A Great Time with Old Friends

I had agreed to give a Lenten talk on Eastern Orthodox Christian Prayer at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg VA awhile back and this weekend it was time to do the deed.  So Saturday I headed off to my friend Connie’s place (she who had gotten me into this gig) for what turned out to be one super weekend.  On the way to F’burg I stopped off at a friend’s curio shop just outside Orange and walked right into an ol’ timey jam session in progress.  Not being one to pass up opportunities for enjoying good live music I borrowed a guitar and played some solid 2nd guitar to various fiddle tunes and Carter Family hits.   A great time was had by all and I headed back down the road to Connie’s with a nice CD of Stephen Foster tunes by the Virginia Serenaders.  Good Times come to those who answer their knock on the door.

Once I got to Connie’s we headed out to zerox the handout for the talk and find some lenten dinner, which Connie provided via the local Japanese eatery.  The food was excellent, the ambiance very Japanese and Connie full of delightful news of family, sundry others folks and Mary Washington College.  After dinner we went to hear the Westminster Choral College ensemble choir in concert at St. George’s Church.  Oh my.  An entire choir of sophomores, a choir that was stunningly, awesomely, marvelously fantastic.  And rather humbling too, a choir that at my very best I would not have been quite good enough to make the cut. 

Sunday morning came a bit sooner than expected, compliments of the US Congress and the move into Daylight Savings Time.  My talk went fairly well, a bit of technical difficulty getting my iPod to play the chant selections I wanted when I wanted them, but otherwise things seemed to go well.  Liturgy in the refurbished  St. George’s sanctuary followed (praying with friends is always good), then coffee and a brisk walk to the local Thai restaurant for more lenten fare.  The Thai and the Japanese are in a dead heat for best Far Eastern restaurant in F’burg !  All too soon it was time for me to leave Connie’s most excellent company and head on home.  Good times with good friends always seem to never last long enough.