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December 19, 2024It’s an early December day. A handful of men and women are gathered in a meeting room on the campus of the Homeless Alliance in Oklahoma City.
Percussion instruments begin a tempo and a tall woman with a broad smile stands before the group humming a key range.
It’s rehearsal day for the Joyful Noise Choir.
‘A Joyful Noise’
The brainchild of Patty Dearden and Amy Gaffney of Saint Eugene Catholic Church in Oklahoma City, the choir was formed to bring joy and comfort to those in the homeless community who often must look hard to find it.
Having launched to concept in July, Dearden and Gaffney hold weekly rehearsals with intermittent lunchtime performances.
The idea initially came to Dearden from an appearance of a choir of homeless San Diego residents on “America’s Got Talent.”
“They must have had 30 people. And I thought, ‘Oh, we could do that!’” Dearden said. “But I didn’t have a choir director.”
That’s when Gaffney appeared.
“I was kneeling at morning Mass, and I said, ‘God, I don’t have a choir director.’ Amy came in and knelt down … and I thought, ‘She can sing.’ So, I approached her and said, ‘I think God told me to ask you to (direct a homeless choir).’”
Three days later, she said yes.
The two took the idea to the volunteer coordinator at the Homeless Alliance with the caveat that the music be Christian. The Alliance agreed and the Joyful Noise Choir became a reality.
“Right before we practice, we walk around and entice them with hot chocolate or coffee or cookies. That always works. Even the ones who don’t think they want to sing — they come for the hot cocoa or whatever — they end up singing,” Dearden said.
Signs of Grace
As is often the case with acts of service, results can be difficult to quantify.
“I look at it as, we’re not going to be on ‘America’s Got Talent,’ but there’s a reason God wanted us to do this,” Dearden said. “And it’s the one-on-one with the five, or six, or seven who come. That’s what we do. We love on them.
“We tell them, ‘Good job.’ We learn their names. Some of them will come back next week. Some of them won’t. And each week, we may have a totally different group.”
But Gaffney said, the signs are there.
One 70-year-old man has been a regular. He walks miles — more than an hour — to sing with the choir. Another couldn’t finish a song for the tears that were streaming down his face.
“To see their faces — how happy they are …” Gaffney said. “(During) that first August concert, we had people singing along, all throughout the lunchroom. We’ve had people who are just so moved. I know we’re making a difference.”
Dearden agrees.
“For the ones who come back, I can only imagine it’s a place of safety and comfort,” she said.
‘No Crib for a Bed’
While the faithful meditate on the symbol of the Christ Child during the holiday season, the Christmas story resonates deeply for many in the homeless community.
New choir participant Vivian, says she likes to sing, especially this time of year.
“Every time I have my phone, I’m listening to music, I’m singing,” she said. “Singing here makes me feel a little bit better. (This music) makes me a little closer to my grandmother. Her favorite holiday was Christmas.”
Silencio, also a choir newcomer, says he enjoys the community aspect of singing with others.
“I wanted to make my voice more than something I do on my own. I like to sing, but I do more rapping,” he said. “They’re good songs (to everyone else), but I really understand them,” he added, pausing as he walked away.
Godly Reward
Despite the work involved, Dearden and Gaffney say they take away as much from the experience as their choir members.
“It’s kind of tricky,” Dearden said. “A couple can’t read. I’ve learned to be more cognizant of what their limitation could be and be very careful not to assume. We just want them to feel good.
“When you go home after you’ve been here and you’ve been thinking, ‘Gee, I wish this was fixed,’ … you’re just grateful you have a house.”
More than gratitude, Dearden and Gaffney say that in the end, it’s the relationships they’ve developed that strengthen their faith.
“They keep us going. We just keep coming,” Gaffney said. “We’ve gotten to know a lot of these people. I’ve never had the opportunity to get to know someone who is homeless. They’re just so friendly.
“As long the Spirit calls us, we’ll keep doing this.”
About the Homeless Alliance
The Homeless Alliance seeks to end long-term homelessness in Oklahoma City builds capacity and resources of and for the homeless community through collaboration with other agencies, identifying and filling gaps in homeless services, ringing nationally recognized best practices to the community and working to build a system that is more efficient, rational and caring.
How to Help
Support these Homeless Alliance businesses
The Curbside Chronicle
Oklahoma City’s “street paper” providing both a voice and employment for people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. These can be purchased from curbside vendors throughout the city.
Curbside Flowers
A traditional flower shop providing employment to those who are transitioning out of homelessness. Curbside Flowers is located at 522 N. Classen Blvd., Suite 100, in Oklahoma City.
Curbside Apparel
Curbside Apparel is a screen-printing company that produces custom shirts, posters and more. The business offers employees the opportunity to earn a screen-printing certification and practice business skills to transition from homelessness.
Donate or volunteer
To donate or volunteer, go online to homelessalliance.org.
Melissa Mercer Berryman is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Photos Avery Holt/Sooner Catholic.
