About the Author

Alan has been involved in music for over 65 years. He is well known as a music minister of churches in British Colunbia, Ontario, North Carolina and Florida. He has been involved with Wood Lake Publishing since 1994, first as Music and Liturgy Editor for 6 years and then on contract as Music Editor and consultant. Alan has been involved in the creation of over 10 hymnals and songbooks. He served as interim head of the Worship and Music desk at the head office of the United Church of Canada for 1 year and is well known as a music facilitator and workshop presenter at conferences throughout North America. Whenever he can choose what to do, Donald Schmidt likes to spin wool, knit, and weave. In his spare time, he also works in ministry in a variety of settings. He has served parishes in Quebec, New York, Vermont, Washington, and Hawaii. He has also worked as an Associate Conference Minister with the United Church of Christ, and is a retired United Methodist minister. Perhaps his favorite ministry has been as an editor and writer of church resources, for worship, education, and church revitalization. He has published 3 books, and has had a few pieces of music appear in various collections around the world. He also loves to travel, finding that visiting anywhere new and different can open us up to learn new things about others and, in the process, ourselves. He is a grandfather of 8, and father of 3.