As we compared notes the next morning, many delicious breakfasts had been served in our host
homes before meeting back at St. Wendelin. We took a little extra time this morning to practice a
few things like “Heart and Soul” and “Let Me Call You Sweetheart,” specifically chosen for our
morning visit to Good Shepherd Home. With the continued challenges of COVID restrictions, we
thought it unlikely we’d get the chance to enter an elder care center on this trip – but the staff of
Good Shepherd were able to make it happen! With masks, we made sure to really key up our facial
expressions for this audience, and were delighted when many of the residents sang along with songs they recognized. Our delicious picnic lunch (including LARGE grilled hot dogs) under the shelter out
front fueled us for the rest of the day to come.
En route back to Central Ohio, we made a stop at the Mazza Museum on the campus of the University
of Findlay, to see a collection of artwork and artifacts of children’s book illustrators. The paper
engineering (that is, pop-up) room was a particular hit, and we were glad to share the galleries with
another group of local youngsters trying to escape the day’s heat. At the invitation of the museum’s
director, Ben Sapp, we sang a few a cappella pieces in the main lobby: these impromptu
performances always mean a lot, as they are often the first time some of the folks there will have
heard the Chorale. Then, it was time to board the coach again, and enjoy more Tacet Time on the
way to Powell.
Pulling up to the beautiful building, we knew we were in for another choral treat getting to sing in
the sanctuary of Powell United Methodist Church. The beautiful stained glass windows and large
vaulted ceilings gave us a space to fill with our voices and with our love. Though it was a brand-new
venue for the Chorale, all of the preparations had been masterfully taken care of by Pastor Justin
Williams (a Chorale friend) and his lieutenant, Mrs. Lori Kipfer. A delicious pasta dinner, complete
with meatballs, filled us – we thought there might be a few pairs of navy slacks that would fit a little
tighter for the evening concert. A special moment in the concert came when we invited the
audience to join us in singing “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” to a couple from the church who were
there celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary!