WE LOVE TO SING HYMNS – 7 May 2016
Our little church here in Adelaide love to sing hymns and approximately once every two months (sometimes more often) we present a small selection of hymns to various Nursing Homes in and around Adelaide.
Last Sabbath was no exception, and the residents were very happy by the look of ecstasy on one old man’s face as he lay back in his ‘comfy chair’.
It has been a struggle, but we are trying desperately to ‘time it right’ so that we arrive ‘on time’ at the nursing homes we visit, as it is usually difficult to space our visits with our lunch-time programs.
Other difficulties we have is receiving messages correctly within the nursing home so residents are prepared and an instrument is available, usually a piano. We visited Wynwood Nursing Home in Norwood, which turned out to be a converted old house, and we were a little disappointed with the small number of guests (about 8) ready and sitting in the ‘Lounge’. We were told that no message had been passed on, otherwise the guests would have been placed in the dining area with a lovely piano to accompany us; nevertheless, the staff told us we were welcome to present without music. I promptly rung Kaylene, who said Alyssia had her violin and that we could sing along with her, so, thank you Alyssia; our first ‘Acappella’ (almost) presentation. We had about 24 singers including 9 children, and so we more than doubled our audience, yet the positive response from the appreciative expressions both from our immediate audience and those looking in from the hallway, helped our hearts to sing along with the ‘Lord’s Music’. Trevor, one of our leading brethren, had encouraged us to present hymns that would most likely be well-known favourites. This turned out to be a blessing on two accounts. Without knowing it, hymns chosen for the day turned out to be some of our own members most ‘touching’ hymns, (‘Face to Face’) so proving that our Lord was in charge of all the proceedings for the day.
May all our church groups around the country experience the joy of singing together for ‘the secular world’ in some form or another; and as we do so more regularly, it will draw our members together in greater bonds of unity in readiness for the ‘United Loud Cry message’ ‘Come out from the Mixed-up World – Join the Little Company of those who love God’s Commandments and His Truth!’
We followed the singing with an easy and relaxed social evening back at the church for closing of Sabbath, light meal and open fellowship – a lovely and productive Sabbath!
Gary Southwell
Social Correspondent
SA Field