We finally arrived in Seattle, arriving about 5 hours late due to United Airlines cancelling our flight from San Francisco (and breaking two of our suitcases to boot). The afternoon was spent at Pike Place Market shopping for our dinner for Peter Hallock where we stayed the night. So when the alarm rang at 6am Seattle time we were already tired.

We drove to Seattle University with the car filled to the top with all our suitcases plus more boxes of music which we picked up at Peter’s. My sister Doris Au MacDonald and Sharon had already begun setting up their display for Braeded Chord Productions. I couldn’t finish putting up the Ionian Arts exhibit before it was time to leave for St. Clement’s Episcopal where we had planned to go for the 10 am service. Unfortunately we arrived late and walked in during the sermon, missing the Psalm (played by Peter Hallock at the organ). After the service we went out to lunch with Peter Hallock, Mark Obenza (the choir director) and his wife, Margaret.

Back to Seattle University to finish setting up our display, we then went to dinner with Mel Butler (organist of St. Mark’s Cathedral) and his wife, Mary. You remember that Mel came to LCH two years ago and played a wonderful organ recital. We then caught the bus to Phinney Ridge Lutheran church for the opening service.

For the prelude, the Northwest Girls Choir sang the spiritual, “Every time I feel the spirit,” complete with hand and body motions. Last summer the choir was at LCH while we in France. The service had 7, count ’em, SEVEN hymns plus a psalm, each with extended introductions. Probably the most memorable part of the service was when the congregation was invited to come to the baptismal font (which looked like a huge animal trough!) to touch the water.

Then we were off to St. Mark’s Cathedral for a demonstration/mini-recital of the Paul Fritts organ in the chapel and Compline. This was where Peter Hallock founded the Compline service in 1953 and where it has been sung every Sunday night since. It has become quite a phenomenon in Seattle, where nearly 800 people were in attendance tonight.

We stayed for the short organ recital which meant we didn’t check into the hotel until 11:15 pm. Unfortunately the hotel didn’t deliver our luggage till a half hour later and we hit the sack after midnight.