By Makayla M. Wright
Staff Writer
There are not many times in life when we find ourselves with the opportunity to make new friends, see miracles, have a good laugh, shed some tears, and minister to those whom we are not aware are in need of it the most.
For the last three years, I have had the opportunity to bless those in the Atlantic North, Pacific Northwest, and now Canada with the Lindsey Wilson College Singers.
Our most recent trip was a short weekend to Sherbrooke and Quebec City, Canada.
"Unlike any other tour we have ever had, our post-pandemic group is changing hearts and minds as far as the imagination can go..."
Unlike any other tour we have ever had, our post-pandemic group is changing hearts and minds as far as the imagination can go.
From the moment the LWC Singers set foot across the Canadian border until we left, the days were filled with performances, good food, fellowship, and love.
Our first stop was at Sainte John Baptist Cathedral in Sherbrooke, Canada.
The high ceilings were trimmed with white wood, delicately framing light blue and gold walls. Nerves began to settle as our rehearsal became our first concert.
With almost half the group being new, the veteran Singers quietly wondered how we would sound in such a place as this.
From the first note of Soli Deo Gloria (“God’s Glory Alone”), until the last note of The Irish Blessing, the veterans felt pride in our newcomers and welcomed their new and unique sound with warm open arms.
At the end of each performance, Dr. Benson Sexton presented the Cathedral with a statement from Governor Andy Beshear wishing the people we touched a Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings from our home state of Kentucky.
Next, we traveled to Quebec City. The Old City’s cobblestone streets, little shops, and warm atmosphere made the cold and cloudy day much more enjoyable.
We spent the day listening to stories about the early colonization of Quebec and spent the evening blessing those who attended Notre-Dame Cathedral.
At Notre-Dame Cathedral in Quebec City, the high ceilings were lined in gold. A huge display of Jesus carrying the cross was depicted overhead the altar. That is where our group truly felt connected to God, each other, and our audience.
We spent the evening in the cathedral singing old songs from past tours, talking with audience members, and listening to the church’s organist demonstrate how their pipe organ works to some college students from Kentucky who might have seemed overly excited to sit in the balcony.
But the blessings for that evening did not stop there. Once we reached the cold early evening streets of Quebec City, we began singing to people on the street. There we gathered a crowd of about 50 people who stood in the cold wind to listen to us sing shortened versions of our favorite songs until our bus arrived.
The next morning began the end of our trip. The LWC Singers attended an all-French mass at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre Cathedral. As we learned once we arrived, they believed that Sainte Anne was the Mother of Mary and Grandmother to Jesus.
Their Cathedral walls told her story and each picture was built with 1 inch by 1 inch tiles which lain together to create a mosaic. From the altar, the isles of the church seemed to have stretched miles. Each row back receives a better sound than the one in front.
During our departure back to the States, I realized the importance of our group in the world today.
"We do not just sing... We find family in our unity with each other..."
We do not just sing. We make local cashiers smile at our accents when we check out at stores. We make random people on the street stop and listen for a moment in a world that seems to rarely do that. We find family in our unity with each other. We welcome newcomers as our seniors graduate in April, turning over new leaves every year. We listen to those who have never been heard. And, most importantly, we love those whom we have never met before because it is simply what we are called to do.
As we prepared for our true conclusion of the tour with Monday night’s concert, we have hoped that we have blessed those who needed it most and have given a place for those who need to just stop and listen in the cold windy streets of a busy life.
The Lindsey Wilson College Singers gather for a group picture sporting their "Big Day Pose." The pose is a tradition for the Singers as they go to and fro from their travels. Photo courtesy of the LWC Singers.