from sheep liver, intestines, and heart.) They are known for their desserts of apple pie (America does not have the market on this!), cheesecake, trifle, and chocolate profiteroles. Thanks to Ann and Derek, English Tiffin (chocolate) and Coffee Walnut Cake are sure to show up at a DUMC potluck dinner in Maryland!
We left the church happily knowing we would see our new friends again the next morning at their Sunday service. We left the church and stayed this night in a hotel, Holiday Inn Express. With everyone finally settled into rooms, we were one tired bunch by the time the 11:00 PM curfew check gave us a knock at our door.
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Saturday, June 25, 2011
2011 Tour - Day 7: Avebury and Salisbury
Happy Birthday to chaperone Pam Nehring and 8-year-old twins Mathew and William Baldridge! Pam is much loved, and she was celebrated with hugs and song repeatedly throughout the day.
Morning stories on the bus were indicative of the generosity of our host families. They have all opened their hearts and homes to us in ways that give us memories to cherish. Carly and Laura told a heart-warming story about their host named Shirley whose husband is deceased. She wanted to give the girls a sum of 20 pounds in spending money, but the girls resisted, expressing sincere appreciation for Shirley having attended the concert. Shirley insisted they take her gift, saying 10 pounds were from her and 10 pounds were from her beloved husband. The girls finally accepted and passed this most unexpected yet generous gift to Walt for the tour.
Some of our youth enjoyed a typical English breakfast and described the meal for the rest of us tourists on the bus. They had eggs sunny-side up, sausages, English bacon, baked beans, tomatoes, and tea. Another common breakfast, that is easier on the waistline, is cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, toast, and tea or juice.
Cheltanham is on the fringe of the Cotswolds, and our drive out took us past green pastures of peaceful sheep grazing among Queen Anne's Lace and red poppies. We arrived at the World Heritage Site of Avebury Henge where we wandered through fields of enormous vertical boulders forming a rough circle amid ditches and mounds. Henge monuments found at Avebury are the best known remains of the Neolithic period in Britain, around 2500 BC. Archeological studies show this was an agrarian civilization with some of the first domesticated animals in the British Isles.
Even older than more-famous Stonehenge and 16 times larger, the Avebury ring of stones is the oldest known ring in the world. The circles of massive stones are believed to have been central to celestial worship, which continues for the Druids today. Had we visited Avebury just three days earlier on the summer solstice, we would have been among thousands of people who gathered to celebrate the official beginning of summer.
On our next stop, we went to the town of Salisbury to visit the impressive cathedral there. Salisbury Cathedral features England's tallest spire at 404 feet and the country's largest cathedral green. The enormous grassy field surrounding the cathedral makes this Gothic wonder appear even larger than it is. Our chaperones on food duty arranged for a lunch of Subway sandwiches and crisps (potato chips) as a picnic on the green. The crisps were unusual flavors - Steak & Onion, Bacon, Roasted Chicken, and simply Ready Salted. With potato chips in such odd flavors, the Harry Potter "Bertie Bots Every Flavour Beans" don't seem so far-fetched.
We had a fabulous tour of Salisbury Cathedral with our large number divided into color groups for the guided walk. While many cathedrals took hundreds of years to complete, Salisbury Cathedral took a mere 38 years to build (1220 - 1258). Since the limestone structure was built in only a few decades, which is unique to English churches, the style is uniform and consistent throughout. The octagonal spire tilts 2.5 feet due to a heavy bell tower added about 100 years after the cathedral was built (since reinforced). The foundation rests on a soggy plain, and our guide showed us with a dipstick that the water table is only four feet below the surface. The water is a forgiving base and is surprisingly essential to keep the building from crumbling. As we toured the cathedral, we saw several fresh flower arrangements in pinks and blues that were for a wedding the next day. We learned that anyone is eligible to be married in this grand church, but wealth, social status, and being from the local community would certainly be in your favor.
Salisbury Cathedral survived World War II for a disconcerting reason. The town held no particular value, but more than that, the tall spire was used as a landmark by German bombers to help them navigate to better targets. We were present for the hourly prayer, which ended with the Lord's Prayer said in unison throughout the cathedral. Thanks be to God for this holy site and the opportunity to pray in such an inspiring place!
Our last stop on the tour was an original of the Magna Carta signed in 1215, establishing basic rights for all people in England. Scribed in black ink on vellum, this document is as important to the English as the Constitution is to Americans.
We arrived at High Cross Church in Camberly for our evening concert. After a short rehearsal, we enjoyed a traditional dinner of bangers and mash in their great hall. The meal consisted of English sausages, mashed potatoes with gravy, and peas. Our tasty dessert was black currant cheesecake and strawberry cheesecake. The dinner was lovingly prepared for us and we were blessed to have received such a warm welcome.
The youth performance this evening had the highest attendance of a concert thus far on tour. High Cross Church is quite integrated with the surrounding community, and the church is large enough to have its own gift shop. Our Charles Wesley Singers performed here on their first trip abroad in 1993 and again in 1999. In spirit, our visit here felt a bit like coming home. This evening's concert had several highlights. The choir sang a new number called "Bright Morning Stars," a powerfully moving Appalachian tune with a solo by Cameron. The Haydn mass, the "Yorkshire Ballad," and "Omnia Sol" were called out by a church spokeswoman as especially meaningful. At the end of the program, host families were quickly assigned, and off we went to spend the night in our new homes.
Click Here for Pictures of Day 7 on Facebook
or
Click Here if you do not have Facebook
Morning stories on the bus were indicative of the generosity of our host families. They have all opened their hearts and homes to us in ways that give us memories to cherish. Carly and Laura told a heart-warming story about their host named Shirley whose husband is deceased. She wanted to give the girls a sum of 20 pounds in spending money, but the girls resisted, expressing sincere appreciation for Shirley having attended the concert. Shirley insisted they take her gift, saying 10 pounds were from her and 10 pounds were from her beloved husband. The girls finally accepted and passed this most unexpected yet generous gift to Walt for the tour.
Some of our youth enjoyed a typical English breakfast and described the meal for the rest of us tourists on the bus. They had eggs sunny-side up, sausages, English bacon, baked beans, tomatoes, and tea. Another common breakfast, that is easier on the waistline, is cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, toast, and tea or juice.
Even older than more-famous Stonehenge and 16 times larger, the Avebury ring of stones is the oldest known ring in the world. The circles of massive stones are believed to have been central to celestial worship, which continues for the Druids today. Had we visited Avebury just three days earlier on the summer solstice, we would have been among thousands of people who gathered to celebrate the official beginning of summer.
On our next stop, we went to the town of Salisbury to visit the impressive cathedral there. Salisbury Cathedral features England's tallest spire at 404 feet and the country's largest cathedral green. The enormous grassy field surrounding the cathedral makes this Gothic wonder appear even larger than it is. Our chaperones on food duty arranged for a lunch of Subway sandwiches and crisps (potato chips) as a picnic on the green. The crisps were unusual flavors - Steak & Onion, Bacon, Roasted Chicken, and simply Ready Salted. With potato chips in such odd flavors, the Harry Potter "Bertie Bots Every Flavour Beans" don't seem so far-fetched.
We had a fabulous tour of Salisbury Cathedral with our large number divided into color groups for the guided walk. While many cathedrals took hundreds of years to complete, Salisbury Cathedral took a mere 38 years to build (1220 - 1258). Since the limestone structure was built in only a few decades, which is unique to English churches, the style is uniform and consistent throughout. The octagonal spire tilts 2.5 feet due to a heavy bell tower added about 100 years after the cathedral was built (since reinforced). The foundation rests on a soggy plain, and our guide showed us with a dipstick that the water table is only four feet below the surface. The water is a forgiving base and is surprisingly essential to keep the building from crumbling. As we toured the cathedral, we saw several fresh flower arrangements in pinks and blues that were for a wedding the next day. We learned that anyone is eligible to be married in this grand church, but wealth, social status, and being from the local community would certainly be in your favor.
Salisbury Cathedral survived World War II for a disconcerting reason. The town held no particular value, but more than that, the tall spire was used as a landmark by German bombers to help them navigate to better targets. We were present for the hourly prayer, which ended with the Lord's Prayer said in unison throughout the cathedral. Thanks be to God for this holy site and the opportunity to pray in such an inspiring place!
We arrived at High Cross Church in Camberly for our evening concert. After a short rehearsal, we enjoyed a traditional dinner of bangers and mash in their great hall. The meal consisted of English sausages, mashed potatoes with gravy, and peas. Our tasty dessert was black currant cheesecake and strawberry cheesecake. The dinner was lovingly prepared for us and we were blessed to have received such a warm welcome.
The youth performance this evening had the highest attendance of a concert thus far on tour. High Cross Church is quite integrated with the surrounding community, and the church is large enough to have its own gift shop. Our Charles Wesley Singers performed here on their first trip abroad in 1993 and again in 1999. In spirit, our visit here felt a bit like coming home. This evening's concert had several highlights. The choir sang a new number called "Bright Morning Stars," a powerfully moving Appalachian tune with a solo by Cameron. The Haydn mass, the "Yorkshire Ballad," and "Omnia Sol" were called out by a church spokeswoman as especially meaningful. At the end of the program, host families were quickly assigned, and off we went to spend the night in our new homes.
Click Here for Pictures of Day 7 on Facebook
or
Click Here if you do not have Facebook
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