Chorale - Greece

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Time:  11:00 a.m.

Location:  Bus to Philippi and Alexandropoulos

"Khristos Anesti!"  ("Christ is risen!")

"Alithos Anesti!"  ("Truly He is risen!")

Let's get right to it:  Easter Sunday, March 23.

For the Chorale members, Sunday was a 19-hour day...long, but definitely fulfilling.  It all started with the Ecumenical Easter Sonrise service on Philopappou Hill.  This was truly a beautiful experience in many ways:  The Acropolis was in the background; many languages were represented in the service, truly representing the unified body of Christ; and we were reminded of God's power and faithfulness through the messages and scriptures spoken.  The service began with the Chorale singing "Holy, Holy, Holy," and we also sang "Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down" (complete with a community [not stray] dog walking through our rows) in the chilly early morning.  Also represented during the service were an International Choir, a Korean Choir, a Filipino Choir, and an Indonesian Choir.  Throughout this service, our eyes were opened to how God had brought us full circle in our experiences this year.  Hopefully many of you reading this will remember our Sing Noel: Christmas around the World concert in December.  That program had representations from nine different cultures in the speakers, scriptures, and songs.  During the Sonrise service, prayers, Bible readings, and songs were spoken or sung in nine different languages.  This was such an awesome experience; we don't believe anyone in the Chorale thought it was a coincidence...God had ordained this and worked in such a way as to prepare us for this time.

Next in line for us was a late morning service at a Pentecostal church of believers in Athens.  This service was another new experience for many members of the Chorale; the worship songs, message, and scripture readings were all spoken in Greek while headphones could be used to hear an English translation.  We were well received by the congregation through the Chorale and Sounds' singing of six of our songs.  Fotis, our host, gave the message and gave the Chorale an incredible compliment during it.  He said that when we get to Heaven, the Taylor Chorale would be singing next to God.  Our hope is that we continue to have pure hearts and glorify Him through our ministry, and when compliments like this are given that we "pass the bouquets on to God," as Dr. Rediger would say.

After having lunch with the parallel tour of alumni and parents back at the hotel, we were given a break to enjoy however we pleased.  We weren't done with the day, though, because Sunday night we performed our program at the First Evangelical Church in Athens.  Again, God provided a full audience, including many of the people we had seen at the morning services.  Up to the beginning of our concert, most of us had been awake for nearly fifteen hours, yet many of us felt that it was our best performance yet.  God continues to be faithful throughout our schedule, and we are continually provided with great experiences and opportunities to interact with and minister to the people of Greece.

                          --The Chorale co-bloggers, Erin and Mark