Saturday was our annual AGC (Anointed Gospel Choir) concert. My friend Mariko and I volunteered to go early to help with set up so I left my place at 8:15AM (and arrived back home about 9:00PM!). We helped Yamamoto Sensei and his two helpers unload the sound equipment from the van, take it up in the elevator which he could have driven his van into, and carried it on stage. We did what we could to help unpack things then left them to connect all of the cables, microphones, and speakers while we went downstairs to buy their lunches. Yes, the concert hall is on the third floor of a shopping center, with a grocery store on the first floor!
Just as we were getting ready to leave the dressing room to go on stage for rehearsal we were told that something had happened to the sound system and they were having to reset some things. So, we had a very short rehearsal!
(Hanging out in the dressing room before the concert. This year our attire was all black with blue accents. Very sparkly!:)What fun we had singing! Everyone did well with solos and piano accompaniments. One lady had some front row fans who were perfectly willing to wave at her and cheer when she played piano. There were also some people from other choirs who came and did a great job of getting the audience to participate with clapping and singing.
A gal who is taking a break from choir came with her 2 1/2 month old baby, the reason for her break:) She came on stage when we sang "God's Treasure" which is a song our director wrote about God's gift of new life. We were all crying and smiling as we sang!
Our concert was followed by dinner at the same restaurant where we ate last year. This year I ended up at the end of the table farthest from the rowdy crowd. This provided for conversations that were easier to hear and participate in.
(Part of the rowdy crowd!)
(Our quiet little corner:)Today I spent the day with two friends from choir going to a concert by another choir our director leads. They sang most of the same songs we did so we had a good time being audience members and enjoying singing along with them. The audience participation song was in English, the same one we had done, so Yamamoto sensei called me up to do a little English practice:)
(This choir is a little bigger than ours! The church at which the concert was held is celebrating their 50th anniversary this weekend!)Yesterday several ladies from choir came to church, too. It was fun to sing together with them there, too!
What a blessing AGC is in my life. I appreciate getting to sing praises with these ladies and all of the friendships being built. God is good!
