Nan Havens, the organist at St. George Parish in Bourbonnais, discusses her love for music. The Joliet diocesan safe environment committee recently approved one of her songs for use at parishes.

Throughout her life, Nan Havens has wanted to be a professional singer. Over the decades, the parishioner of St. George Parish in Bourbonnais has performed at various venues across Kankakee County with rock ‘n’ roll and country bands.

She’s written dozens of songs and been a vocalist, fiddler and keyboard player. “We’ve done it all,” Havens said, speaking about herself and her husband, Tim Rehmer, the singer who has teamed with her during jam sessions at church and community festivals and other locations.

The music duo spoke with the Catholic Explorer Feb. 17 in the choir loft at St. George Church.

Breaking away from the concert circuit a few years ago, the couple decided to become sacristans at their rural church outside Bourbonnais proper. Havens also works as the church’s choir director and organist. “We’re all given gifts … We all have to share those gifts to glorify God,” said the woman of faith who has also composed numerous inspirational Christian songs.

But, the 58-year-old Charleston, Ill., native recently finished recording what she claims is her most important original work to date.

Her song is called, “Just Tell Them, ‘No’ ” and the whimsical tune is meant to help children protect themselves against those who might want to make sexual advances toward them. Havens crafted the song after many conversations with members of the Joliet diocesan safe environment committee and after mulling over the group’s research and curriculum guidelines.

The song has been approved by the members of the diocesan safe environment committee for use in safe touch programs at parishes across the seven-county Joliet Diocese, according to Joyce Donahue, catechetical associate for the diocesan Religious Education Office.

“It’s a catchy little song,” Donahue told the Explorer. The music and lyrics reflect the style of songs from popular television shows, such as “Barney and Friends” and “Sesame Street,” she said, noting the song is geared toward a young audience.

Donahue said she hopes the song with strengthen the safe touch programs in existence at the parish schools and religious education programs. Music works to “reinforce” the message, she said. “It makes it more memorable,” she added.

Havens, who garnered a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston in 1971, said she enjoys interacting with youngsters. Though she never pursued teaching after graduation and has no children of her own, she said she cherishes working with the parish youngsters as choir director and finds joy in caring for her husband’s grandchildren. Her spouse has three adult children from a previous marriage.

Her love for children drew her to the idea of using her music talents to help tackle the significant topic of protecting youngsters from predators, Havens said. But, after she had committed herself to the project, the artist admitted she was overwhelmed by the responsibility of translating the delicate subject matter into a song suitable for little ones.

“I wanted to make it as clear as possible and incorporate as much as possible” from the suggestions of the diocesan committee, Havens said.

The task seemed daunting, she emphasized. To her surprise, the musician said the words and melody flowed quite easily when she finally sat down to compose the song. “It just fell together,” Havens said. “God must have helped me. We recorded it the same day,” added the enthusiastic performer.

Havens and her husband recorded the song Dec. 10, 2007, in the choir loft of their church. She used the parish’s new keyboard to enhance it, she said.

While the tune is now being made available at faith communities in the Joliet Diocese, Havens said she is trying to get the song into public school classrooms. With the approval of diocesan leaders, she said she has also started contacting law enforcement organizations and social outreach organizations that deal with abused children.

“She’s always been trying to get her songs to go somewhere,” Haven’s husband told the Explorer. “Wouldn’t it be great if the one that does, does some good for kids,” added Rehmer.

If one child learns to “just tell them, ‘no,’ ” then it will all be worth it,” concluded Havens.