Heavens to Betsy! It's 5 a.m. here in Prince Rupert, BC and we've just had everyone wake up, roll up, and pack up in order to get us all prepared for our 15 hour ferry ride to Victoria, British Columbia today! It's so exciting (a sentiment I'm sure the barely awake Winers share with me)!
We arrived in Ketchikan on Saturday afternoon after a pleasant ferry ride (free showers, whale watching, and a sleeping/traveling combination for our drivers!). We had a tour around Totem Bight National Park and then had hot dogs, beans and s'mores right on the beach. It was truly amazing.
The following morning we performed New Wine Sunday for the good folk of Ketchikan and then went for a picnic on Lake Ward where we received some disappointing news that the ferry we were to catch out of Ketchikan on Tuesday was in disrepair and therefore un-ridable. Our only option was to take a ferry a day early and spend two days in Prince Rupert, rather than three in Ketchikan. The community was really wonderful about aiding us in our attempt to bump the time of the show from Monday at 7 p.m. to Sunday at 5 p.m. The kids of course performed spectacularly and afterwards were rewarded with a tasty meal at Steamers, a restaurant with great seafood and beautiful a beautiful view overlooking the Pacific.
We arrived in Prince Rupert on Monday afternoon, did a quick hike to some awesome rapids (Butze Rapids) and then the kids had the chance to do some laundry. We split into two groups and the group I happened to be in flooded the laundromat (twice!)!
Yesterday we got a chance to sing at the Prince Rupert nursing home and then take a quick tour around a historic fishing village. Then of course we were greeted with an amazing potluck dinner (fresh smoked salmon!) and a performance where the lights went out about 10 minutes in. All in all, it was a really wonderful day.
I hear the vans starting and head counting happening, which means I must take my cue and head out. As always, keep our group in your prayers as we begin our journey back. God bless!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
A Post from Pastor Ali
Greetings! New Wine made it safely to Ketchikan, Alaska on Saturday afternoon. The tour is going really well! A schedule change with the ferry company required them to leave Ketchikan a day earlier than scheduled, but I am sure that they all made the best of it. Tonight they will perform in Prince Rupert, BC and tomorrow they group will be on a ferry for 15 hours to Port Hardy, BC as they begin their treck back towards the US and home.
And we received some pictures! Enjoy!
And we received some pictures! Enjoy!
Friday, June 19, 2009
From the Road
Greetings from British Columbia! We arrived safely (and relatively on time)to our fourth stop on this tour, Our Savior's Lutheran in Prince George,British Columbia. What a trip it's been! Today alone we encountered NINE black bears along the sides of the highway and even a moose (or an elk,depending on which van you happen to believe)! In the 1,700-some miles we've traveled so far we've had a lot of fun and excitement. From the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center to the Canadian Rockies' highest peak, Mt.Robson, we've shared a lot of laughs and smiles.
Quick introduction: This is Kristin Zust, one of the counselors on this great New Wine Tour, and I will be your eyes and ears into the happenings and goings-on for this trip. My apologies for this coming a few days later than expected, but we're dealing with a computer that seems to repel any sort of wi-fi connection and are therefore left to rely on the kindness of church offices and their ethernet cords.
With that being said...On Monday we drove nearly 700 miles through North Dakota all the way up to Regina, Saskatchewan. The vans got their names: Eh?, Vanzibar Buck Buck,Frolicking Inuits [which is in no way a stereotype], White Gravy, and Floppy. We stopped for lunch at Fort Mandan where explorers Lewis and Clark hunkered down in the winter of 1804-1805. It was pretty exciting despite the tour guide who was terrified we were going to trample over him in a mad stampede to get to the famous explorers' bunks. After the Fort, we headed towards Canada where the only snag we encountered was the missing of one's passport! After twenty minutes of frantic searching (going through the list of names and passports and manually crossing off, and counting and recounting) we figured out the problem--- Todd's was "lost" in his front pocket.
Tuesday morning began with a drive-by of the Saskatchewan Parliament building in Regina. It was very beautiful and we were all envious that it was situated on a river. We had a long day in the vans as we headed towards Calgary. Unfortunately time didn't allow for us to get to Dinosaur Provincial Park, but luckily we did get to our church in Calgary on time and ready for a performance which knocked the socks off of our Calgary crowd!
On Wednesday we had an absolutely amazing day--- we saw the Olympic park in Calgary, the town of Banff, Lake Moraine, Lake Louise and the Colombian Ice fields! At Lake Louise we encountered a less-than-thrilled bus driver who threatened to call the Mounties on our group for parking one of the van/trailers in a bus's spot. Fortunately for him we were in and out of the area in fifteen minutes! We arrived in Jasper, Alberta a little before ten p.m. and got some pizza at a local restaurant. We stayed in an activity center where not only did we get mattresses but we also got SHOWERS!
Today we woke up early and headed towards the Miette Hot Springs which featured two hot pools, two cool pools and the promise of a relaxing and body-rejuvenating experience. Literally, I heard every single New Winer say"I feel SO refreshed" after our dunk in the Hot Springs. From there we hit the open Canadian road where the wildlife was abundant! Seriously, NINE bears! Three of which were cubs! And now that brings us to this evening. We're all settled into a cozy church in Prince George. The kids just finished their performance which was (as expected) a smash hit! We've been blessed with pretty big crowds so far and we're hoping that the good luck of large audiences will continue as we head further west. We're about to settle down for the night, do some singing and just enjoy being together as one big group. We're having a great time and miss you all! Continue to pray for our safe journey to Alaska and I look forward to sending you all more news from the open road. God Bless!
Quick introduction: This is Kristin Zust, one of the counselors on this great New Wine Tour, and I will be your eyes and ears into the happenings and goings-on for this trip. My apologies for this coming a few days later than expected, but we're dealing with a computer that seems to repel any sort of wi-fi connection and are therefore left to rely on the kindness of church offices and their ethernet cords.
With that being said...On Monday we drove nearly 700 miles through North Dakota all the way up to Regina, Saskatchewan. The vans got their names: Eh?, Vanzibar Buck Buck,Frolicking Inuits [which is in no way a stereotype], White Gravy, and Floppy. We stopped for lunch at Fort Mandan where explorers Lewis and Clark hunkered down in the winter of 1804-1805. It was pretty exciting despite the tour guide who was terrified we were going to trample over him in a mad stampede to get to the famous explorers' bunks. After the Fort, we headed towards Canada where the only snag we encountered was the missing of one's passport! After twenty minutes of frantic searching (going through the list of names and passports and manually crossing off, and counting and recounting) we figured out the problem--- Todd's was "lost" in his front pocket.
Tuesday morning began with a drive-by of the Saskatchewan Parliament building in Regina. It was very beautiful and we were all envious that it was situated on a river. We had a long day in the vans as we headed towards Calgary. Unfortunately time didn't allow for us to get to Dinosaur Provincial Park, but luckily we did get to our church in Calgary on time and ready for a performance which knocked the socks off of our Calgary crowd!
On Wednesday we had an absolutely amazing day--- we saw the Olympic park in Calgary, the town of Banff, Lake Moraine, Lake Louise and the Colombian Ice fields! At Lake Louise we encountered a less-than-thrilled bus driver who threatened to call the Mounties on our group for parking one of the van/trailers in a bus's spot. Fortunately for him we were in and out of the area in fifteen minutes! We arrived in Jasper, Alberta a little before ten p.m. and got some pizza at a local restaurant. We stayed in an activity center where not only did we get mattresses but we also got SHOWERS!
Today we woke up early and headed towards the Miette Hot Springs which featured two hot pools, two cool pools and the promise of a relaxing and body-rejuvenating experience. Literally, I heard every single New Winer say"I feel SO refreshed" after our dunk in the Hot Springs. From there we hit the open Canadian road where the wildlife was abundant! Seriously, NINE bears! Three of which were cubs! And now that brings us to this evening. We're all settled into a cozy church in Prince George. The kids just finished their performance which was (as expected) a smash hit! We've been blessed with pretty big crowds so far and we're hoping that the good luck of large audiences will continue as we head further west. We're about to settle down for the night, do some singing and just enjoy being together as one big group. We're having a great time and miss you all! Continue to pray for our safe journey to Alaska and I look forward to sending you all more news from the open road. God Bless!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
How this blog works . . .
Hello all! I think there has been a little bit of a misunderstanding of how this blog works. New Wine will be sending me (Pastor Ali) updates from the road and I will be posting them on the blog. No one in New Wine is checking the blog from the road. I will forward comments to Todd's email, but I cannot guarantee that the kids will actually receive them. Internet access is hit and miss while on tour.
As of today, I have not received any blog updates, but I have talked with Todd a couple of times. Things are going well . . . last I heard they were on their way to Jasper, Alberta. The rule of the thumb with New Wine is always --- no news is good news!
As of today, I have not received any blog updates, but I have talked with Todd a couple of times. Things are going well . . . last I heard they were on their way to Jasper, Alberta. The rule of the thumb with New Wine is always --- no news is good news!
Friday, June 5, 2009
New Wine Tour 2009
Follow along with New Wine on their tour through the Pacific Northwest all the way to Ketchikan, Alaska. Along the way, they will perform the musical, "The Ark," go sightseeing and participate in service work.
The following is their tour itinerary:June 15--Regina, Saskatchewan
June 16--Calgary, Alberta
June 17--Jasper, Alberta
June 18--Prince George, British Columbia
June 19--Prince Rupert, British Columbia
June 20--Ketchikan, Alaska
June 23--Prince Rupert, British Columbia
June 24--Port Hardy, British Columbia
June 25--Victoria, British Columbia
June 26--Port Angeles, Washington
June 27--Seattle, Washington
June 28--Butte, Montana
June 29--Moorcroft, Wyoming
June 30--Morris, Minnesota
Homecoming performance at 7:30
The group leaves bright and early on June 15th. Check back to follow along with New Wine "On the Road." We will post updates and pictures periodically throughout the tour.
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