OMG....

No, not Facebook shorthand this time.  

We heard those words in their full meaning yesterday during a wonderful little concert in the reconstructed chapel of 1667 down at Historic St. Mary’s City.  Readers may remember that in a couple of my stints as volunteer weekend docent at the chapel this summer, a group of Mennonites appeared and asked if they could sing in the Chapel.   Well, that same group contacted the City and asked if they could perform some seasonal music for us as thanks for the use of the chapel.  So yesterday they gave the little group of us “Chapvols” a magical performance in the Chapel.  Their little “choir” of twelve sang many beautiful hymns for us, some familiar, most not.  Silent Night, Joy to the World were included, but many other great pieces were sung which I had never heard before.  They loaned us a few of their hymnals so we could follow/sing along.  It was very interesting to see the music, I suppose some of my more musical friends might know, but the notes were of many different shapes: little triangles, rectangles, ovals and so forth.  I had not seen that before.  Tempos were also unusual, with timings like 12/8 and 4/2.  That gave rise to some wonderful rhythms and what I would call syncopation or maybe antiphonal singing (I am far afield here) which I don’t normally associate with hymns. This music was out of a culture much different than the one we grew up in. One of the hymns I enjoyed most was called “O Beautiful Star of Bethlehem”.  The way they sang it made me think of music from the deep hills of Appalachia, with beautiful harmonies, almost some call and response, and one of those really nice tempos.  They must have given us over a dozen songs, I didn’t count.  We finished with an encore of “Away in a Manger”.  And just as they were done, the sun broke out and bathed the interior of the Chapel in lovely light.  A sign?

They were very appreciative of the use of the Chapel, and I cannot think of a more appropriate use of it than a small group of people of devoted faith singing praises to their God.  They were so good.  I am sure that He looked down and was very pleased at what He saw and heard.  And I’m also sure the spirits of all the early colonists resting in the field around the Chapel enjoyed it as well.  The Mennonites are such quiet, friendly, and open people, one wonders if maybe they got it right.  We were truly blessed with what we were part of yesterday.  We left with a warm feeling that we will carry into the Christmas season, and for a long time to come.

And, “carry” is an operative word here, as we still have to load the MOMSTER and begin the journey to the great white north.  Next feeder will appear…. Sometime from somewhere of course ready to

DFD