Back to Hartford

The Pendleton summer adventures have concluded and we are home in Hartford -- delayed by a day by a cancelled flight. We are happy to be home and quite amazed at what we have seen and done since July 1st. I will post soon some further reflections. Right now: sleep.

Choir Residency Concludes

The Cathedral choir departed from Ely today and fly back to Hartford. Leslie, Will and Lydia and I are remaining in London for four more days to eek out this exceptional summer of travel and adventure. The week was very meaningful for our choir and I hope the people who experienced their singing in this great Cathedral also thought so.

Ely has really an ideal town for our choir to experience for a week.

We are thankful for all those in the Cathedral community who were supportive of this trip.

Pilgrimage to Canterbury

Six of us have broken away from the choir group and spent the last two days in Canterbury, the site of pilgrimages since the 12th century when it was believed that praying at the tomb of St. Thomas Becket brought about healings and miracles. The Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion. Visiting this charming English village reminds one of the ancient practice of pilgrimage. Today the town is flooded with tourists from all over the world, especially Europe. But it has long been thus.

Jake Harney, a verger at the Cathedral in Hartford, got a special treat when I had made plans for him to meet with the vergers of the Cathedral. We both learned some things and will take a few pointers back to Hartford.

Our days have been spent wondering the streets, visiting the Cathedral, reading, eating and even napping. Not a bad stay. Tomorrow back to Ely to join the group.

Choir Tour of Ely, England

44 members of Christ Church Cathedral are touring England this week. Our choir is in residence at Ely Cathedral, near Cambridge. The weather is glorious and the choir had their first Evensong last night. We were honored to sing in the Lady Chapel for the renowned English composer John Rutter, a friend of Kevin Jones, our Canon Precentor.

Home at Last! For a week anyway

Yes, the trip has ended by the journey has only begun. We arrived to Hartford safe and sound on July 31, not sad but content and satisfied and thankful for all that we did and saw as a family. The "trip of a lifetime" was just that. Lush and rainy Connecticut felt like entering a rain forest compared to the dry Southwest and California. We have this week to rest up before our choir and youth held off to England on August 8 to sing in residence at Ely Cathedral -- and one evensong in St. Paul's Cathedral in London. I will take five non-singers to Canterbury for 3 days. Look for blog entries along the way. We'll be gone for two weeks.