Hannah Fain, Hoboken Grace’s Associate Director of Service Programming, grew up singing. She is a preacher’s kid from Alabama. Hannah and her family spent many Sundays traveling together, singing and leading worship in churches where her dad (who is in full-time ministry as a missionary evangelist) was preaching.

Today, Hannah continues that legacy of worship through song as she helps lead Hoboken Grace’s worship team each Sunday. While Hannah said her role on the team has evolved over the years—she started out leading worship with the band nearly a decade ago—she’s now been on staff part-time with Hoboken Grace for 10 years.

Hannah at Hoboken Grace in 2014

When she’s not on stage singing, a typical day in the office includes tackling the monthly scheduling of team members, researching and choosing songs that will resonate with the church, editing chord charts and recording harmony parts to send to vocalists, thinking through the weekly musical transitions of songs for Sunday services, and more.

In 2014, after attending the University of Mobile where she studied Music Education, Hannah moved to Hoboken with her husband, Jeremy. He had just taken a job as the Creative Video Producer for Hoboken Grace and Hannah began teaching Pre-K, then Kindergarten at a local school. After Hannah and Jeremy welcomed their first child, Evie, in 2017, she left her teaching position and became more involved on staff at Hoboken Grace with the worship team.

Hannah and Jeremy when they first moved to Hoboken

Hannah now laughs when she says she and Jeremy thought they would live in the area for just a couple years. Fast forward to today, and they now have three children and have just celebrated ten years in the Little City.

 

In this new series, we’re going behind the scenes with staff members whose work and faith play a key role in impacting our community both inside the church and throughout the surrounding area. Today, we’re catching up with Hannah:

 

Story Team: When did you know you wanted to be a worship leader?

Hannah: This is definitely something that developed over time. There were many moments in middle & high school when I thought I’d pursue musical theater or performing in some way, but God had different plans. I grew up in arts schools where I learned to play piano, sang in school choirs, played flute in band, and participated in musicals. I was also really involved in my local church as a kid and sang in choir there too. As a teenager, I helped start a praise band in my youth group, which looking back, was a pivotal experience for me in this journey of leading worship. At one point, I tried picking up bass guitar and singing at the same time – that was comical and didn’t last long.  But it was during that time I remember God really beginning to teach me more about what it looks like to sing and make music to Him.

Personally, it’s been really cool for me to watch how the kids at Vibe are starting a youth band, because that’s how it started for me. I went on to pursue music and worship leadership in college, where God continued to stir this passion in me for worship – which I learned is simply responding to all that He is, with all that we are.

 

Story Team: How has being a part of the Hoboken Grace community impacted you?

Hannah: Jeremy and I have experienced such a close-knit community within Hoboken Grace, more than I knew was possible, even as someone who grew up in church. I have been so encouraged and felt incredibly loved over the years through the family we have in this community. A lot of that has to do with dinner groups and being a part of various groups over the years with people from all sorts of different cultures and backgrounds, walking in different seasons, and sharing life together with the focus on Jesus. That has been hugely impactful for me as a wife, a mom, and follower of Christ. Hoboken Grace has shown me what it looks like when people truly show up for each other.

 

Story Team: What’s your favorite part of your job?

Hannah: My favorite part is getting to be together on Sundays as people express their hearts to Jesus through song. Singing truth together helps us realize that God is so much bigger than our individual circumstances, and many times I’ve been overwhelmed by an awareness of His nearness in the midst of singing together. I love how it helps people connect the gospel in their hearts. It’s a simple answer, but everything I do comes down to gathering together in worship

 

Story Team: Do you ever get nervous before getting on stage?

Hannah: I think I get nervous in certain moments where I’ve planned something specific to say, for instance. I don’t love speaking in front of a large number of people, ha! I’m not nervous leading each Sunday because I’ve done it so much now. When I do get nervous, I have to remind myself that I’m simply talking to my family and the goal is to point them to the Father and share from my heart. It’s not a performance.

 

Story Team: What’s the best part about living in Hoboken?

Hannah: All there is to do here! The opportunity of walking out your doorstep and going into the city. And when it comes to kids, there are so many museums and parks, or you can drive 20 minutes away and go for a hike and be in nature. There’s everything around here—no reason to be bored.

 

Story Team: Finally, is there a Bible verse that really speaks to you and your life?

Hannah: The Bible verse that comes to mind is one that’s come up many times in different seasons of my life. It’s Jeremiah 29:13- “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.”

In different seasons of my life, God has brought that verse back to me. When I start to stray or find my value in other things, whether that’s approval from people or my identity as a mom, a wife, in the church, or in my job; when I start seeking my joy in those things, it’s never satisfying. In that scripture God reminds me that He is faithful. He remains present and near as I am looking to Him.