This book contains texts for forty-five contemporary hymns on a wide variety of topics--biblical stories, the church, and seasons and special occasions in the church year. Well-known hymn tunes are suggested for each hymn and a brief commentary section provides interesting background. The volume contains a full range of indexes, making it usable in a variety of settings.
Carolyn's hymns have been sung by congregations in every state of the USA and in several other countries; they have been on national PBS-TV three times and the BBC-TV in the United Kingdom. Noel Paul Stookey of "Peter, Paul and Mary" made a music video with Emmy winner Pete Staman of Carolyn's hymn, "O God, Our Words Cannot Express," which was written on September 11. Her hymns are found on the national websites of the General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church, UMCOR, the Presbyterian Church (USA), American Baptist Churches, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Reformed Church in America, the Souper Bowl of Caring, the National Council of Churches, and Church World Service. United Methodist Bishop William Boyd Grove and Carolyn were commissioned to write hymns for the inauguration services for Churches Uniting in Christ.
Carolyn's latest book, Songs of Grace: New Hymns for God and Neighbor. was published by Discipleship Resources/Upper Room Books. This collection of 77 new hymns to well-known tunes celebrates biblical stories, the church year, and a wide range of church activities, from older adult ministries and stewardship to social justice and many other topics in between. Accompanying each new hymn is a meditation that can be used for personal, family or group devotions. Carolyn's first book, Gifts of Love: New Hymns for Today's Worship (Geneva Press, 2000), is a collection of forty-five of her hymns. Her hymns are also in the new supplements for the Episcopal, Presbyterian and United Church of Canada hymnals. Circuit Rider, The Christian Century, The Presbyterian Outlook, Presbyterians Today, Horizons, Ideas! For Church Leaders, Church & Society, and other magazines have published her hymns. Two of her anthems are published by the Choristers Guild. Carolyn was commissioned to write the lead article for the special issue on "Singing Our Lives" for Baylor University's Christian Reflection journal.
Carolyn and her husband Bruce have been the co-pastors of Limestone Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware since August 2004. They had previously served as co-pastors in Pitman, New Jersey, for ten years. (Pitman started as a Methodist Camp Meeting, and it is where "In the Garden" was first sung.) They wrote the ecumenical guide for the popular Active Parenting Now (third edition) with Mary Jane Pierce Norton of The United Methodist General Board of Discipleship as a consultant. They wrote the study/action guide for Transforming Families and the Christian Family Week worship and educational resource for the Presbyterian Church (USA). They are the parents of three children (John, Catherine, and Sarah). Carolyn received her M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1985 and is also graduate from Lebanon Valley College. Carolyn has led workshops around the country on hymns, church music, and family ministries.
