I usually lay in bed in the morning looing at my phone, doing the NYT Spelling Bee Puzzle, reading Heather Cox Richardson’s daily email. This morning there was a disturbing email from a choir member as well. I couldn’t help but click on it.
It turns out the choir is not only planning to sing on Aug 28th but was asking me to help them do it. They were hoping to sing “Jesus met the woman at the well,” something I stole off a Chanticleer recording. They were planning a midweek rehearsal and a Sunday morning rehearsal to throw this together along with “This little light of mine” and something more classical.
I emailed my boss and asked, “What is this?”
She said the choir has been talking about singing something for me at the Aug 28th Eucharist. She understood it was going to be surprise. But now she sees they have enlisted my help.
This is the Sunday they are planning to say “goodbye to Steve.” I knew it would be painful but didn’t count on having to inflict wounds myself via leading the choir.
Naturally when I got up from bed and took my blood pressure it was high. Weight continues to gradually go down. 220 this morning. Down from a Covid high of 232.
I asked Jen if there was any way I could get out of conducting the choir this one last time. I didn’t mention it, but it is a group of elderly voices that is woefully out of practice. If I knew I was going to have to lead them in public we would have been rehearsing for weeks just to get their voices back.
Of course, one of my stipulations was that I didn’t want to work with the choir before retiring.
So much for that.
But I am hoping that Jen will talk them down.
postscript
I just received an understanding email from Jen. She will meet with the choir after the tryouts for candidates next Wed and direct them to stuff that will require no prep from them or me.
She said she will invite them to come stand at the back for the closing hymn which will be “This little light of mine” congregational style (We have an anthem based on it, but I don’t remember it being compatible with congregational singing).e
Crisis averted? Hope so. Stay tuned.