A benefit for the Christ & St. Luke’s 2025 Choir Tour and Pilgrimage
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This fall we are thrilled to welcome one of the premier Christian leaders in the world, The Very Rev. Dr. Robert Willis, Dean Emeritus of Canterbury Cathedral to Christ & St. Luke’s. Dean Robert served as the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral from 2001-2022 and during that time oversaw the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion and its many schools, ministries, and programs. He and his partner, Fletcher Banner, also achieved notoriety during the Covid-19 pandemic for their daily broadcasts of Morning Prayer from around their home and gardens, providing people across the world with a spiritual anchor in a time of fear, isolation, and uncertainty.
As a part of his visit with us, Dean Robert will be joining us on Saturday, October 21, for an evening fundraising event to benefit scholarship aid for our 2025 UK Choir Tour and Pilgrimage (which includes a week in residence at Canterbury Cathedral as well as St. Paul’s Cathedral, London).
Dean Willis will offer his insights on the spiritual and historical importance of Canterbury as well as share stories from his tenure as Dean of the Cathedral. Fr. Noah will discuss with Dean Willis and his partner Fletcher about his life, his writings, and their travels since retirement. There will be time for questions from the audience as well.
We are excited to share the following details of the event and information about how you can purchase tickets:
Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Time:
5:00–5:30 p.m. Arrival (complementary valet parking is provided)
5:30-6:30 p.m. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres (catering by Omar’s Carriage House)
6:30-8:00 p.m. Talk and conversation with Dean Willis
8:00 p.m. Depart
Location: Rendezvous Norfolk
2729 Bowdens Ferry Rd, Norfolk, VA 23508
Map and directions link below
Price: $125 per person (includes wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and catering by Omar’s Carriage House.)
Tickets may be purchased online (below) or in-person after church services. Limited tickets available.
If you are unable to attend but would still like to donate, please click here and select the “Robert Willis fund” to donate to the Choir Tour Scholarship Fund.
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Registration for this event is now closed.
More about Dean Robert Willis
Robert Willis served as Dean of Canterbury for over 20 years and, during the coronavirus pandemic, became familiar to online audiences across the world for his Morning Prayer videos from the Cathedral – and the impromptu appearances of cats Leo and Tiger. He had previously been Dean of Hereford for nine years, was a chairman of the Deans’ Conference of the Church of England, and is a former member of the General Synod. He was awarded the Cross of St Augustine for services to the Anglican Communion, is a Knight of the Order of St. John, and has written many hymns.
The history and importance of Choir Tours
Christ & St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is among a small group of church choirs who have had the honor of singing regularly at British and European Cathedrals over the last 20 years. These sacred spaces, many of which have been around for centuries, include St. David’s Cathedral in Wales, the Cathedrals of Worcester, Gloucester, Norwich, Wells, Lincoln, York Minster, as well as St. Martin in the Fields in London, and St. Eustache and the American Cathedral in Paris. Domestically, they have sung at St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, and the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. The choir and congregation of Christ & St. Luke’s benefit from singing in these historic and holy places, as well as strengthening the ties with our international brothers and sisters. In 2025 we are excited to broaden the experience by including in our trip a pilgrim track for non-singers. Our pilgrims will engage in times of learning, prayer, worship, and conversation as we deepen our appreciation of our history and our faith at two of the premier churches in all of Christendom. Your tickets and your donations for this event will go to support the tour scholarship fund. The tour scholarship fund enables all singers, especially our choral scholars, to participate in this trip.
