CV Chamber Orchestra Plays For Tuesday Alive
On Dec. 14, 2021, Audrey Kanagy, pastor of Ridgeview Mennonite Church, must have felt a mixture of joy and sadness when she introduced the Conestoga Valley High School (CVHS) chamber orchestra to the Tuesday Alive with 55 & Up gathering of more than 50 in the church fellowship hall. Originally, the presentation was scheduled in December of 2020, when Audrey's son Jesse was a student and part of the chamber orchestra, but COVID-19 restrictions delayed the concert until 2021, by which time Jesse had graduated.
Tuesday Alive with 55 & Up is held at 10 a.m. on the second Tuesday of the month for several months a year at the church, 3723 Ridge Road, Gordonville. Programs include speakers, music, and other presentations designed to enhance spiritual growth and fellowship. All persons age 55 and older are welcome to attend. Programs are generally held in March, April, May, June, September, October, November, and December.
CVHS conductor Emily Sheffer explained that the group of more than a dozen students were all volunteers who gather after school twice each month to learn extra music so they may play in concerts designed to give back to the community. The group played an assortment of holiday classics, including "Away in a Manager," "Joy to the World," "Good Tidings to You," "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," and "Deck the Halls." Songs were introduced in clusters by individual students who shared their names, how long they have been playing their chosen instrument, and what they plan to do following graduation. Among the selected professions were counseling, meteorology, and psychology.
While the students played at one end of the hall, tables at the other end were decorated with greens and lit candles in red jars for attendees to enjoy a meal of Amish turkey, a traditional Amish wedding dish that includes filling, turkey, and gravy. Sides were mashed potatoes, peas, and pepper cabbage, with Christmas cookies for dessert. At each Tuesday Alive event, take-home containers are made available for seniors to take leftovers home.
Etta Esch, who writes and edits the Ridgeview newsletter, reported that the gatherings are "a community affair." "More than half (of those attending) are from the community," she said, meaning they are not Ridgeview members. "We look forward to seeing them." Esch added, "We have wonderful speakers and singers with a meal that follows." She also noted that a group of women who have been friends for a number of years attend and eat together regularly. "That is lovely," she said.
Specific information about Tuesday Alive with 55 & Up may be found at http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/ministries/live.php.
Leave a Review