NCB WV Trip

The NCB traveled over nearly the entire state of West Virginia during a whirlwind three-day ministry weekend, November 12-14. In less than 48 hours, the band and ensembles from the band supported six Red Kettle Kickoffs, three Sunday services, and played concerts at West Virginia University and Morgantown Christian Academy, eleven events in all.

The weekend was timed to support the beginning of the kettle season, with ensembles from the band playing for kettle kickoffs in Charleston and Huntington on Friday, and in Parkersburg, Wheeling, Grafton, and Morgantown on Saturday.

Saturday afternoon the full band played a joint concert with the Monongahela Brass, the graduate brass quintet of West Virginia University, at WVU's Clay Theater concert hall. The band and the quintet alternated sets of pieces and then joined together to play John Williams' "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" as the finale.

Saturday evening the band played another joint concert with the music students from the Morgantown Christian Academy in Morgantown. Among those students was Azariah Greenland, the son of Morgantown Corps Officers, Lt's. Sheldon and Nicole Greenland. The students joined with the NCB to play "The Star-Spangled Banner", "Muffins Rhapsody", and "Classics in Brass".

On Sunday morning the NCB again split into ensembles to play for Sunday services at the Clarksburg, Grafton, and Morgantown corps, and returned home to Washington, D.C., after lunch at the Morgantown Corps' new Hope Café.

NCB Executive Officer, Major Bobby Westmoreland, remarked after the trip, "What a boost to West Virginia! The ministry weekend of the NCB has had a profound impact. What a blessing!"