The Look of Surprise

    You can tell a lot about a person and what they are feeling by the look in their eyes. Last night we experienced our second Evensong at the Cathedral, and it was such a special experience. It was an important night to be singing at the Cathedral, as new leadership was being installed, and the Bishop of Exeter was in attendance. Our anthem last night was the Gardiner Evening hymn, which is one of my all time favorites. It demands a lot of energy and focus, but it is so much fun to sing. Having the opportunity to sing it in a Cathedral like Exeter makes it even more special. From the time we finished our opening section, I caught eyes with a member of the congregation. He had a very serious face at the time, but his eyes were gleaming with joy, and maybe even a little but of surprise. I'm not sure he expected our American choir to make the sound we did. Being able to see our music bring so much joy to people, even if it's just one person, is why I love this choir as much as I do. Although there are challenges along the way, the feeling of singing with great confidence in a large Cathedral overseas is so amazing, and it is so worth the Jet lag and homesickness. Having the opportunity to spread God's love through music in England this summer is something I am beyond grateful for. Thank you for all of your prayers and support at home in Lexington. We truly wouldn't be here without you.

Emma Stivers

Here are some pictures from our adventures the past few days! :) 

A trip to Dawlish. A few of the boys were brave enough to take a swim in the cold water! 

(This photo from the Cathedral was taken by Brendan Naish.)