We are headed home!

Well, your blogger is sitting on the floor of the NEwark Airport to file the final report of our trip. SOrry about missing last night but lights out was 2:00 am and simply too exhausted.

Wednesday was the busiest day of the trip. We sang at an inner city UNited Methodist Church that feeds the homeless and povery stricken daily. It was so great to see them clapping and dancing with smiles on their faces. The BIshop even joined in to play the bongos. It was like 95 degrees in the room but our singers always had smiles on their faces. We then went to a children's hospital to sing for children who were having a little party with their parents to take their minds off their illnesses.

The last evening was the Mets ball game at Shea Stadium,. This historic venue will be torn down at the end of this season and moved to a new one next door. Even though the seats were in the nose bleed section we enjoyed the game. After the game we barely made it to the subway before it started to pour like a monsoon.

Lots of fun and talking until lights out at 2:00am.

THursday we journeyed back downtown to St. Patricks Cathedral for a grou picture. Pope John Paul II held mass twice at the church while visiting the US. Chris Caffee had an on the street encounter with Ted Danson while we were down there ask him about it...too funny.

It is 6:51 PM AND THE KIDS ARE ON THE WAY BACK HOME. Solomon and Cindy Boatfield, along with me are waiting for our later flight.

We will have a website for you to download pictures from the trip. WE will email everyone early next week.

This blogger plans to rest for the next two weeks.

See you in Church

Rick

Days 2 and 3 Singing Joys of Praise!

Day 2:

A busy day. We did the tour of NBC studios at Rockefeller Center which was awesome and the kids loved it. We also sang at St. Johns Cathedral. It was a glorious building. We also learned that we were the last group to sing there for at least 2 years as they are dismantling and repairs the pipe organ. We ended the evening with hilarious fun at the Comedy Club.

Day 3: We visited ground zero area and sang a program at the church where all the firefighters stayed while rescuing people and clearing the site. It was pretty incredible. We also did an impromtu concert at Memorial Park for 9/11 in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty.

Followed by dinner at Hard Rock Cafe and then off the Wicked! It was unbelieveable and the sets breathtaking. The kids were flabbergasted by the show!

Sorry for the delay. Days that end at 11:00pm make this blooder tired!

Until later today!

Here are some pictures from day 1. One picture is the banner behind the altar. Another is part of our group at Artie's Deli YUM! Ask about the tongue sandwich special.....no kidding! Notice the picture of the entire group int he air conditioned room is the entire group in our one air conditioned room. A close family! The last picture is another part of the glorious old Sanctuary...we sang here this morning. The first pictures are from the singing this morning!

Today we started with DUnkin DOnuts and singing 3 selections for the 11:00 pm service. The folks in the pews were ricking and claping to our songs. It was awesome. They treated us to Rays Original Pizza, It is THE pizza in New York City. WHile most of the group went to the WIlliam S. Paley Museum, some of us moved 5 vanloads of luggage across town to our home for the rest of the week. The church we are staying in is 5 stories with a gym and shower on the top floor. Incredible! Chris played the 1927 vintage pipe organ tonight. As with the last church, this once grand church has fallen into disrepair. It is another fading majestic church. We are on the edge of HArlem. An incredible neigborhood with a rich history. We are in the basement and it is nice and coll tonight so we should all sleep good. We ended the day with Chris leading us in a wonderful devotional about sacrifice. Signing out until tomorrow.

We Have Arrived and it is HOT Here!

Well, it is 10:30pm and for many of us our day began at 3:30am. We have settled into our host church for the first night. It is a glorious old church 117 years old. Unfortunately without central air conditioning. We have two room each with the only window units in the building. It was 101 degrees here today. WE have created a magical formula to shower 68 people with TWO showers.

As Chris keeps reminding us be FLEXIBLE. WE certainly are! The sanctuary is a wonderful old sanctuary and is in a bit of disrepair and has no air conditioning., but beautiful one the less. We are exciting about singing there tomorrow morning. Chris will be playing a 1895 Steinway beautiful piano for our songs! We are sharing the church with another group from Colorado.

We had dinner at Artie's Deli. It was great and the sandwiches huge. The entertainment after dinner was the unfortunate passing of a mouse who, unfortunately for him, wandered into the boys room. More tomorrow and pictures from today.

OH OH...Rain Rain Go Away!

here is the link for the New York City weather forecast. Scattered thunderstorms all next week. You may want to pack an unmbrella of other appropriate wet weather gear. Remember we are walking outside.

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USNY0998?from=36hr_fcst10DayLink_undeclared

There have beena few schedule changes. They will be updated on here wed the 16th.

Until later

Rick

The Sleeping Bags are arriving and Final arangements are being made

I received notice from Walmart.com that our sleeping bags have all shipped and the first delivery was made today. Chris is arranging for another adult male to take Grant WIlson's place on the trip. Nearly all monies have been collected (thank you, thank you, thank you).

Look for another update next week as we continue to prepare for our journey!

Rick

18 days to go!

Welcome to the blog for the New Horizon Youth Choir trip to New York City! This will be your source for information before the trip. also, during the trip a group of enthusiastic youth will be uploading pictures and entired as a chronicle of the trip.