The sound of the gospel choir, big or small is re-emerging with singers whose hearts are filled with praise and gratitude for the goodness of God! How wonderful that in this season of choir and worship resurgence Carol Cymbala has put pen to paper to once again inspire us with that inimitable sound of the Brooklyn Tabernacle.
“A Night of Worship” is available as a resource to all churches. We have made this available in partnership with both Daywind Worship and PraiseCharts.com!
CAROL CYMBALA
Carol Cymbala grew up as one of six children in a ministry home where she witnessed the power of God in miraculous ways. She displayed a gift for music at a very early age, when she taught herself to play the piano by ear. She always had a love for beautiful chords and harmonies. When her father, the late Rev. Clair Hutchins, would return from his mission trips to Africa, Carol would watch the films he brought home and was captivated by the different styles of music and rhythms she heard.
It was during these years that God spoke to Carol that she would one day direct a choir. In the natural, this seemed very unlikely, as she was extremely timid and shy. Carol married her childhood sweetheart, Jim, and they immediately went into ministry.
In the early 1970s, Pastor Cymbala and Carol took over the leadership of The Brooklyn Tabernacle, a congregation that numbered less than twenty people at the time. Carol obeyed the Lord’s leading and started a choir with a group of nine people. Severe anxiety and self-doubt almost led her to cancel their first rehearsal, but her love of music and sense of God’s calling caused her to push through; and, as a result, The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir was formed. Over the years, the small choir grew and became a vital part of the ministry of the church.
Carol began to discover a gift for songwriting, and soon the choir was given the opportunity to record their first album. God blessed this first recording, which eventually led to more albums and open doors for the choir and The Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers (a core group of vocalists from the choir) to travel around the country and world and spread the gospel through song. Carol has written hundreds of songs and recorded 30 albums, 6 of which have won Grammy Awards.
Today, Carol continues to direct the music at The Brooklyn Tabernacle with a steadfast passion to see the name of Jesus lifted up through song in NYC and around the world.