Almost Home!

Wow!  Today was awesome!  Our group had a great time rafting (most for the very first time) and they were ready to do it again and even take on bigger rapids (OK, maybe Marcy wasn’t but the kids were!) and everyone finished the 2 hour trip in good shape and all in the boat!  We just got a little wet but that’s the only way to do it!

We arrived in Dalhart, TX, a little while ago and ate pizza buffet at Mazzio’s and are now in our motel rooms.  We plan on leaving tomorrow around 8am and hopefully, we will arrive between 5 pm and 6 pm.

Again, we thank you for your support and prayers–we’re looking forward to leading worship Sunday!

Beginning the Journey Home!

It’s Friday morning and we’re in the process of loading the bus so I’m sure this post will be brief!  We’re looking forward to being home tomorrow evening but not before some fun today white water rafting!

Our students have done and seen remarkable events over the past few days–people asking them to pray, the rededication to Christ of our bus drive Bill, children developing relationships with our teenagers, and a great bonding as a choir.  God has been very faithful to us over this week–we’ve remained safe and well (with the exception of a little dizziness from the altitude), we’ve shared our faith with boldness, we’ve ministered through music for believers and non-believers alike, and we’ve been on schedule every day!

Thanks for your prayers and support.  Mimosa Lane is truly blessed to have such an outstanding musical ministry and missions leadership group as the Ignite Choir!

Great ministry!

It’s almost lights out on Wednesday night and we’ve had a full day but a productive one.  VBS continues to go well and our students are doing an awesome job with the surveying and prayer walking.

This afternoon we were able to not only take a tour of the Air Force Academy chapel but also sing briefly in the room.  There are actually 5 worship rooms all under the same roof–Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, and All Faiths–with Protestant being the largest of the five.  It is an impressive structure, took 5 years to design, 4 years to build, and based on projections would cost approximately $75,0000,000 if built today!

Tonight, we had the privilege of singing a concert for Pike’s Peak Park Baptist Church and as we closed the concert, the pastor decided to offer an invitation.  Several people came forward including our bus driver, Bill, who said that our students’ singing and ministry has led him back to a closer relationship with God.  We celebrated this decision by going and getting a treat at a local Culver’s!  We’ve been praying for Bill this week and while he isn’t quite the same as other drivers we’ve had in the past, we’re convinced that God wanted us to minister to him.  You would be proud to see how our students have loved and encouraged his this week.

Tomorrow is busy as well–we’re making a slight change in our schedule and doing our Cripple Creek concert at 3:30pm which will push us to get back for VBS Family Night set up but it works better for the Rehab and Wellness Center.  We’re looking forward to a great VBS conclusion tomorrow night and hope you’ll be praying as an evangelistic message will be delivered to the children during the evening.

Hard at Work

This post will be somewhat brief and hurried.  We’re just finishing up our second day of VBS and surveying/prayerwalking.  Our students are doing a great job interacting with the children in the worship/assembly time and we’re already hearing interesting reports from the survey teams.  We’ll get more details on these later.

Yesterday we kicked off VBS and and had 22 kids in attendance; today we added 3 new kids!  They’re loving singing and doing motions with our students during assembly time as well.  We actually had a little time for R and R yesterday afternoon and many of the choir members spent some time in the pool.  Then, yesterday evening, we sang the National Anthem for the Sky Sox ballgame (they’re the Triple A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies) and the man in charge of the sound came to find Claude to tell him that our group was absolutely one of the best sounding and tightest groups to sing that they’ve ever had!  Once we finished singing, we had a real treat–we were able to relax on a terrace in right field (several kids shagged foul balls) and stuffed ourselves on a buffet of hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, fried chicken, potato salad and baked beans!  It was awesome and our students made sure to taste everything!

In just a few moments we’ll be heading back to Colorado Springs and we’ll tour the Olympic Training Center.  Later this evening, we have our annual Senior Dinner where I take the seniors out for a big night of eating and fellowship!  Thanks for your prayers and support–we can’t wait to get back to share!

Leading Worship

Today has been great!  First we started the day leading worship for First Baptist Church, Raton, NM, in their 8:30 a.m. service.  We slipped out a bit early and were treated to breakfast burritos made from scratch by the pastor’s wife!  Then after meeting for Sunday School, we led the worship in the 11 a.m. service as well.  The people were very gracious and hospitable.  Many of our students (including my family) stayed in homes where we could sit on the deck and overlook the valley–absolutely beautiful.  Tracy, Carter, and I saw a deer cross right in front of us and listened to the bears and mountain lions during the twilight hours.  Other members reported similar experiences.

One thing that was interesting about FBC that took me back a bit to rural Mississippi is the fact the church has no air conditioning.  There were several fans going (ceiling and floor) but the lights on the platform were really hot and a couple of our group pretty woozy after standing for a few minutes.  Not to worry–everyone is well but we’re going to bed earlier tonight!

This is the second night some of us have stayed in homes with no A/C also.  While it is cooler here than in Mesquite, the high today in Colorado Springs was still mid 90′s so it’s not like it’s freezing or anything.  It’s supposed to be in the 80′s this week in Woodland Park but I’ve been assured that since the elevation is higher, there is more exposure to sun and therefore, it will feel hotter.  We’re planning on being very liberal with sunscreen and drinking water.

Tonight, we had the privilege of presenting a full concert for Vista Grande Baptist Church in Colorado Springs.  They were a great congregation and our choir and vocal team sounded wonderful.  We also had the opportunity to see some friends–Allie Coppedge had her aunt/uncle come to the service, the Leslies had friends in the area who are hosting them tonight, and one of my former youth choir members from Birmingham (she’s now married and living in the area) came to the concert as well.  Following our singing, we were treated to a homemade pie fellowship and then the host church’s youth choir sang three songs for us.  They were really good and it was a lot of fun singing for each other.  What made it really special is that neither of our choirs get to hear other youth choirs sing so our kids really enjoyed it.

I hope you’re following along the itinerary–we’ll be headed to Woodland Park in the morning around 6:30 a.m. and we have a full day of VBS, surveying, and prayer walking.  Thanks for your prayers and support–you should be proud of your student ambassadors from Mimosa Lane!

Colorado 2010

We’re a little over 12 hours away from leaving on our 2010 trip and there’s much left to be done.  I’m sure that most of the kids are packing (yeah, right) and we’re making sure we’re ready for our ministry assignments.  As much as possible, I’ll be posting details on the trip and maybe even sharing a few photos (or maybe links to the photos).  We have several items on our prayer list–travelling safety, physical healthy (no illness this year!), Marcy Steele’s mom, bus driver, and spiritual insight/discernment for us all.  Please be sure to reply and let us know you’re reading the blog!

Blessings,

Randall

Here are some reminders about upcoming events:

This Sunday, November 22:

9:10 a.m.: Meet in the choir room to sing “All Belongs to You” with Adult Choir (No uniforms required.)

12:00 – 2:30 p.m.: Lunch rehearsal in the choir room. We will eat pizza while we watch the first quarter of the Cowboy’s game!

2:30 – 3 p.m.: Auditions for solos — What Troubles You Old King Herod, Welcome to Our World, and Shackles

Sunday, December 6:

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.: Rehearsal (note change in schedule)

5:00 p.m.: Sing in worship 

6:00 p.m.: Dessert Fundraiser

Other Reminders:

Dessert Fundraiser—be selling tickets!  Beginning Sunday, Nov 29, we’ll start selling tickets in the mall. We need all choir parents to sign up to bring at least one dessert

You can start collecting cell phones—we’ll turn them in after Christmas/New Year’s

Joe Willy’s fundraiser will probably be scheduled in January

Update from Parents Meeting

Here are the highlights of the Parent’s Meeting on 9/27/2009

1.    We’re using our website to help with communication between leadership, parents, and students.  If you haven’t already registered, please go to www.ignitestudentmusic.org and register.  Important dates will be listed as events (with details, locations, times, etc.)—it is important to not only register but to join the appropriate group (choir, parents, sponsors, etc.)
2.    We’ll use a variety of methods to insure that communication takes place—website, text, mail, email
3.    We’re participating in the October 18 CD Worship premiere with the Adult Choir and Orchestra.  The rehearsal retreat is this Sunday, October 4 (noon-2pm)—details for both events are listed on the site and it would be helpful for your student to RSVP
4.    Christmas—we will probably sing on Sunday evening, Dec 6, with the Children’s Choirs.  This will be followed by the dessert fellowship.
5.    Uniforms—shirts will be distributed as soon as they arrive (hopefully by October 25)
6.    Auditions for Vocal Team are 3:15pm this Sunday, October 4
7.    Fundraisers—Dessert Fellowship (December), Cell Phone collection (probably January but you can begin accumulating now), serve as wait staff at Joe Willy’s in Rockwall—tentative Monday, November 16
8.    Once we learn the CD music (for October 18) we will sing with the Adult Choir on Sunday morning on October 11, November 15, and November 22 (in addition to leading worship on our own on October 25)
9.    Choir Tour—location TBD—dates are 80% certain for June 19-June 27.  Cost has been $400/person the past 2 years

Summary of Upcoming Dates:

Sunday, October 4, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.:  Rehearsal Retreat at MLBC for CD Premiere

Sunday, October 4, 3:15 p.m.: Vocal Team Auditions

Sunday, October 11: sing with Celebration Choir in the 9:30 service

Sunday, October 18, 5:30 p.m.: CD Premiere Concert

Sunday, November 15: sing with Celebration Choir in the 9:30 service

Sunday, November 22: sing with Celebration Choir in the 9:30 service

Sunday, December 6, evening: Possible concert with the Childrens’ Choirs & Dessert Fellowship

Invitation Party on Sunday, August 16

We hope you had a wonderful summer and are ready to get back to choir! We are going to start our choir year very soon with a pizza party! Here are the details. You won’t want to miss out!

Date: Sunday, August 16

Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Cost: $2 for pizza

Entertainment: Pictures from the mission trip, yummy pizza, and writing cards to potential members

Hope to see you there! Please let us know if you will be able to come so we will have enough pizza. You can e-mail Randall or Gloria at rhall@mimosalane.org or gpendyala@mimosalane.org or respond on this blog.

Friday, June 26

We’re in our hotel rooms in Branson after stuffing ourselves at Lambert’s and seeing Noah the Musical. A special treat was meeting Rebecca Niven for the show and visiting with her–she’s doing mission work this summer in Branson! We even sang Wings of the Dawn outside the theatre with her since she won’t be in Mesquite for our homecoming. We’ve had a good day and the kids are holding up well. A little fatigue is setting in from a full week and a few are a little draggy but overall, we’re feeling good. We’re looking forward to Sunday being able to share and sing!