wfn.org | Pastor produces a hymn for biblical refugees

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

>Engaging the immigrant experience in worship;
>Pastor produces a hymn to biblical refugees

>See: www.ncccusa.org/news/100721gillette/html

Wilmington, Del., July 21, 2010 -- Hymn writer Carolyn Winfrey Gillette  of 
Wilmington, Del., has produced a new text dealing with immigration,  now on the 
webpage of the National Council of Churches for free use by  congregations. 
(See:  www.ncccusa.org/immigration/AbrahamJourneyedHymn.html)

"Abraham Journeyed to a New Country" is set to the familiar Gaelic tune  of 
"Morning Has Broken." Examples of biblical immigrants like Abraham  and Sarah, 
Ruth, and Jesus are featured in the five-stanza text, among  the resources 
offered by the NCC/CWS Immigration Task Force.

In her introduction to the hymn, Gillette writes: "Jesus himself was a  refugee 
in Egypt when his parents had to flee from Herod for his safety.  Jesus taught 
that one of the greatest commandments is to love our  neighbors; these 
neighbors include foreigners (Luke 10:25-37 with  references to Leviticus 
19:18, 33-34). 
"He also taught that all people will be judged on their compassion for  those 
in need and their welcome of strangers (Matthew 25:31-46).   Today, people are 
immigrants for many of the same reasons that these  biblical people were.  The 
Church is called to follow the Bible's  teachings by welcoming and supporting 
immigrants today."
  
Gillette, who with her husband, Bruce, is co-pastor of Limestone  Presbyterian 
Church in Wilmington, is no stranger to members of the  National Council of 
Churches and Church World Service communities. She  is also written lyrics to 
hymns reflecting on the church's response to  the earthquake in Haiti, war, and 
Christian responsibility in  government, among other issues. 
    
She is currently writing lyrics for a hymn that will be presented at the  
Centennial Gathering of the National Council of Churches and Church  World 
Service in New Orleans November 9-11.

"We immediately recognized how valuable the hymn is for all the  congregations 
related to the 36 member communions of the National  Council of Churches," said 
Wesley M. "Pat" Pattillo, NCC associate  general secretary, Communication and 
Justice & Advocacy.  

"The issues that cry out for hospitality and immigration reform could  not be 
more biblical. Yet for many of us they don't seem relevant to our  Sunday 
morning church experiences. Carolyn's hymn shows how relevant --  and how 
urgent -- those issues are for all persons of faith." (See  
www.ncccusa.org/immigration)

Church World Service has more than twenty of Carolyn's hymns related to  
hunger, poverty, justice and peace.

Carolyn's latest book, Songs of Grace: New Hymns for God and Neighbor,  was 
published by Discipleship Resources/Upper Room Books in 2009. 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, 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. For additional  
information, see http://www.carolynshymns.com. 
 
Bruce Gillette was the Presbyterian representative on the Executive  Committee 
for the Consultation on Church Union (COCU) that created  Churches Uniting in 
Christ (CUIC). He is the co-author of A New Creation  In Christ: A Study Guide 
for Churches Uniting in Christ.

Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of  Christ in 
the USA has been the leading force for ecumenical cooperation  among Christians 
in the United States. The NCC's 36 member faith groups  -- from a wide spectrum 
of Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical,  historic African American and 
Living Peace churches -- include 45  million persons in more than 100,000 local 
congregations in communities  across the nation.

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office),  646-853-4212 
(cell), pjenks@ncccusa.org