The CSB was pleased to visit the Meadowlands Corps in Hamilton, Ontario, the weekend of March 6-7, 2010. Formerly Hamilton Temple, one of the oldest corps in the Canada and Bermuda Territory, the congregation relocated to a new subdivision several years ago – hence the change in name – and now has a nice new building in which to worship.

 

Following afternoon rehearsals and a delicious roast beef dinner, the evening concert was a joint presentation by the CSB and Meadowlands Corps Band, under Bandmaster and CSB alumnus Ron Heintzman. As the Meadowlands Band played Stephen Bulla’s Land of Freedom, the CSB marched in from the back of the hall to welcoming applause. We then proceeded straight into Living Flame (Jeff Christmas), our first item of the night. Other items we presented in the first half included the festival march Milestone (Himes), James Curnow’s Variations on Terra Beata, and two solos – Major Kevin Metcalf in Bruce Broughton’s Pleasure In His Service and Steve Pavey in A Joy Untold (Camsey). Meadowlands Band gave a pleasing interpretation of Mozart’s Overture from the Magic Flute (arr. Kenyon) and also presented a new item, Tunes 4 Tiny Tots by Christopher Goff, featuring a collection of Sunday school choruses from bygone days.

 

In the second half of the program the CSB presented James Curnow’s Hallelujah!, Morley Calvert’s Canadian Folk Song Suite, Ralph Pearce’s new trombone solo Incarnation (featuring Craig Lewis) and Robert Redhead’s major work Corpus Christi. The two bands then came together to present three contrasting works – Kenneth Downie’s Shekinah, Dudley Bright’s Paean and the Benediction: God Be With You, arranged by Noel Brooks, which ended the program.

 

On Sunday, the CSB led morning worship. The band presented a variety of musical selections including Martin Cordner’s Let Everything Praise! and the premier of a new meditation, In Quiet Confidence, by Major Ken Smith, using the hymn tune Rutherford and based on the song “In heavenly love abiding, no change my heart shall fear.” Corps participation included two songs led by the worship team and the songsters’ presentation of Here I Am to Worship, led by Songster Leader and current CSB member John Avery. Following Steve Brown’s cornet solo, Don’t Doubt Him Now (arr. Craig Woodland), Major Kevin Metcalf’s message focused on the gift of music and how we are to use it glorify God and bring others to him.

 

The afternoon musicale took the form of an Old-Time Salvation Praise Meeting, with plenty of congregational singing and a variety of items presented by both the CSB and a massed group of songsters assembled especially for the occasion. Band items included the march Lowell Anniversary (Stephen Bulla), Songs of the Pioneers (Kenneth Smith), the xylophone solo Joyous Rhythm featuring Leigh Rowney, Cameron Rawlins’ presentation of It Is Well (arr. William Himes) and Dean Goffin’s classic, The Light of the World. The massed songsters, under Bandmaster Ron Heintzman, presented three contrasting items – James Curnow’s How Sweet the Name, Richard Phillips’ Sing for Joy, and the timeless Eric Ball setting of In the Secret of Thy Presence. It was an afternoon thoroughly enjoyed by all, with the congregational singing of O Boundless Salvation (arr. Himes) bringing the weekend to a stirring conclusion.

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