Merging is a New Journey - 9am Rehearsal? (Happy Memories Pt. 7)

What?  9am?  Are you kidding?  On a Saturday?

When Senior Choir did cantatas, we would practice during regular rehearsal.  Not usually everything because our rehearsals were only so long and we had other pieces to practice.  But, the Saturday before we were to do the cantata, we would meet in the sanctuary at the pleasant hour of 9am.

Taken 1/22/2021 - but around 9am

For many people, this was early.  Especially on a Saturday and after having worked all week.  Sometimes for me it was particularly rough because I worked the overnight before, so I either took a 2 hour nap and then arrived to practice or I just stayed up and went to sleep after practice.

But, for me, there were so many happy memories tied to these 9am Saturday morning rehearsals.

We had some directors who brought us Dunkin Donuts to have either before practice or as a break time snack.  At the time Dunkin still made their Butternut donuts around here, so I always picked that one.  At the time Dunkin was such a treat for me, so it made me happy to get the opportunity to eat one!

It was a great time being able to run through our music all at one time, usually without a break.

The seasonally confused person I am would always arrive in a t-shirt while everyone else wore sweaters and sweatshirts.

It was also fun bringing the risers out, when we used them, because it was really a team effort...and maybe an early example of team building.

We'd usually be in rehearsal for 2-3 hours and not only practice our songs but also practice getting on and off the risers because we were usually all sitting in different seats in the choir loft.  So that was kind of cool too - getting a different view of things.

Fast-forwarding to now, I've had to be somewhere at 7:45am and 8:00am to practice.  But, while others may complain, I see it as yet another opportunity to start my day in a worshipful mood and in the presence of God.