(Read Gerry Avant’s blog as she accompanies the Choir on their 2009 tour.)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA

When the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang “Let’s go down to the river to pray,” they literally went down to the river. And not just any river. This is the famous wide Missouri.

Choir members stood on the Iowa side of the river just across from Omaha, Neb., and sang “Down to the River” and “Amazing Grace” while being videotaped for a special program and other features.

The choir boarded buses and left their hotel at 6 a.m. June 24 to drive some 20 minutes to Progressive Park for the videotaping. The singers and crew were relieved that the weather wasn’t as oppressively hot as it had been during a photo shoot at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Mo., on June 20.

A small gathering of onlookers served as audience at Progressive Park. Among them were the private park’s owners, Jim and Linda Meyer.

A month or so ago they were contacted by Ed Payne of the Church’s Audiovisual Department and asked if the filming could take place there.

“We didn’t believe it,” said Mrs. Meyer when asked her reaction to the fact that the entire Mormon Tabernacle Choir was coming to the picturesque park that for years has been known as Meyers Landing.

“We’ve been so excited about this.” As she watched the filming take place, she said, “It’s still unbelievable. I don’t know how to describe it.

“The Mormons have such a history with Council Bluffs. I thought that because of their history they would have chosen the temple at Winter Quarters for their background shots. Of course, the Missouri River also is mentioned a lot in Mormon history.”

Mrs. Meyer said that she couldn’t keep news of the choir’s coming visit to herself. She told neighbors and friends, some of whom showed up before the taping began at 6:30 a.m.

“My mother (Barbara Whistler) had planned to come from Columbus, Ohio, for a visit next week. I called and said, ‘I think you’ll want to come a week early.”

Mrs. Whistler seemed as enthralled with the choir experience as was her daughter.

Mrs. Meyer said was a bit surprised when the choir actually sang. An amplified audio recording of their singing accompanied the choir members’ natural voices so the entire park resounded with music.

“I thought they were just going to take some pictures,” Mrs. Meyer said.

The private park is a popular attraction in the Council Bluffs area. Groups of hundreds visit it for various events.

“We’ve had a few thousand people here at a time,” Mrs. Meyer said. Then, waving a hand in the direction of the choir, she said, “But this is THE highlight. There is nothing so moving as this. You just feel it. When you think of what the Mormons had to go through in the old days, and then see this choir here today, it seems like things have come full circle.”

Mrs. Meyer said that her daughter had wanted to come to the park but wasn’t able to arrange to be there. “Going to see and hear the Tabernacle Choir is on the list of things she wants to do before she dies,” Mrs. Meyer said.

“There is nothing to compare to this.”

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEnJ%2BuqpOdu6bD0meaqKVfZ31xhY5vZmtuX2eAc3%2BPaWlxZ2JlfXp5wqGmoqpdqby2voylnK2rXZy8brDOsKVmrJ9iwamxjKugr52iYsGwec%2BrmLI%3D