
pacute on the church pews while watching the Praise Theme practice

Handprint of God on the small of my back, my second chance...
Yesterday, the Cruzada Church Choir held a concert in the two services of our church, in the 10AM and the 6PM services. Just a bit of background (pictures follow this post, by the way):
the Cruzada Church Choir was founded by my grandfather, Lolo Aping Alava, in 1923. It was through this choir that my lolo met my lola. This choir saw how my dad and his siblings went from "kortos" (is that what they called shorts then?) at 12 years of age to wedding finery as the choir sang at their nuptials.
The Cruzada Church Choir in the 60's. Tito Poly is conducting. My dad is fifth guy from the left, third row.
When my lolo died of a heart attack (while conducting one Sunday morning and no, this is not a telenovela episode) he passed the proverbial baton to his children: Tito Poly, then Tita Feia, then Tito Robert Natividad (who was my aunt Tita Cely's husband) then Tito Poly again, who remained Choir Conductor until present time. My dad and his siblings were also part of the choir, Tito Piding (the eldest) was the choir's pianist and arranger until his death in 1993, Tita Cely is a pianist for the choir, too and sometime conductor, Tito Ignie is a tenor, and my dad was choir president and sometimes plays drums for the choir.
For me, this choir is not just a thing I do on Sundays. Every Sunday I practice or sing with the choir is a Sunday I spend living my family's legacy. Seeing as I never knew my grandfather (who is remembered fondly by old choir alumni, even reverently by some) being part of this choir is somehow the only way I can get to know him as he lived because this was his life. And now it's ours.
ANYWAY... enough of the drama...
This concert, "In This House" (the name of the concert from the title song, which incidentally had Chrizelle doing the solo) was planned in June I think to raise funds for scholarships for some of the choir's young members. Many things have happend since June, and yesterday, there was no longer any asking for donations. What was intended as a fund-raising concert became a thanksgiving offering because:
And on a personal note... this is also a thanksgiving service for me, because, well in the first place, i was there to help Tata Poly with the choir, playing the piano and doing some conducting. Another reason for MAJOR thanksgiving is the fact that my parents--most importantly, my DAD--were there, at Cruzada Church, too, after such a long, long time. The last time they attended at Cruzada was April, I think.
Seeing my dad and mom yesterday at their usual places at the pews? Now that is a prayer answered.
www.flickr.com
|