Want to find out when your OAMC singer, musician, family member, friend will arrive in Portland?
Here's the Sunday itinerary. The check further down for instructions for using FlightAware.com to track domestic flights.
Check the itinerary here.
Sunday, April 26 – Portland
3 a.m. – Bus departs for Otopeni International Airport, Bucharest.
6:05 a.m. – Flight NW 8358 (KLM 1358) departs for Amsterdam. Breakfast served en route. Arrive Amsterdam 7:50 a.m.
9:15 a.m. – Assemble at Northwest Airlines flight 91 departure gate for security screening and passport check.
9:30 a.m. – Commence boarding.
10:30 a.m. – NW Airline flight 91 departs Amsterdam for Portland
11:50 a.m. Pacific – Arrive in Portland. You will complete Immigration, Agriculture, and Customs inspections on arrival. You and your luggage will then board the International Arrivals bus to the main terminal. You will be exiting into the terminal next to baggage claim 10.
A ride will be provided for those that parked their cars at Sunnyside SDA Church.
Family at home can monitor the progress of domestic flights at www.FlightAware.com. In the box in the left-hand column that says “Track Commercial Flight,” enter the airline and flight number.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Sabbath finale concerts streamed live on the web
The OAMC/RAMC final two concerts in Bucharest will be shown live via streaming video on the world wide web on Sabbath, April 25, at 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Pacific time.
5 p.m. (7 a.m. Pacific) – First concert at Radio Hall with TV taping for Romanian Adventist Media. This concert was added because the 8 p.m. concert – seating 900 – sold out.
8 p.m. (10 a.m. Pacific) – Final concert at Radio Hall with TV taping again.
- Go directly to the video streaming page at www.conferinta-moldova.ro/live.php. Or link from the OAMC home page at www.oamc.org.
5 p.m. (7 a.m. Pacific) – First concert at Radio Hall with TV taping for Romanian Adventist Media. This concert was added because the 8 p.m. concert – seating 900 – sold out.
8 p.m. (10 a.m. Pacific) – Final concert at Radio Hall with TV taping again.
A singer shares experiences
Pictured above: Dave Schmidt, right, with Alin Apostol
By David Schmidt., 2nd tenor, OAMC president
Received Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 11:24 a.m. Pacific
The past several days have been extreme highlights for me. Musically, program in Targu-Mures in the small concert hall with the three balconies was a tremendous experience! It was a beautiful, intimate setting, with every seat filled. Musically it was as close to "perfect" as we can do. The 43-piece orchestra was the best OAMC has ever had, the organ was tremendous.
Then the next night in Brasov at the Black Church (i.e., cathedral) was an incredible experience with the long reverb time, the setting so beautiful. I hope you were able to hear it streamed online and experience it with us. For me it was probably the musical highlight of my life, and a great spiritual time as well. I'll never forget it.
To be able to experience all of this with our new Romanian friends has made it an even richer time. From my standpoint, every hope I've had for this Mission has been met, plus more. There are some fine musicians among the Romanians, plus wonderful Christian men. It has been a rich blessing to be part of this along with them.
I'm glad our time here will end not with a visit to a castle or museum, but with a musical "high," two programs this coming Sabbath. I'm looking forward to it with mixed emotions: the music will be thrilling, but I'm not anxious to see the time here come to an end.
As I've reflected on the music of the combined choruses, it reminds me of Ingathering from years back. I honestly believe the angels have been singing with us because I think the music has been much better than we could expect to produce by ourselves. We've been praying earnestly for the Lord's blessing on this time and I'm certain He has been with us.
Romanian pastor’s perspective
By Bogdan Platon, pastor in Darabani, Romania, 29 years
Received Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 11:24 a.m. Pacific
I was a little piece of this puzzle that tried to present the image of Christ through the big gift of music, the emotion transmitted from heart to heart. It was an excellent time in which we shared kindness, friendship and experience of life.
Of course, this time will be unforgettable because it has become a part of eternal Plan of Salvation. We discovered the way from foreign brothers to close friends.
Everybody is having a beautiful history in his life, instead of our human problems, because Christ can make flowers from ice for our sake. I'm waiting for the moment we will see our Great Master that has revealed to us in these days through worship, discussions, visits and talking.
Received Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 11:24 a.m. Pacific
I was a little piece of this puzzle that tried to present the image of Christ through the big gift of music, the emotion transmitted from heart to heart. It was an excellent time in which we shared kindness, friendship and experience of life.
Of course, this time will be unforgettable because it has become a part of eternal Plan of Salvation. We discovered the way from foreign brothers to close friends.
Everybody is having a beautiful history in his life, instead of our human problems, because Christ can make flowers from ice for our sake. I'm waiting for the moment we will see our Great Master that has revealed to us in these days through worship, discussions, visits and talking.
Musician’s experience at The Black Church
By Levis Dragulin, musician, trumpet
Received Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 11:24 a.m. Pacific
A musician always looks for the perfect place for sound production. The Black Church at Brasov is such a location.
It was a real honor and privilege to glorify God and help strengthen people's faith in this church. Acoustically, there was about three seconds of reverberation. The sound seemed to continue on forever after the ending notes. Although there was no applause allowed (however, one person did applaud after a song and was quickly hushed by those around him), there seemed to be a complete feeling of reverence toward the music and the experience.
Personally, there were times at which I got goose bumps, especially after the ends of songs when the reverb took over. Lou did a fantastic job of directing the chorus, and they in turn did wonderful work, being well in tune and professional in appearance. God must have been smiling down upon us as we performed.
The “Four Hymns of the Second Coming” was especially meaningful because it was a chance to give our central message to an audience that may not put as much importance on it as we do. And, holding out that last high D on my trumpet at the end of the hymn and then listening to it echo afterward was a really satisfying experience. Hopefully another handful of souls will be in Heaven because of this performance.
Received Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 11:24 a.m. Pacific
A musician always looks for the perfect place for sound production. The Black Church at Brasov is such a location.
It was a real honor and privilege to glorify God and help strengthen people's faith in this church. Acoustically, there was about three seconds of reverberation. The sound seemed to continue on forever after the ending notes. Although there was no applause allowed (however, one person did applaud after a song and was quickly hushed by those around him), there seemed to be a complete feeling of reverence toward the music and the experience.
Personally, there were times at which I got goose bumps, especially after the ends of songs when the reverb took over. Lou did a fantastic job of directing the chorus, and they in turn did wonderful work, being well in tune and professional in appearance. God must have been smiling down upon us as we performed.
The “Four Hymns of the Second Coming” was especially meaningful because it was a chance to give our central message to an audience that may not put as much importance on it as we do. And, holding out that last high D on my trumpet at the end of the hymn and then listening to it echo afterward was a really satisfying experience. Hopefully another handful of souls will be in Heaven because of this performance.
Seeing God moving in the group
Pictured above: Ian Edgerton, singer, 2nd from left; far left, Levis Dragulin, musician
By Ian Edgerton, singer
Received Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 11:24 a.m. Pacific
Buna Ziua!! (Good day!)
The days are getting more exciting as we approach Saturday our final concert! Unfortunately the days are also passing more quickly :(
Regardless, I feel the Lord has been moving in our group in a powerful way. There is a cohesive atmosphere that is only created when Christ is the center of the effort. Thank you everyone back in the states for your prayers. With love, Ian Edgerton
Playing the organ in the Church on the Hill
Virginia Oliver plays the 1858 organ of the 13th-century Church on the Hill in the town of Sighisoara.
By Ron Oliver, singer, husband of Virginia Oliver, organist/pianist
Received Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 11:24 a.m. Pacific
There is a famous organ in the Black Church in Brasov. It is the largest organ in Romania and the only organ built by a famous German organ builder that survives in its original condition.
For the concert, it took a team of three organists to play it! Virginia played while the regular church organist and an assistant stood on either side of her moving the stops as needed. The keys and pedals are not today's standard size. The organ had four manuals and 4,000 pipes, and sounded magnificent.
The facility is called a church but is really a gothic cathedral.
Black Church concert well received in cathedral and online
Pictured above: The chorus sang in three groupings high above the main floor in the magnificent Black Church.
By Denny Nutter
Received Thursday, Apr 23, 2009 at 12:21 p.m. Pacific
Wednesday, April 22
This morning we left the Apollo Hotel in Targu Mures and pointed the buses toward Brasov where our evening concert was to be held. With a short drive time, we were privileged to stop along the way at the historical town of Sighisoara, which dates back over 800 years ago. Some of us immediately took the trail up Citadel Hill. Our final steps to the top took us through the tunnel or covered walk way (174 wooden steps) to the School on the Hill (operating today as the Joseph Haltrich High School).
Just above the school is the Church on the Hill. It was built in gothic style in the 13th century on top of the walls of a former chapel and then renovated in the 15th century to its current form. Some of us had the unique privilege of hearing a short concert by Virginia Oliver on the organ built in 1858 by Karl Schneider.
Others spent most of their time in the town below the Hill. There was plenty to see and absorb as we wandered through streets with towers and buildings dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.
After a fascinating time there, we made our way to the Conference Retreat Center (the former Romanian Theological Seminary) for lunch. Once we found our assigned rooms in the dorms we quickly changed into our performance attire and boarded the buses again for Brasov’s Black Church , so named for a fire that destroyed the spire years ago. The Black Church is a very large cathedral with excellent acoustics.
The Chorus made its way up a very narrow spiral staircase to the three sectioned choir loft in front of and either side of the majestic pipe organ. The pipe organ and the trumpet were our only accompaniment tonight. The audience sat on the ground level approximately 40 feet below us and joined in on two hymns – “Nearer, Still Nearer” and “Holy, Holy, Holy.” The cathedral’s center section was packed (800 plus, some estimates over 1000), which was a very special surprise. Due to the sacredness of the location no applause or flash photography was allowed.
Reports from those watching at home back in the States indicated having goose bumps and tears developing at the same time. Some of our support group seated downstairs reported that the concert was indescribably awesome and magnificent, another milestone in an incredible experience for the men of OAMC.
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