Lyrica, Ladies Choral Ensemble of Puget Sound

Lyrica, Ladies Choral Ensemble of Puget Sound return will to the Oysterville Church on Sunday – their tenth or eleventh visit to perform at vespers! Actually, I’ll have to ask Director LeeAnne Campos how many years they’ve been coming here to sing. For sure it’s been since 2003, but I think there were one or two years that our schedules conflicted and they couldn’t grace us with their fabulous voices.

If memory serves, we first connected through Barbara Poulshock who had been LeeAnne’s teacher at Pacific Lutheran University. I’m sure it’s that connection, also, that is responsible for their scheduled Sunday morning appearance at the Ocean Park United Methodist Church (where Barbara is the Choir Director). It will be a big day for the Ladies!

Irene Martin

Episcopal Priest Irene Martin will open the Oysterville festivities at 3:00 PM. I suppose it’s not quite appropriate to refer to a vesper service as a “festivity” but it always is just that when Lyrica performs. I was really delighted when Irene told me how pleased she was to be paired with them. She knows of them by reputation – perhaps she has their CD, “There Is No Rose” – but this is her first chance to hear them in person. And to be on the same program, as well!

Irene, also, is an ‘old hand’ at our vesper services. She is a woman of many parts. For years she had worked right alongside of her commercial fisherman husband. She is a historian and author and in 2000 was awarded the Washington Governor’s Heritage Award. She lives in Skamokawa and is a priest at St. James Episcopal Church in Cathlamet.

I love to hear her talk! Not only does she share fabulous information from her ever-growing storehouse of knowledge, she does so with just the slightest bit of a most charming accent. Canadian, I believe. She is a life-long Anglican who says, “I’ve had the advantage of worshipping in the Anglican/Episcopal church in three countries.”

Suzanne Knutzen

“I was born in England, raised in Canada, met and married an American and moved to the United States over forty years ago,” she told me. ”My husband is a commercial fisherman, and I have had the privilege of being part of an occupation that Jesus was familiar with, since several of his disciples were fishermen.”

Sunday’s organist, Suzanne Knutzen, has shared the Oysterville limelight with Lyrica many times. Of all the ladies who will be volunteering their talents this Sunday, Suzanne is the “oldest hand” at Oysterville vespers and, I think, the only one who knows all the other participants! In fact, I have to say that Suzanne’s calm command of the little pump organ always makes me feel that “God’s in his Heaven and all’s right with the world.”

Cyndy Hayward with Miles

Cyndy Hayward, who will represent the Oysterville Restoration Foundation as ‘hostess’ for the event, is the only one of the ladies new to vespers, at least ‘new’ in terms of being ‘center stage.’ She and I talked yesterday about her Oysterville Moment. I won’t give her ideas away but can’t resist saying that her subject will be a new and delightful look at our little village. As the newest resident of Oysterville, she brings a fresh point of view to the village.

It will be another Sunday to remember!