New Video!

When we were in Newfoundland, we visited the church where my Dad was baptized. I'm a sucker for singing in an empty church, and the results are here.

Back to Church Sunday

What a full and rich day!

Today was "Back to Church" Sunday in the Anglican Church - a day when people are invited to return to the church, or just visit for the first time.

This morning, we played the always friendly St. John's Weston. We shared the music for the service with the music director, Marianne Gast, so the congregation got a good mix of organ, piano, choir, and our guitar-driven sound. This church has a tight but welcoming community, and it was awesome to hear them sing out!

St. John's Weston

In the evening, we played with our worship band for The Gathering at St. John's York Mills. We had an awesome team with piano, keyboard, percussion, guitar, 3 vocalists, and saxophone.

To emphasize the theme of 'community', we sang Gerald's song "Every Church is a Small Town," which was inspired by events and people at St. John's. Some members of the congregation heard it at our Fireside Concert, but it was powerful to finally sing it in the church itself. I'm always so proud of Gerald when we sing that song, but never more than tonight. The reaction was potent. We received feedback at the church and even via Facebook, and I can honestly say - it's been humbling.

As a planner and an organizer, I find there are times when the business side of being a musician can get distracting. But then there are days like this, when we get a glimpse into how much our music, our art, can affect the lives around us. It's a more-than-gentle reminder of the real priorities of the 'job'...

Burlington House Concert

Earlier this year, my parents decided they wanted to host an Infinitely More house concert. Our original plan was to sing in the garden, but between recent rains and a neighbour's crazy lawn mower, we made a last minute decision to move indoors.

The living/dining room was actually a fantastic setting. We turned the dining table into a product table, our SoloAmp provided the perfect amount of sound, and the audience sat in a cozy cluster of chairs. During the intermission, everyone wandered out on the deck to enjoy the sunshine and refreshments.

Our house concert set up...

We performed the show we developed on our East Coast Tour. We've been focusing on worship services for the past few weeks, and it felt great to do the show again. And it's always fantastic to have an audience who's ready to smile, laugh, and sing along.

One of the audience members took lots of photos, so I'll post them as soon as I get them.

The Challenge of Choosing Worship Music

One of the great challenges of being a worship leader is choosing music for the weekly service.

How many songs?
Fast songs?
Slow songs?
Not too many slow!
Old songs?
New songs?
Didn't we do that last week?
What's the scripture reading?
What's the sermon theme?
What's the liturgical season?
That song has too many verses!
That team member hates that song!
That key is too high/low, has too many sharps/flats, needs a capo for the guitar and a transposed chart for the sax player...

I've heard the process compared to a doing a jigsaw puzzle, walking a tight rope, and being a DJ.

Gerald using his iPhone to tune his guitar.

Today, I've been in all day planning mode. Still a few gaps to fill, but mostly happy with our choices.

Of course, tonight I may have some kind of worship concert dream and then have to redo the whole list in the morning!

And still, it's one of my favourite parts of the job...

Remembering 9-11

How can we worship today and not think about the events of 10 years ago?


I remember watching the second plane hit.

I remember walking outside, and the streets of downtown Toronto being freakishly quiet.

I remember our church gathering that night to pray, sing, and worship.


Today, we led worship at Church of the Messiah in the morning, and at The Gathering tonight. Both services were wonderful and vibrant in their own unique way. We're at Messiah for the next few months, and we're excited about partnering with this creative congregation. This was our first Gathering since July, and it felt awesome to be back at it.

Gerald sang his song "Angels in the Dust" at both services. He wrote it after meeting a first responder. The man had spent a month in the rubble - searching for survivors, and then for victims. We've sung the song a number of times over the years, but singing it today was a whole new experience.

Today felt so personal - hearing the memories of others, recognizing healing, and sharing the trials of forgiveness. Feeling humbled and blessed tonight...

Blog Scooped!

I've been scooped!

Paula Fredericks collects blog posts that reference house concerts. She picked up my post about our Bedford house concert.

You can see it all here.

Tour Day 31 - Home

Safely home!!!

An amazing month. It'll take a while to process it all.

A few notes:

• 6138 KM
  
• 5 provinces
• 11 performances
• 3 ferries
• 2 new songs
• 100+ photos
• 12+ hours of video
• 3 guitars we wanted to buy but couldn't afford
  
• countless hours of visiting, chatting, sharing, and eating

A huge thank you to everyone who has shared this adventure with us!

We truly appreciate your prayers and your support. I'll let you know when the rest of the photos and videos are posted.

For now - family, puppies, laundry...

Tour Day 30 - Montreal

- awesome brunch

- stunning Anglican cathedral

- lots of walking

- free espresso tasting and demo

- amazing public art

- lots of photos

- exploring the underground city

- all you can eat sushi

- reflecting on the past month

- packing for tomorrow

One more day of driving and we're home. I can't believe it's been a month.

There's so much to process, and we'll be taking lots of time for that over the next few weeks.

For now, I'm just ready for a safe drive tomorrow, and a happy reunion with our puppies!

Tour Day 29 - Back in Montreal

I know lots of areas are suffering today from Irene, but things seem thankfully untouched here in Edmundston.

So now, we're very much on the way home.

After two long days of driving, we decided to spent the next two nights of our tour just as we began - in Montreal.

We had dinner in a fantastic Italian restaurant with a super-cheap lobster special and platters of pasta. When the violinist visited our table, he played my request of La Vie en Rose. What a glorious start to the evening!

As we wandered the streets of Montreal, we found a sprawling music store called Archambault. It was huge! The first floor and basement contained CDs and DVDs. The Gospel section and the Swing section were side by side - it's like it was designed for me!

The second floor contained thousands of music books, sheet music, scores, and even more CDs and listening stations.

The third floor contained instruments and gear, so this is where we spent most of our time. In every city we visit, Gerald always tries to find locally built guitars, and there are lots in Montreal. We found some great handmade Boucher guitars, including a big-sounding, tiny guitar that we took turns playing. It's rare we both fall in love with the same guitar, and it was difficult to leave her behind.

Gerald also tried a Daddy Mojo. He had seen them online and was very curious. The body of the guitar is a wooden cigar box. Each one is handmade, and the sound is bluesy. They look outrageously cool, but Gerald decided it's more a guitar to look at than play.

One of my favourite memories of tonight: playing a two-guitar version of Brighter Happy Day in the guitar room.

I haven't been playing guitar in our shows lately. I think I want to change that...

Tour Day 28 - Hurricane Irene

We got the email first thing this morning.

We'd been watching the reports of Irene, and could see her heading towards New Brunswick. We wondered would happen with our St. Andrew's concert. Even if we could make it into the area, would anyone want to venture out to see us.

When the concert was canceled, we were disappointed but not surprised.

We got in the car and drove. We thought we'd be able to get out of the storm range, but then we heard it's going to hit as far west as Quebec.

So we're hunkered down in Edmundston, NB, and praying for all in Irene's path...

Till the storm passes over,
till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.
Lyric by Mosie Lister

Tour Day 27 - Bedford House Concert

We awoke to another large day - brilliant sunshine with nary a breeze in sight.

Our first stop was the Halifax Folklore Centre - a brilliant music store! As we played guitars, Gerald told me the story of the last time he was in the store. He was playing one of his original songs when he realized a man was listening to him. The man said "Nice song."

It was Garnet Rogers, brother and musical partner of Stan Rogers.

The highlight of this visit was playing a 1938 Gibson - well worn with a sound to reflect its long, full life. They said it wasn't for sale, unless the right home came along. You know, like if Amy Grant called looking for a birthday present for Vince Gill... then they might consider selling it.

Lunch was a wonderful patio experience with a high school buddy of Gerald's. Love hearing stories of the-teen-who-would-become-my-husband!

Tonight we drove into beautiful Bedford for a house concert. Tom and Elaine have a great living room for a concert - high ceilings, open floor plan, and a willingness to move their furniture around. Most of the audience knew each other, so there was a really warm feeling in the room.

Just before the show, a woman walked up and said, "Remember me?" It was my godmother!! I haven't seen her in years! Apparently, my Mom knew she was coming, but didn't tell me, which was awesome! So good to see her!!

The whole night just felt wonderful! The music felt alive, and people responded really positively to our new song, "Infinitely More." We had lots of time in the intermission and after the show to visit with people, and it was great to hear their stories. There's something so special about singing Gospel music in some one's living room.

Watching the weather reports of Hurricane Irene tonight and wondering about the fate of tomorrow's concert ...

Tour Day 26 - Halifax

Writing from beautiful Halifax!

After a deep night's sleep on the ferry, we had a bright day for driving. Our Saturday concert is in Bedford, so for tonight, we found a great little boutique hotel in Halifax. We were referred to a fantastic restaurant called Jane's which featured treats like teriyaki scallops and rhubarb cordial.

For this whole trip, we've been heading east, finding new places every day.

Today was the first day we started driving west.

Still two concerts this weekend, but home is in sight.

Well, two concerts, assuming Irene doesn't bust up the party...

Tour Day 25 - The Ferry!

I swear I'm 10 years old when I'm on a boat!

We had an excellent morning in St. John's - awesome brunch with friends, easy packing, and a beautiful drive out to Argentia. Tonight is the long ferry ride - 14 hours!

When we booked the ferry, there were no cabins left. The ship has sleeper chairs, but really, who wants to spend the night that way? We were added to the wait list, and I called several times, but still no cabins. We boarded at 5:00, and I went straight to the purser's desk to ask one more time. I literally cheered when he gave me the key. I think I won the prize as most enthusiastic customer of the trip!

Our room is tiny but efficient - 2 beds (4 if we used the upper bunks), 3 piece bath, desk, table, 2 closets, and a TV.

As soon as we settled in, I went exploring. This ship isn't as snazzy as the Blue Puttee, but it still has a great gift shop, games room, kids zone, internet cafe, and 2 restaurants. There's a brightly coloured lounge with wifi and wrap-around windows. I had a lovely hot chocolate and people watched. I also watched the sunset from the deck. Windy and damp, but really beautiful.

I love being on a boat!!

Tour Day 24 - Final St. John's Jaunt

Today was our last full day in St. John's, and we couldn't have had more perfect weather!

After swimming through a pile of emails, we headed out to lunch with our friends and hosts, Paul and Carol. We went to a fantastic little cafe near St. Thomas' for great food and vibrant conversation.

Gerald and I then struck out down Duckworth St. for another jaunt through downtown. I bought a little antique at Livyers, one of my favourite treasure spots in the city. We just followed wherever the streets lead, poking our heads into shops, cafes, and other hideaways.

In the late afternoon, we took the winding road up Signal Hill to Cabot Tower. There's lots of history in this area, but for us, it was all about the views. (You can see photos here.)

When I first moved to Toronto, there was something that always felt odd, but I could never put my finger on it. I met a girl from Victoria, and she mentioned how much she missed the ocean.

It's true.

When you grow up looking at the ocean every day, it somehow shapes you. You spend your days next to something truly beautiful, and truly dangerous.


When you live by the ocean,
you're constantly reminded that the world is huge,
and you're just tiny.

Gerald and I found a great little pub downtown for an evening feast of cod tongues, scrunchions, cod, shrimp, and scallops. With the exception of the light fixture crashing from the ceiling at the next table, it was a pretty nice place.

We took an lingering drive around Quidi Vidi Lake, which looked beautiful in the sunshine. Quidi Vidi Village is a little fishing community right inside St. John's. It was always an ignored part of town, but a few years ago, people realized the beauty of living by the water, and lots of new houses have popped up.

We finished the day with more socializing, and some packing. Tomorrow, we head to Argentia and take the ferry to North Sydney, NS.

Praying we get a cabin!!

Tour Day 23 - St. John's & New Photos!

Today featured classic St. John's weather -

...rolling fog...

You could just see it sweeping across the city.

With the chance to see the ocean gone (you couldn't see hills, much less anything past them), we settled in for a big screen movie and an afternoon of just relaxing. We have a busy weekend coming up, so we're really trying to rest up now.

We spent the night feasting and laughing with family. It's such a rare treat to spend time with them - I'm soaking in every moment.

The relaxing day also gave me a chance to post some photos!
You can see them all here.

Tour Day 22 - St. John's Downtown

Thanks to a day of glorious sunshine, we were able to spend the entire afternoon downtown!


Highlights:

- Watching Gerald play speed chess and kick butt!

- Sipping lattes at Hava Java.

- Finding awesome music/worship books at Afterwords.

- Getting a private bodhran demonstration at O'Brien's Music.

- Buying an Irish penny whistle at O'Brien's.

- Seeing fantastic artisan work at different shops.

- Enjoying a "Newfoundland Roll" at a sushi restaurant.

- Walking around the gorgeous downtown, enjoying the sights, and seeing a familiar face or two.


Posting photos tomorrow - I promise!

Tour Day 21 - St. Thomas' & A New Song!

Today, we spent the day singing at the church where I was baptized - St. Thomas' Church in St. John's. How awesome to walk into this beautiful building! We haven't been here for years, and it always feels like coming home.

St. Thomas' - The Old Garrison Church

The church is currently celebrating its 175th anniversary, and as I sat in the pews, I was flooded with memories of the 150th anniversary, celebrated while my Dad was rector of the parish.

We sang two songs for the morning service, and at the coffee hour, we were hugged and loved by many dear friends!

This evening, we did our concert. It was so wonderful to sing for so many familiar faces.

One of the highlights of the show (at least for us!) was debuting our new song, Infinitely More! This is the song Gerald starting writing back in Cheticamp, NS. We finished the bridge yesterday, added harmony, and sang it tonight. It felt so good to sing it in public, and we received a lot of encouraging feedback.

That wraps up our Newfoundland concerts. We have shows next weekend in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, but for the next three days, we can just putter around the city and spend time with family. Hope the weather cooperates!

Tour Day 20 - Kenny's Pond

As I'm writing tonight's post I'm indulging in a dark chocolate truffle flavoured with Newfoundland berries. Outstanding!

For a while now, Gerald has been mulling over the idea of having a signature song for Infinitely More. The first pieces came in Cape Breton, and today, the final lines came together. We spent the morning writing the bridge, and we're so excited! We're going to do a final polish tomorrow afternoon, and if we feel confident, we may debut it tomorrow night.

This afternoon, we visited the beautiful Kenny's Pond Retirement Residence for an afternoon concert. We were in a beautiful room on the sixth floor with an amazing view of the pond, and stretching out to Signal Hill.

An ad for our concert in the elevator of the retirement residence.

We had a great crowd who sang and laughed and really enjoyed themselves. After the show, we were invited to join in the spread of coffee, tea, sweets and other delights. What a gorgeous place! Gerald and I considered putting in our applications, but figure we still have a few years before we take that step.

I've been organizing our photos and video from the last week, and I'm going to post some stuff tomorrow or Monday. I'd do it tonight, but we've been asked to sing a few songs at St. Thomas' tomorrow morning, so it'll be an early rise.

My word, this truffle is good!!

Tour Day 19 - Church of the Good Shepherd, Mount Pearl

We've been itching to get to downtown St. John's, so we took advantage of the sunny weather and headed down for the afternoon. There's no way you can cover all the bookstores, antique shops, cafes, and artisan nooks in one day, so we paced ourselves by just hitting a section of Duckworth St.

We dropped by Fred's Music, where we played an in-store concert on our last visit, about 7 years ago. We were shocked when the guy behind the counter remembered us by name! Fred's is a huge supporter of local music, so we had a great chat about local artists, including Newfoundland's newest friend, Russell Crowe.

Our afternoon ended with a cappuccino, sipped overlooking the Narrows.

There are only 2 things I really miss from home on this trip:
our puppies, and our espresso maker!!

Our concert tonight was at Church of the Good Shepherd in Mount Pearl. It's a fairly new church (the congregation is only 25 years old) with a beautifully open sanctuary and a modern touch in the stained glass.

Tonight was one of these nights when we feel really fortunate to do what we do. There was something awesome moving in the room. We felt very connected to the audience, and we could tell by their singing and their expressions that they were feeling the Spirit too. It sounds flaky when I try to describe it, but it really was potent.

At the CD table, I was able to have some good chats with people. It was awesome to see some great family friends!!

We've been taking lots of photos and videos this week. I'm going to try and post some this weekend. No promises, but I will post a link once they're up.

Tour Day 18 - Salvage to St. John's!!!

Today's weather was exactly what I ordered: sunny, big sky, bit of a breeze.

We left Eastport and made the beautiful drive to Salvage. We drove slowly to take in all the beauty that surrounded us. The sky was huge, bright, and scattered with puffs of white. The water was the colour of new denim. The greens, browns, and greys of the landscape shimmered in the sunshine.

It's on days like this that people spontaneously decide to abandon city life and live 'round the bay.

Salvage is truly picture perfect. It could be a set created by Hollywood to portray the classic fishing story of Newfoundland.

Our destination was St. Stephen's Church. It was in this beautiful wooden church where my father was baptized. The church was empty today, so we spent a fair bit of time in it, looking at all the details and imagining the generations who have walked its aisles.

We decided to shoot a little video (which I'll post soon), so I sang a verse of "This is My Father's World" - I couldn't resist the double meaning.

In the afternoon, we had a relaxed drive into my birthplace, St. John's! There's nothing like being home! We're staying the next week with lifelong family friends. We have 3 concerts this weekend, and then 3 play days. I'm going to enjoy every second!