flew to Prestwick, Scotland, and then motorcoached to Edinburgh for the first concert meetings of Europe, this time under the sponsorship of the Church of Scotland. This open ing meeting with the Scottish people was a thrilling send-off for the re mainder of the trip. The hospitality was so warm and the Christian fel lowship so enjoyable that the young people of Southern California found it very difficult to leave the Emerald Isle. They went on to London for two more wonderful meetings, then to Paris and Geneva. In Geneva the Singing San Diegans made their first appearance as official represen tatives of the Mayor of San Diego. Carrying letters of friendship and greeting from the City of San Diego, the entire group met with the Lord Mayor of Geneva and sang a brief concert in City Hall in the ancient part of the city. This same scene was to be repeated later in Zurich as once again the Singing San Diegans not only represented Christ but also bore the good wishes of their fellow citizens for their counterparts in that famous Swiss city. In Monte Carlo, Monaco, the Sing ing San Diegans recorded music for use on the famous missionary radio station, Trans-World Radio. It was a great thrill to have a part in this beaming of the gospel via two 100,- 000-watt transmitters to all parts of the Middle East, West, and East Eu rope and Russia. While at TWR in Monte Carlo, the choir found that a new station organized by TWR had been opened on the small island of Bonaire off the northwestern coast of South America and that it is transmitting the gospel via 500,000 watts of standard AM radio and 285,000 watts on shortwave. In Rome, the Singing San Diegans experienced a real high point of their trip as God’s blessings were poured out in services during two consecutive nights at the Interna tional Evangelical Church founded by Rev. John McTernan. Another highlight of the stay in Rome was a genuine pizza party hosted by the young people of the church in which services were held! After bidding goodbye to Rome, it was on to Zurich and Lucerne, Swit zerland for more singing. In Zu rich, the Singing San Diegans made an appearance on the Swiss Nation al Broadcasting System facilities of Radio Zurich. Next was Frankfurt, Germany, and a meeting at the main U.S. Army base in the heart of the city. Once again the Lord blessed in the meetings and when the serv ice was over, the members of the
Phill Butler (seated) discusses tour with several choir members, Virginia Edwards, Bob Romaine, Bob Rehm and Kathy Slone.
“Singing San Diegans” present letter of friendship and greeting to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir Duncan Weatherstone. L eft to right: Otis Skillings, choir director, Ann Sutherland, Robert Thomberg, tour chaperon, Weather- stone, Shanna Bond and Phill Butler.
gathered to survey what God had done in three short weeks. The Sing ing San Diegans had sung sixteen formal concerts and at least as many informal ones in airport waiting rooms, castles, restaurants, and air planes. In all cases it was agreed that members of the group received a blessing in their own lives far be yond their greatest expectations. God had truly been faithful and an swered prayers, both of the singers and of those at home. Also, the group could look back on the various cities where the singing and preach ing had taken place and be thankful for those who accepted Christ and those who found a new dedication. It was an amazing project for a radio station to undertake. Each young person who went on the trip had to raise his own traveling funds but the massive job of setting up the tour, co-ordination of the travel ar rangements, and then the execution of the actual trip was handled by Radio Station KBBW. Probably the greatest public service project ever undertaken by the station resulted in changed lives on both sides of the Atlantic — 17,000 miles of singing that will have implications even into eternity!
choir went to stay in the homes of German Christians, as well as in the homes of American servicemen. The famous embattled and divid ed city of Berlin was the next stop for the Singing San Diegans. Two days in this area, including a tour through East Berlin, gave the en tire group a vital new appreciation for liberty and Christian freedom as enjoyed in America. After singing in Berlin, the group moved on once again and this time to Stockholm, Sweden. Meetings in Sweden for the Sing ing San Diegans had been arranged by The Gospel Choir, a famous Christian singing group from the Stockholm area. One service was held in a rural camp setting with a large turnout of young people in a downtown Baptist Church in Stock holm. God once again taught the group that He can transcend the ar tificial barriers of language and mode of worship when His message is presented with clarity and sin cerity. Final stop for the Singing San Diegans was f ab l ed Copenhagen. One Sunday evening in this well- known Danish town, the singers, as well as adult traveling companions,
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NOVEMBER, 1965
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