There was a time not long ago when caring for our homebound and care facility members meant visiting them in person. And those days will return!

But in this season, we’re having to be more creative. The New Covenant Homebound and Care Facility Care Team makes phone calls, writes letters, and drops off flowers.

Not long ago, Susie Murray started teaching our children’s choir, called Little Praises.

“No one else was stepping up. Even though I have no experience leading a choir, I felt God telling me to be the one to step up,” she said. “So here I am! I am teaching the Little Praises choir!

“When I was a kid I loved to sing all the church songs all the time and I want my kids and other kids to be able to go out and sing God’s Word,” she said. “Song is a great way to teach people about God.”

One of our children’s choir kids told Susie that she taught all her friends at school one of the songs that we sing at choir. She said she had all the kids singing it with her by the end of the day.

“Back in the time when we are able to meet, I loved to see all of these kids come in each week with big smiles, excited to sing all the songs that are their favorites and learn new songs as well."

Susie decided that it would be a great idea to have the kids go to a care center and sing. It was an amazing way to lift the resident's spirits, showing them how much God loves them and cares for them.

“When I was a kid, I remember going to care centers and walking around singing church songs down the hallways and in people’s rooms. That was such a great experience for me to see how you could brighten up someone’s day by singing songs from your heart. That is an experience I would like to pass on to our choir kids.”

Susie prepared the children for going out to the care center by practicing songs over and over again. “We practiced standing up tall and singing in our loudest voices so that everyone can hear.”

But we shared more than the gospel through our songs, we shared our lives as well.

“When we got to the care center we all went around talking to different residents to learn something about them,” she said. “Some of the kids were shy at first, but by the time they got done singing, they all warmed up to the residents since they were cheering the kids on. After we sang, we visited more.”

These grandmas and grandpas were blessed by listening to sweet three-to-five-year-olds singing worship songs. They loved that the kids were dressed up in their “Sunday best.” And the residents loved that they knew some of the songs, and they sang along.

“That melted my heart,” said Susie, “Seeing them singing with the kids.”