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On Sunday morning we met for the Holiness meeting which was led by Band Sergeant Gavin Lamplough. The theme for the whole day ‘To serve the present age’ was introduced.
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Following the morning meeting the band held an open-air meeting after a short (uphill!) march. It was during this open-air that we first met a young boy called Robert. After gaining permission from his dad, Robert joined us for the rest of the day – along with his clarinet.
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Robert came with us to the Villa Marina bandstand after lunch. Here he was able to conduct the band in front of about two hundred people who sat around in the sunshine to listen, as well as many others who passed by. There were many requests for hymn tunes, including of course Ellan Vannin.
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We then returned to the hall for yet more food.
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Robert stayed with us for the evening meeting and was joined by his 20 year old sister and her boyfriend. Robert has four other brothers and one other sister and who knows what may follow from the contact made during that morning open-air. We know that the corps in Douglas will continue to keep in touch with the family.
The evening meeting continued the theme of the day and the band played Leslie Condon’s tone poem, The Present Age. Gavin challenged everyone by asking us about our own calling in this day and age.
The band ended the evening with a short concert which included the duet Quicksilver played by Martin Hughes and Gavin Lamplough, Neil Blessett's horn solo Green Hill, and a reprise of Robert Hayward's xylophone solo. The evening ended with a march played by the massed bands.
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Throughout the day we were supported by the Douglas musical sections who each made valuable contributions to the worship.
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Words: Carole Richardson
Pictures: Gordon McKee
