I don’t know about you, but I really miss going to concerts. One of the industries that have suffered the most during the pandemic is the Performing Arts. For so long, I took live music experiences for granted, and it was just a part of my day-to-day life. Music for me is cathartic, it’s healing, it’s necessary, and it is my livelihood. Last March, it seemed as if someone came and pulled the rug out from under me and said, “figure it out!”

Live music, singing in front of people, teaching choirs – this is what I know, and it is in my DNA. It seems like that vanished overnight, and we had to start over. We had to rethink everything – how to function as a choir, how to continue serving the church with music. It has been a really tough time, but we have also grown closer as a choir, we have relied on one another for support during trying times, and we realize the importance of what we are doing as we lift our voices in song every Sunday. 

Covid has really put a damper on music-making, but it certainly has not stopped us. Although we’re wearing masks, our voices cannot be silenced, and we will continue to sing. The church is one place music has not seized during this pandemic. If anything, we have had to learn more and be willing to explore new pathways of sharing music – through projects like virtual choirs, which none of us had ever done before. It has been a time of learning and growth, and when the whole choir is finally able to join back together again, we will sing with more fervor than ever before. This time apart has reminded us how important singing is for health and spiritual healing. Music is an incredible gift from God that we should not overlook – it calms us when we’re anxious, it heals us when we’re down, it makes us smile when we’re having a rough day. 

Although most live music has been *paused* for now, it will be back and better than ever before…and until then, we will continue to fill our sanctuary with songs of hope, faith, and love until that day.