2014 Gospel Express Easter Tour

I will expound on this tour in an acrostic  form of 

"Easter Tour Memories In April"

E is for Each one's effort put forth to make this all happen...

A is for All the hours each one of these vocalists spent in the studio on separate days singing their parts so that together Nelson and Matt could  work the long hours to mix and finally send off to produce the recording in time before the tour! From the eldest...

                                                                       .....to the youngest.

S is for the "Sunday" night,at Clinton Frame Mennonite Church in Indiana, when they all needed to be ready to begin singing the songs live together after only one day of actually practicing all at one place for the first time.I was able to have the children up in the balcony where we could watch until it was their time to sing.

T is for toe-tapping top'n it over...at Gospel haven Gym for some good,healthy,fun afternoon P.E. for the teams.

E is for Enterring Canada for the next three services and for when Eugene holds the recording products as Nelson "Expounds" during intermission.

R is for"round he goes"....with his wife "who never knows".....?

T is for "the tears" shed as Sean sings the verses in one of the most powerful songs in this tour; "This Blood".

O is for the "odd hours" of when we must all be at our best from two to ten p.m.and the few hours between waking and set up time that we had for family time and school because of all the hours of driving between concerts.

(The youth enjoyed all gathering in one bus late into the night as we traveled to the next location)

U is for the "unusual events" that centered around our friend Eric's day trying to escort our fleet to this cute cafe  in Stratford for lunch.Made for good laughs and great memories.

M is for the "minute details" that go into the evening program equipment set up as each one does their part..here Jake and Eugene set up the projectors and get them focused and level.

E is for the non-conventional "education" our children get during travels..here Erin and Grace study the colorful and detailed Canadian dollar bills.

M is for the music played on stringed instruments as people arrived for the concerts.

O is for the  learning Opportunity the young ones have as they sing "It's me,It's me Oh Lord"  each evening.

R is for the" Rubbing each other the Right way" that happens when tension sets in.

Pizza and fellowship with the Gospel Express Canadian board and staff members after a service in Canada
I is for the intiation the team children took to prepare and come up with a fun surprise Happy Anniversary song for Nelson and Sarah  publicly one night.

A head rub for the sound man. :)

Faithful and honorable sound men.

E is for Eyes closed as Brody passes the penny during backstage bonding time for team children.

S is for the "Should have given it to me sister!" look on Brody's face:)!

I is for Intently listening to His voice on how to pray for individuals each night seeking personal prayer.

N is for night after night bring in,set up,tear down take out all the sound and equipment  and product done by our dilligent and trustworthy  men!

A is for amiably waiting on your turn to do sound check...

P is for the purpose we have to sing and minister this important message of Christ crucified and risen!

..and for Prayer...

where we Host His Prescence.

R is for the rare  but  a few times when we allowed electronics to keep the children occupied while waiting to sing.

I is for the influence of a Godly men and women in our lives...

Sopranos

 Altos 

Tenors (We failed to grab a picture of the bass section. ) 

 Tanisha Journals and Padre peaks. :) 

Story time

A hang-out circle during mid-service announcements and break for the singers. 

L is for laughing joyously as my little line of children took off unannounced scurrying in and out thru the church graveyard attempting to catch a bunny-wabbit.

 

15 youth and 10 children on the tour made for fantastic bonding opportunities. They love being together. :) 

 Monday night fter the Easter tour had ended...we enjoyed a wonderful sit down THM meal at Josh and Stephanie's house before the Penner family and Miller family sat to discuss and plan a joint Ontario tour coming up in August/Sept of 2014.

 Tuesday our men joined the committee members in picking up items, Wed and Thursday filled up with  staff and board meetings,etc.The  Auction weekend started off  with  a touching testimoney of a sister's years of incarceration and finding Christ to kick off the annual Heifer auction Thursday evening at Mel's Stables.God gave us a very profitable  income to buy bible studies for inmate,thanks to all involved from the Bible Study coordinator; Merlin Troyer,the Heifer committee to  farmers etc.!

 After a wonderful weekend under the Big Top for the Auction weekend and all who helped make that needed annual income possible,our family were involved in half a week of Revival services at Lyndon Mennonite Church. After which we wrapped up the 3 week trip before heading home with takng in the Gopsel Echoes Banquet at Yoder's in new Holland,Pa; which we all enjoyed.

Glory to God for directing,providing and enabling His  Kingdom work to continue... through  mere saints walking the earth whom the world does not yet  know...or recognize...and that they will be transformed and rule with Him someday. What an Honor.

Ruth Ann