About the Author

Laurie Zelman is the author of full length plays, numerous sacred musicals (including commissioned works), skits, and congregational songs. Laurie is the Minister of Education and the Arts at Cranford UMC, a freelance writer, and a Deacon in Full Connection with a specialty in Arts Ministries. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and has two daughters. Drew Dyson has most recently been the executive director of the Shared Mission Focus on Young People, but will be taking an appointment as Associate Pastor for Youth at a United Methodist church in New Jersey in July. Drew authored Faith-Forming Junior High Ministry and contributed for Soul Tending: Life-forming Practices for Older Youth and Young Adults. He is an up and coming expert in the field of youth ministry and is asked to speak at large gatherings of youth and youth workers. Bishop Grant John Hagiya is a graduate of the Claremont School of Theology, where he received his M.A., M.Div., and D.Min. degrees. He recently received a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine University. Grant has served as a full time Professor at the Claremont School of Theology, teaching in the area of Religion and Society and Urban Ministries. He has remained as an Adjunct Professor at Claremont for the last 15 years. Prior to his election to the episcopacy, he served as the Senior Pastor at churches in Berkeley, Gardena, and Los Angeles, California, as well as the Los Angeles District Superintendent and Dean of the Appointed Cabinet of the California-Pacific Annual Conference. His most recent appointment was as the Executive Director of the Center for Leadership Excellence, a joint position between Gary V. Simpson is Senior Pastor, The Concord Baptist Church of Christ, Brooklyn, New York. Gary is also Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Drew Theological Seminary in Madison, New Jersey. Mark A. Miller is a lecturer in the Practice of Sacred Music at Yale University. Since 1994 he has served on the faculty at Drew Theological School. He is director of Contemporary Worship at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City. He is known in churches throughout the country as a worship leader, teacher, composer, and performer of sacred music. He received his B.A. degree in music from Yale University, and his M.Mus degree in organ performance from Juilliard. Tanya Linn Bennett is Associate Dean for Formation & Vocation and Associate Professor in the Practice of Public Theology & Vocation at Drew Theological School of Drew University. She is a commissioned elder in the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. Bennett holds both MDiv and PhD degrees from Drew University.