Just as we were checking into the Kvikne Hotel in Balestrand, Jo Ann Condry caught sight of this poster by the elevator. “Hey, Kathy, there’s Evening Prayer tonight at 9:00 pm.”

We had visited St Olaf church before dinner, and decided it would be a nice service to attend. We arrived about 8:45 pm and the only other person there was the priest, Mary, who serves on the faculty of the University of San Diego, and was here in Norway on a two-week vacation. I had already told Jo Ann that I suspected it would be a spoken service.

I quickly scanned the Evening Prayer service leaflet, and there were two points in the service that allowed for hymns. I saw a hymn book opened on the pump organ and wondered if the priest was going to play, since I didn’t see anyone else.

“Do either of you play the keyboard?” Mary asked.

“I do,” I volunteered.

And so I played the two hymns, “O God our help in ages past,” and “Amazing Grace.” I even improvised a little postlude for the end of the service. What was a little unsettling, though, was as I touched some of the keys, they were apparently loose and fell off! Yikes!  I got the pumping down, though!

If you have Facebook, you can try looking at this video of “Amazing Grace.” (Sorry, I tried uploading it to YouTube, but it kept getting upload errors.)

And just this afternoon, I got a message from Sissel Sødal, asking whether I would be able to play a half-hour organ recital NEXT TUESDAY while I am in Lillesand!

“Why, sure, I’m up for the challenge!”

I DON’T KNOW WHY I DO THIS TO MYSELF!

I guess it’s a good thing that I have organ shoes and organ music with me!