AHQ at BMA Update #4
2/21/03
Written by Tom Troyer and Byran Smucker
This is so late yet again, but hey, yet again I've been swamped. Way too busy. Let's see, the last update we left off with. . .let me check. . . a tenor joke! Wow, it's going to be hard to follow something like that!
Ok, so we finished up at Bible School and the whole chorus piled into the bus and hit the road for our tour.
By is boldly, proudly sleeping. I'm not.
I love life on the road. We left on Saturday (2-15) and went to United Bethel in Plain City. We gave our program there that evening, then met back at the church at something like 5:30am to leave the next morning. Not far into our journey we got a phone call saying that our morning service in Madison, IN was cancelled due to ice. So we went to Oden, IN where we were singing that night.
One day on the bus we got up and sang a few requests.
We hung out at the church that afternoon, I think it was Bethel Mennonite or something. During our program we always pass the mic to everybody and say who we are. After Norrell turned it back over to the pastor, he got up and started talking about me and regaling the crowd with stories of me and my parents. I was floored, as I had no clue who this guy was! I went and cornered him after the service and learned he was Melvin Paulus, he had flown my Dad and pregnant Mom to Canada around 28 years ago.
BMA has just recently purchased a former elementary school for
use as the new Bible School campus. It is located very close to where we
were that night, so Monday morning we went to the school and checked it out.
The new BMA Bible Institute Campus.
We cleaned up the place a little bit, then played in the very nice gym.
Makes me want to come back next year. I think I'd be too old though, if I kept coming back they'd probably have to put an age limit on it!
Monday night we went to Arthur, IL, and sang at the North Vine Mennonite Church I think. The next morning we did some clothes-sorting for Christian Aid Ministries.
This was done at the Otto Center. Last fall on our AHQ tour, we sang
for some evangelistic meetings that were held at the Otto Center. It
looked different in there this time. Then we ate lunch and left for
Roanoke, IL, to sing at Linn Mennonite Church.
Megan was extremely excited to get there, she could barely contain herself.
I can only imagine how it would be to sing with a Bible Institute chorus at my
home church. After her joyous reunion, we rehearsed and then played in the
gym for awhile before the service. Some of Heidi and Shannon's family also
came, so there were more joyous reunions.
Jacob Miller, our bus driver. He told us he wished more of his groups were like us!
The next day we were able to take it easy, and some people even
went shopping. A bunch of us went to Burger King and got crowns, which we
wore most of the afternoon, though we figured we better not wear them for the
program in the evening. We sang at Norrell's home church, Pleasant Grove,
that evening. It was a stroll down memory lane for me, because I had been
to Bible School there two years ago.
The next morning we left for Ohio. BMA Minister's Enrichment weekend was
being held at Gospel Haven, and that evening was our last program of the tour.
We did an abbreviated program because of a small time slot, but it went very
well and was a fitting end to our trip.
We left for our home base in Ohio after the program that night. We all took turns testifying over the bus PA about what Bible School had meant to us, and how much we appreciated the new friends we all had made. It was a great time of sharing. Chorus tour was now officially about over, and its one large flaw was becoming obvious to everyone--the tour was way too short.
The next day (Friday), we were scheduled to record. We gathered at the
church early in the morning and went to work.
We took lots of breaks though, recording is hard work.
Norrell and I listening to a take with deep contemplation and wisdom.
When the recording was done, we all gradually left. Good-byes were reluctantly said, and most of us headed to our homes.
Discussing if we should make the chorus try that one again or not!
Except for AHQ! We headed out on tour! So this is the
last update from Bible School, but quartet tour updates are coming right up!
I apologize for my incredible delinquency, but I hope to do better.
My buddy Dwight, showing my influence on him.
This issue of the AHQ Tour Update was sent to 108 subscribers. Written by Tom Troyer and Byran Smucker. Photos by Brian Eshelman, Konrad Krabill, Shannon Graber, and several Unknowns. Tom Troyer, Loyal and Caring Editor.