Dear Angels and other readers.  We bid a fond goodbye to Memphis yesterday and flew up to Chicago.  Ed picked us up from the Holiday Inn and dropped us at Memphis airport where we checked in and had an hour or so to kill.  We found good bagels and what might well be the worst coffee in the known universe (if it isn't, I don't want to know).  We finally took off and two hours later landed uneventfully in Chicago.  Once we loaded ourselves into the bus, we took off for the hotel, eager for our first glimpses of the Windy City.

We exited the bus and checked in at the hotel, and then had a fast turnaround in order to get out to the Voices of Power choir rehearsal at the New Greater True Light MBC, home of the Douglas Sisters and The Heavenly Kings.  And heavenly was indeed the sound with which we were greeted.  We filed into the church and the choir quickly filled the choir stalls and with a hot four piece band for backing proceeded to give us several marvelous songs.  Then, the youth choir took over and sang us a couple of songs.  To be honest, they were better than most adult audition choirs we've heard. Finaly the Douglas Sisters took the microphones and sang an incredibly powerful and upbeat song to us.  We were all transported by music, passion, and commitment of the singers and musicians.  Then, having been blown away by this, we were asked to sing to them.  We went to the front, to the now usual warm and enthusiastic reception and sang Walk in the Light (the church motto starts with the words Walk in the Light) and Shine On.  Again everyone was enthusiastic and delighted to hear us sing, and we got to talk to many of the choir members.  The youth choir  then went back to their rehearsal, and we sat around and chatted for a while, before getting back on the bus and returning to the hotel.  We're heading back there on Saturday night for the quartet practice session and I can hardly wait. 

Anyway, it's late and I'll let you know how our first full day in Chicago went tomorrow.  Goodnight to you all

Mike