Day (so far)

[kayre]

Thursday my friend Holly, soprano soloist at my church, phoned me to ask if I'd accompany her at her grandfather's funeral. I took the call on my cell, so I agreed, got the bare details and moved on. The next morning I phoned her to clarify things. I began by asking how she was, and she replied, "I'm fine-- this is no loss to me!" Seems her father was the family black sheep; she barely knew the rest of his family. We worked out the details of her solo, and I asked if they needed me for anything more. She said she hadn't been willing to ask me, but since I'd offered she'd pass it on. I told her my usual fee, adding that I'd gladly do just the accompanying for gas money, and we hung up.

We practiced on Sunday, and she passed on a request that I do the full service. And... she raised my fee for me, so I got a rather nice bit of extra $$.





I knew the church was modern, not a little old country church, but I had no idea what to expect. What I walked to was beyond my wildest dreams. If I designed a church, it would look a lot like Chapel Hill UMC. The sanctuary is round, seats about 200. Wood panelling, stained glass in light cheery colors, simlar glass in a small rotunda. The nave area takes up about 120 degrees of the circle. And in that nave... handbell tables, a Kawai grand piano, and a Rogers digital organ-- the new one with the changeable temperament. Sadly, I had only about 20 minutes to make friends with both of them, and played for a similar amount of time. However, I think I'll be asked back; their organist is a high school student who isn't available for funerals.

Fellowship hall is immediately outside the sanctuary; the back of the sanctuary is glass, with openable windows, so the hall could serve as overflow seating if necessary. It's a nice, airy space, with windows looking out over orchards in the back, and a fieldstone fireplace. There appeared to be small classrooms along the sides, as well as a Sunday school wing that I didn't visit.

If I quit, I'm going to have to visit Chapel Hill on a Sunday morning (despite the fact that the pastor has an almost Shatnerish delivery and a love for the dramatic.