The giving nature of those involved in religious ministries is a given part of our culture, but once in awhile we experience a uniqueness that stands out from the rest. One such ministry is Changing Habits, a musical outreach ministry of Gate of Heaven Church, in Dallas. If the name doesn’t give away its schtick, perhaps its original moniker, Sister Act, will ring a few bells.
    Incidentally, shortly after the movie Sister Act was released in 1994, the musical ensemble surfaced, with a program that consisted primarily of songs from the movie. That year, Sister Act first performed for the Gate of Heaven Altar and Rosary Christmas Party, as well as the church bazaar. Since then, its program expanded into an outreach ministry— performing, as invited, for nursing homes, fund raisers, and a variety of church functions.
    “As Sister Act, we had our very own ‘Whoopie’, aka Marcia Matthews, who filled the role beautifully,” said Marilyn O’Connell, an original member.
    Last year, however, Matthews left the group for awhile and the group felt that it could no longer continue with the same show. Shortly thereafter, the need for a new name arose. (Not surprising to those of us who admire and work with the Independent’s own Jim O’Connell, it was he and his nephew, Sam, who came up with the new moniker for Jim’s mom, Marilyn.) With a new name came the need for a new format.  
    “In our new show, we change into various outfits and sing appropriate songs,” said Marilyn.
    For the first segment of the program, envision a gospel choir, members adorned in their robes. Tap your feet as the group performs a few lively gospel numbers, including He’s Got the Whole World, Rise ‘n’ Shine!, and Go Tell it on the Mountain. Segue to top hats and Puttin’ on the Ritz. Changing Habits prides itself on being hands-on with the audience.
    “We get them up and moving with some fun songs, while wearing either band hats or Santa hats,” Marilyn said. “We end our programs with a patriotic segment wearing red, white, and blue sequined vests and hats. At Christmastime, we ‘decorate’ our audiences and sing several Christmas songs, including We Need a Little Christmas and Winter Wonderland.
    “Our mission is to bring some hope and joy and encouragement to those in our audiences,” she added. “It is very rewarding to see someone in a nursing home attend a show— come in looking rather down, begin to smile, and tap a foot or clap in response to the music. We benefit as much or more from these experiences when we see the reaction of our audiences. We, too, are lifted up.”
    Changing Habits does not charge to perform. Instead, it gratefully accepts donations, many of which have been very generous.
    “To date, we have collected and donated $15,000 to Gate of Heaven Church for the needy in our parish,” Marilyn explained. “The women in our group volunteer their time, their energies, their talents, and their desire to serve.”
    The members of Changing Habits are: Anne Lohin, Joanie Gilbertson, Fran Rismondo, Marcia Matthews, Jackie Soper, Linda McDermott, Carol Carroll, Marilyn O’Connell, Jeanmarie Harding, Sheila Bonawitz, Kippie Morgan, Anna Winkler, Mary Beth Banos, Faythe Roberts, and Sister Nancy Lydon.
    “We are grateful to have Jimmy Eckert as our ‘roadie,’ “Marilyn said. “We were blessed for quite awhile to have Sister Ruth Neely with us. Anyone who knows Sister Ruth knows what she can bring to a show. This beautiful woman has a sense of humor that would have our audiences rolling in the aisles with her antics. We also have Sister Nancy Lydon, our ‘drummah’, who adds a special element to our shows with her drumming skills and unique personality.”
    If you were to ask people who volunteer for the good of their community or church why they do it, they will tell you that they do it for the fun of it. There is no more powerful reward for volunteering than to know it is appreciated and enjoyed.
    “We sing for the Honor and Glory of God and for those in need at the Church of the Gate of Heaven. We sing, we dance, we have fun. We have been given the gift of music, a desire to serve, and a love of entertaining. In our troubled world, we need something to smile about. We have a good time, and we hope our audiences do also,” Marilyn concluded.
    They do.
    To learn more and/or make a donation, visit www.ChangingHabits.org.

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