Joyce Sorrell grew up wanting to help others.

Now, with COVID-19 and its effects surrounding her hometown, Sorrell, a Loreauville resident, is once again doing her part to help others, just like when she was a little girl.

With everyone forced to stay at home, Sorrell is going to put on a free live concert from her home on her Facebook page for fellow members of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Loreauville.

Giving back to her community

Though this will be the third Sunday people haven’t been able to attend a church service, it’s not stopping them from helping spread the word of God.

“I know for my church, my elderly (church attendees), they tell me how much they love and enjoy the music,” Sorrell said.

Because of the COVID-19, according to Sorrell, the virus centers around the elderly with underlying symptoms.

While she was thinking of ways to help the elderly, Sorrell noticed others were also doing their part with virtual concerts.

“What I prayed about and I put on Facebook last week, is that I am going to put on a gospel concert at my home,” Sorrell said.

Sorrell’s concert will be at 11:30 a.m. live on Facebook and possibly Youtube, she said.

She plans to perform four songs, though if she is pressed for time, she will sing parts of each song.

Doing her part

“I’m just going to uplift because there’s so much going on right now,” Sorrell said. “I just want to encourage people regardless if you’re not in the house of the church, the church is with the people.”

The songs that are expected to be sung by Sorrell, which were written by her, include: “Family,” “Let Go and Let God,” “Noway Tired” and “Search Me, Lord.”

“I’m going to a short, but sweet gospel concert for everybody,” Sorrell said.

Sorrell’s message to everyone who is concerned at this time: All is well, we are going to bring the church to them.

Coming together

Wynne Zacharie-Cluse, a volunteer for Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, will help shoot the video for Sorrell, using the unique platform to help others.

“We’re going to use this to help uplift everyone that has been going through this with the COVID-19,” Zacharie-Cluse said.

Zacharie-Cluse said while those who attend want to hear the words, they also want to hear the music, so it’s important to her to bring that to them.

Sorrell, a gospel singer for Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church and a recording artist, said she always knew she wanted to make those around her feel better with her music.

Her two albums, “Lord I Am Into You,” and “What God Do For Me, He’ll Do For You,” are used to help those who need it during these trying times, she said.

Finding a passion from tragedy

When Sorrell was 3, her father passed away, and her mother, responsible for 10 children, took care of Sorell and her siblings. Sorrell noticed on Sundays her mom would listen to gospel music and it would put a smile on her face.

“I would just sit on the floor and I decided to make my mom smile, maybe I should start singing,” Sorrell said.

So every Sunday she would sing along with the radio and bring a smile to her mom’s face, and said she knew then that was her calling.

“And I never stopped singing,” Sorrell said. “I am the person that sings about what’s going on in the world.”

Going through difficulties

Sorrell wants to sing so she can help others who may be going through difficulties.

The concert will mean she’s doing her part.

“If it can heal me, I just hope it’ll heal somebody else,” Sorrell said.

When she gets ready to sing her songs Sunday in her home, Sorrell is going to be able to reach out and put a sense of normalcy into the homes of the elderly and anyone else who is listening.

“So just for those four songs, it’s going to help get their minds off of everything that is going on and praise God with me, “ Sorrell said. “And it’s going to be a blessing to put a little normalcy back, to where we have none right now.”

You can watch the live performance Sunday starting at 11:30 a.m. on her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/joyce.sorrell.