Contribution:
First African American woman elected to the position as Chairman of the Advisory Council of Discipleship and Worship of the United Presbyterian Church, USA (June 1981). She subsequently chaired the committee that produced the 1990 Presbyterian Hymnal (a production that grew out of the historic reunion of the "Northern" and "Southern" churches in 1983, forming the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Dr. Costen is Professor of Music and Worship at The Interdenominational Theological Center, a Christian, ecumenical, graduate professional school of theology.