Hymns by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette
A Dozen Ways to Support
Carolyn's Hymn Writing
- Your prayers are always needed and appreciated. Hymns are prayers
and Carolyn is very grateful for your prayers as she writes hymns for
churches.
- Some people find it helpful to read hymns (prayers set to music) as
part of their devotional reading.
Songs of Grace
has a meditation/reflection next to each one of the hymns, so you can
reflect on scripture readings related to the hymn, learn about what
inspired it, and more. You can also use the lectionary index on this
web site to find hymns that relate to the scriptures used in your
Sunday worship.
- Please bookmark http://www.carolynshymns.com/ as one of your
favorites. Print off the list of hymns and the lectionary index, and
share them with those who plan the worship services in your
congregation (pastor, church musicians and worship committee). Check
this web site for new hymns.
- Please share Carolyn's hymns with others (pastors and church
musicians) in your community and with your online friends. Please
remember to include the copyright and contact information (sometimes
there have been problems with others selling Carolyn's hymns for their
personal profit).
- Your email comments about Carolyn's hymns are always welcome:
bcgillette@comcast.net
- Please send ideas for topics for new hymns. Do you have a favorite
scripture reading, biblical theme, pastoral or social concern, or
mission project that would inspire a hymn? Many of the hymns that
Carolyn has written were inspired by someone asking, "Could you write
a hymn about...?"
- Please consider buying one or both of Carolyn's books. If you look
at the web site list of Carolyn's hymns, you will see that many of
these new hymns are found in either
Gifts of Love
or
Songs of Grace.
Both books have indices that make them very usable for worship
planning. The purchase of one of these books gives you permission for
one-time use of its hymns in worship and other settings.
- Give Carolyn's books as gifts. Copies of them make great gifts for
Christmas, birthdays, ordination and installations. We have heard
from pastors, church musicians, choir members and people who love
hymns that they were grateful to receive the books as gifts.
- If you do not own
Gifts of Love
or
Songs of Grace,
please contact Carolyn for permission
to use any of the hymns that are found in these
books. Note: Hymns that are posted on denominational, ecumenical, or
peace/justice/relief agency websites do not require additional
permission, because they are on those websites as Carolyn's way of
supporting those churches or organizations posting them.
- Some churches have generously sent Carolyn $10 - $20 for use of a
hymn. Carolyn and her husband Bruce are co-pastors, and Carolyn's
pastoral work at the church is part-time. Any gifts of appreciation
that Carolyn receives for hymn-use go into their three children's
college funds. If you are planning to use one of Carolyn's hymns in
your church and would like to support her hymn-writing with a
contribution, you may send your gift to Carolyn at 2606 Salem Drive,
Wilmington, DE 19808. Often it has been the small churches, their
pastors, and church musicians with limited budgets who have been most
generous and considerate in supporting Carolyn's hymn writing.
Carolyn is very grateful for these gifts. She does not want using her
hymns to be a financial burden for small churches. Her hope is that
these hymns will be used to help churches in their praise of God and
their serving to neighbors in need.
- Consider asking Carolyn to write an anniversary hymn for your
congregation. A number of churches have commissioned her to write
hymns for special occasions in their churches. She writes to popular
hymn tunes that are in the public domain, which helps congregations to
sing these hymns more easily. Carolyn would be happy to talk with you
about helping your congregation sing their praises to God.
- Sing to the Lord a new song!