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The Monthly Newsletter of the People ofH A M I LT O N U N I O N P R E S B Y T E R I A N C H U R CH

G UI L DE R L A N D, N E W Y O R K

Good News

Volume 23 No. 4

Sunday Morning Worship Services are regularly held at 8:30 and 10:00

a.m.

April 2013April 2013April 2013April 2013

Things We NoticeLisa Beamer on Good Morning America - If you remember, she's the wife of Todd Beamer who said 'Let's Roll!'

and helped take down the plane over Pennsylvania that was heading for Washington , DC back on 9/11. She said

it's the little things that she misses most about Todd, such as hearing the garage door open as he came home, and

her children running to meet him. Lisa recalled this story: I had a very special teacher in high school many years

ago whose husband died suddenly of a heart attack.

About a week after his death, she shared some of her insight with a classroom of students. As the late afternoon

sunlight came streaming in through the classroom windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things

aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there. With a gentle look of reflection on her face, she paused and

said, "Class is over. I would like to share with all of you, a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel is

very important. Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and give of ourselves. None of us

knows when this fantastic experience will end. It can be taken away at any moment. Perhaps this is heaven's way

of telling us that we should make the most out of every single day."

Continued on page 10 ...

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Celebrate and Contribute to HUPC's History April 28!

Beginning at 5:30 and ending at 8pm the HUPC family will gather to share stories of their experience of be-

ing part of Christ's ministry. Whether you have been a member for fifty years or just walked in the door you

have a story to tell which is part of the congregation's history.

We will be led by the Rev. Joe Shook, a colleague of Stewart's who values the history of congregations.

Rev. Shook will organize us by decades of participation and have us discuss a series of questions about what

we remember. We will then share our memories.

As a result of our sharing we will gain a sense of our congregation's story which includes everybody. We

will then see how our story connects with God's story as revealed in the Bible. After all, whatever the people

of Hamilton Union have done in Christ's name and whatever has happened to the congregation is part of

God's story.

The really important part of this event is that we recognize that we are part of God's story now and will be in

the years to come!

Rev. Shook will preach at the 10am service to get to know us and to set the stage for the evening.

This event is part of the first part of Stewart's sabbatical. While we are learning about our history Stewart

will be preparing for two weeks of solitude at the Abbey of the Genessee, a Trappist monastery near Roches-

ter, New York. During this time he hopes to gain insight into how his personal story and his partnership with

Hamilton Union are and will be part of God's story.

This gathering is also the Making Disciples class for April .

Young people are especially invited to participate. Long term

members are critically important to supplying our sense of

story.

Feel free to bring any mementos of your participation at HUPC

so we can display them!

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Volume 23 No. 4Good News

Stewart

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Lay Readers, Greeters, and Ushers

Apr. 7 Lay Reader Ann McKinney

Greeter/Usher Maureen Kimmerer

Ushers Peter McKinney

Mickey Nieman

Terry Nieman

Ruth Ryf

Serving Communion

Communion Preparation

Susan Smith*

Hannah Hunter-Harris

Carl Hasselbarth

Wayne Gannett

Nelda Polansky

Hannah Hunter-Harris

Betty Koban

Apr. 14 Lay Reader Michael Masley-Hannett

Greeter/Usher Shirley Irwin

Ushers Bill Irwin,

Al Deitz,

Katy Waggener

Apr. 28 Lay Reader Bill Morris

Greeter/Usher Irma Morris

Ushers June Edick

Dianna Newman

Sue Ferris

Margaret Gardam

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* Denotes team leader. The team leader shouldcall the other servers in advance to make sure

they plan to attend church on the designatedday. If not, the server should find a substituteand let the team leader know.

Apr. 21 Lay Reader Ron Messersmith

Greeter Carolyn Sarbello

Ushers Bill Sarbello

Betty Koban

Chuck Koban

Nancy Snyder

The Deacon on CallforApril is

k~=m~=

WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU!

If you are unable to serve on your

scheduled date, please

FIND A SUBSTITUTE

and

NOTIFY THE CHURCH SECRETARY.

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Albany Presbytery

1915 Fifth Avenue, Troy, NY 12180

518-273-4991

www.albanypresbytery.org [email protected]

Cass L. Shaw H. Daniel Rogers Tim Coombs Bill RamageGeneral Presbyter Stated Clerk Transformation Financial Manager

March 18, 2013

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Thirteen years ago I arrived in Albany Presbytery to serve as your General Presbyter, andwhat a wonderful journey it has been! I have had the privilege of working side by side with a host ofgifted and dedicated people. Together we have met some significant challenges, opened up newavenues of trust and creativity, and shared support and resources - all to empower and equip ourcongregations to be ever more faithful in mission and ministry.

So it is with mixed feelings that I write to tell you that I have accepted a call to a newposition, and will be leaving Albany Presbytery in mid-May. I will become the CEO and Presidentof the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport in Connecticut. Its a Council of over 80congregations representing many denominations in Fairfield County who collaborate to provide anetwork of 35 food pantries, after school programs for elementary school children, intervention and

housing for at risk teens, short and long term re-entry services for ex-offenders, and a bridge-building, interfaith program for education, advocacy, and dialogue.

Though I will be using all the skills youve helped me develop as your General Presbyter, it is

certainly a different kind of ministry to which Im now called. I have loved my time in AlbanyPresbytery, and Im grateful for all of it, the ups and downs alike. Now, however, I will be able tonurture that part of me which has hungered for the chance to do ministry in an even more ecumenicalsetting than we enjoy here in Albany, and to be more intentionally focused on social justice andadvocacy.

It has been a joy and an honor to partner with you in this ministry, and I will make the most of

the next two months as I attend to the various projects that are running, tie up loose ends, and try toset up a smooth transition for the presbytery leaders and staff.

In Christ,

Cass L. Shaw

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Dear Friends at Hamilton Union,

As seminary lingo goes, I am currently in the middle of my middler year at Louisville Seminary. It has been an

incredible experience so far and I am enjoying the vantage point of having one year behind me and another to

look forward to.

In September, I was invited to share some of my seminary experiences at a Presbyterian Connection retreat, in

which students gathered to discuss our calls to ministry and also practical advice on how to pass our ordination

exams. I shared that now in my second year, Ive decided that Im staying. While I knew God had led me to

seminary, during that first year I still gave myself permission to pack up my bags and change my mind. In fact, I

brought barely enough belongings for the year, thinking this was just an experiment. But when I arrived for my

middler year this September, I brought along my favorite bread pan and cookie sheets and my warmest winter

coat, because it actually does get cold here in Kentucky! Needless to say, when I moved back into my same

apartment this fall, I was coming to stay.

Fortunately, the retreat this fall did help prepare me to pass the two ordination exams I took this January. I sat

for the three-hour polity exam and then became an absolute recluse for five days, immersed in the Book of

Joshua for the Hebrew exegesis exam. My one-room apartment seemed more like a monastic cell as I buried

myself in books by Calvin, Barth and Brueggemann as well as the 2008 PW Horizons Bible Study on Joshua

(which, by far prepared me the most!). Rather than feel like some rote academic exercise, the process of

interpreting the renewal of the covenant at Shechem was a deeply transformative experience. A few weeks

later I preached on a passage in Joshua at my church placement, something I never thought Id be able to do

based on my anxieties about the violence in the book. While Joshua is hardly the most comforting book in the

Bible, I feel more equipped to find Gods message even amidst its troubling content.

Another recent milestone was celebrating my 30th

birthday. One of the surprising blessings I received on thatday was cupcakes during my Presbyterian polity class and a personal prayer led by our professor, Rev. Cliff

Kirkpatrick, former Stated Clerk of the General Assembly. It was one of those full circle moments when I

remembered myself at 19, an anonymous Youth Advisory Delegate at GA, addressing Cliff and the Moderator of

the GA during the open speak portion of one of the plenary sessions. Little did I know that several years later I

would be in a small classroom learning about our denominational polity from one of its leading experts, who

prayed for me on my birthday. At that movement I was reminded how truly connectional our church is!

Whether it is reuniting with other Young Adult Volunteers or developing a friendship with a couple from Malawi

in the church where I am serving, being at Louisville Seminary has brought so many crossroads of my life

together, along with the unique journeys and callings of others. It is good to know that I came to the right place

and I am so grateful to all of you for helping me realize this path!

Easter Blessings to you all!

Peace,

Lynn Hasselbarth

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If you would like your special occasion celebrated in the Good News newsletter,

please contact Hannah Hunter Harris at: 518.371.3103 or [email protected]

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Happy Belated Birthday...

Nancy Messersmith (March 10)

James Gade (March 12)

Cindy Schultz (March 13)

Fred Sirois (March 15)

George Hannett (March 19)

Laura Smith (March 27)

Charlotte Hasselbarth (March 31)

Happy Belated Anniversary...

Ruth & Robert Ryf (March 10)

Happy Birthday...

Laurel Edwards (April 8)

Nancy Snyder (April 8)

Jim Gade (April 20)

Charles Koban (April 20)

Grand Garage SaleGrand Garage SaleGrand Garage SaleGrand Garage Sale ---- Jewelry BoothJewelry BoothJewelry BoothJewelry Booth ---- Helpers and Items NeededHelpers and Items NeededHelpers and Items NeededHelpers and Items Needed

Helpers are needed both during the week before the Grand Garage Sale and on theday of sale, Sat. May 18. For those interested in sorting and pricing, there will be anorientation meeting early in the week before the sale, at a mutually agreed upontime. Helpers can come in at their own convenience to sort and price jewelry. On the

day of the sale, people can sign up for 2 hour shifts. If you would like to work on theJewelry Booth, please contact Darlene Bauer at [email protected] or 456-06420or Charlotte Hasselbarth at [email protected] or 356-0637.

Nice pieces of costume jewelry, pretty ladies handker-chiefs, flat mirrors, a hand mirror, racks for necklaces

and bracelets, jewelry boxes with small compartments,small gift bags are needed.

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Malawi Mission Trip Update

The Malawi Planning Team is continuing to meet on a monthly basis but travel plans are now fully un-

derway and we have made several concrete decisions that move us from dream to reality- Exciting and a lit-

tle terrifying all at the same time.

First, the travel team is finalized. Elders Keni Banda and Carl Hasselbarth as well as Stewart Pattison

will be traveling to Malawi during the first week in July and will stay for around 3 weeks . They will be flying

out of Toronto Canada on July 2nd and will stay for about three weeks. They have been invited to stay in Chi-

tuka Village at the Banda family compound. We have seen pictures and are confident that these will be sim-

ple yet gracious accommodations and we are delighted that they will be able to stay right in the village.

Keni will act as trip leader and is responsible for making local arrangements which include an overnight stay

in Lilongwe when they arrive and arranging for a car rental for the period of time that the three will be in Ma-

lawi. Carl has taken on the international travel logistics and along with the support team has done some re-

search on the best flights and trip insurance. He will be booking flights for the group.

The rest of the Malawi Planning team has been very active as well. Some Highlights: Gwen Ramage

has done extensive research on what to take, we have designed a medical checklist for the travelers to take

to their doctors in order to get the necessary immunizations . Lynn Hasselbarth designed an interpretive bro-

chure and Peter McKinney and Betty Deitz were very helpful in providing valuable feedback and edits - Bill

Ramage, who is also on the session, reported that the session had approved creating a separate line for the

Malawi Mission trip and approved the request of the Mission Social Witness Committee to put six thousand

dollars from the Mission Trip Challenge Fund in that line. This makes it possible to keep track of expenses

related to this particular trip. In addition, all three travelers submitted successful applications for mission trip

funding through the Albany Presbytery which added an additional 3,000 dollars. We are very grateful to be

part of a Presbytery that uses its resources to support this kind of venturing out in faith What remains is for

the travelers to develop fundraising letters inviting family and friends to be partners in this wonderful spiritual

adventure.

Members of the congregation will NOT be getting these personal mission trip letters. Your overwhelm-

ing generosity last year which established the Mission Trip Challenge fund truly put this long held dream

within reach and already has started the congregation imagining not only Malawi outreach but other mission

trips that we might take closer to home.

However, If you have NOT had a chance to contribute to

The Mission Trip Challenge Fund and/or would like to direct a

donation to the Malawi Trip, Please make checks payable to

Hamilton Union Presbyterian Church with Malawi 2013 in the

memo line of your check.

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Protestant Campus MinistryUniversity at Albany

April 2013

Aprils Mission of the Month is the Cornerstone Protestant Campus Ministry at the University of Albany. Here some

information about Cornerstone, courtesy of the Reverent Sandy J. Damhof.

Never before have the words of Bob Dylan rung so true The Times They Are A-Changin! While many of us dread

change or find diff iculty in managing it in our daily lives and our communities of faith, campus ministry, by its very nature,

embraces change. In fact, it embodies change on many levels! And its exciting! In the midst of all the changes,

Cornerstone Protestant Campus Ministry continues to engage in their mission ofbringing students together at UAlbany to

make a difference in the world.

As we seek to live our mission, we find our ministry is expanding and growing both in the quality and quantity of our

programs and opportunities made available for students. We continue to hold on-campus interdenominational worship

every Sunday at 5:00 p.m. followed by Sunday Supper its a great hit! With the assistance of our committed

Congregational Partners, we offer Tuesday night Dinner and Devotions a home cooked meal and an opportunity to

complement it with a unique mini-worship experience. We hold our undergrad Bible Study on Thursday evenings and our

Theology on Tap study group for Grad Students is a great way to bring our older students together. We offer at least

one mission and service projects in the community per month and sometimes that becomes two or more. On two

separate occasions we took busloads of students to Rockaway for Project Sandy: A Day of Service; the events were

described by some students as life-changing, memorable, amazing and more. And in January we sponsored out

week-long mission intensive trip to Austin, TX to rebuild homes destroyed by wildfires.

Our Peer Ministry program has allowed us to continue to build leaders on campus and to equip students with skills they

will carry with them as the leave this community and seek to find their place in the wider world. Now, more than ever, we

are grateful for the support we receive from many different denominations Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed

and Baptist: in addition we have support from over 25 Congregational Partners. The Capital Area Council of Churches is

instrumental in bringing it al l together.

Information about our ministry can be obtained through our web-site: www.ualbanycornerstone.org or contact Sandy

Damhof to have your name added to our weekly list-serv. We also have a Facebook fan page which anyone can join

and allows you to receive updates, view our pictures and get a better sense of what were doing. You can see pictures

and learn more about our ever-changing story!

Thank you for your support of Reverend Damhof and the students at UAlbany this April!

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Things We Notice...continued from the front page

Page 10


Thank You

Presbyterian Women would like to thank the members of the congregation and friendsfor the generous contributions made for our annual Easter basket project.

This year we prepared and delivered 25 Easter baskets. 16 were delivered to theFamily Life Center at the Schenectady City Mission and 9 to the New Faith FamilyCenter at the Capital City Rescue Mission in Albany. Three goodie baskets weregiven to our church staff.

Our sincere thanks to Linda Traylor, who volunteers for the foodpantry, for the many spools of ribbon donated to this projectupon the closing of Classica Florist Shop last year.

As always, the generosity and support received is very muchappreciated.

Her eyes, beginning to water, she went on, "So I would like you all to make me a promise. From now on, onyour way to school, or on your way home, find something beautiful to notice. It doesn't have to be something

you see, it could be a scent, perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of someone's house, or it could be the

sound of the breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the morning light catches one autumn leaf

as it falls gently to the ground. Please look for these things, and cherish them. For, although it may sound trite to

some, these things are the 'stuff' of life - The little things we are put here on earth to enjoy... The things we often

take for granted."

The class was completely quiet. We all picked up our books and filed out of the room silently. That afternoon, Inoticed more things on my way home from school than I had that whole semester. Every once in a while, I think

of that teacher and remember what an impression she made on all of us, and I try to appreciate all of those things

that sometimes we all overlook. Take notice of something special you see on your lunch hour today. Go bare-

foot. Or walk on the beach at sunset. Stop off on the way home tonight to get a double dip ice cream cone. For as

we get older, it is not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do.

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HUPC

16th

Annual

Grand Garage Sale

Saturday, May 18, 2013 8:30am 2:00pm

Plans have been well underway since the end of February to make this years sale one of the best ever. Butto do that, we need many helping hands to share their time and talent.

How Can You Help?

Booth Donations: Donations such as baked goods, clothing, household items, jewelry, plants,books, small appliances that work, toys, games and sporting goods. Please NO tires, TVs or largefurniture.

Volunteers Needed: Help is needed to set up booths and arrange merchandise as it comes in the weekbefore the sale. Volunteers needed with parking, staffing booths the day of the sale, clean up after thesale.

Drop off: Starts Sunday, May 12th through Thursday, May 16th - 9:00 am to 2 pmduring the day and 6-8 pm evenings.

Sign UP: There is a list in the rear of the sanctuary and also in the fellowship room. You may also callShirley Irwin (456-0377) or Vi McKaig (765-4064) to volunteer.We need your support The proceeds help both HUPC and the mission program.

Outreach Ministry Team: :Terry Nieman, Joanne Wagner, Al Deitz, Charlotte Hasselbarth, MarkHutchinson, Ron Messersmith

SAVE THE DATE TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS

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All Women Invited - Vanguard Showhouse Tour

Join Presbyterian Women on Thursday, May 9th for a 10:30 am tour of the

Steadman House, the 2013 Vanguard Designer Show House , given by

Rae Rau. It is a 5,000 square foot Queen Anne Victorian home, featuring

seven working fireplaces and fascinating mantle and woodwork and was

the former residence of the founder of Colonie, George Stedman. It is

located on 410 Loudon Rd. in Loudonville.

We will have a carpool caravan departing at 9:30 from the church parking lot. You may drive separately if you

prefer, there will be general parking for the public and a shuttle bus to the house, from the Colonie

Police Department. We will meet for lunch after the tour at a local favorite,

Milano's restaurant.

Tickets for a group are anticipated to be in the $15 range, Betsy Bunday will be coordinating,

please sign up by May 2nd, either on the sign up sheet on the tables in the fellowship area or by

contacting Betsy at (518) 357-8454 or [email protected].

If you think that you have left something at the church ,please

check the "Lost and Found" shelf in the hallway of the ContinuingEducation Building. Anything left there by May 10 will be donated

to the Grand Garage Sale.

TIME CHANGE - PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN'S EVENING CIRCLE MEETING

The time of the Presbyterian Women's Evening Circle Meeting will now be

7 - 9 pm. All women are welcome. We hope that this time change will make

it more convenient for women who don't like to stay out too late.

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NEWS OF PRESBYTERIAN WOMENNEWS OF PRESBYTERIAN WOMENNEWS OF PRESBYTERIAN WOMENNEWS OF PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

Church Women Uniteds Spring Forum will be held Friday, April 5, at 11:30 a.m. at First Church in Al-

bany (Reformed) on North Pearl Street. Use church parking lot, located next to the church. Bring a bag

lunch. There will be a bake sale to benefit the CWU treasury for your dessert. Beverage will be provided.

The 2013 Spring Gathering of PW in the Albany Presbytery will meet on Saturday, April 20 at West

Charlton Presbyterian Church, 133 Sacandaga Road, Amsterdam, NY. There will be a $5.00 registration

fee payable at the door. The speaker will be Carol Smolenski, Executive Director of ECPAT USA (Ending

Child Prostitution And Trafficking) an organization of individuals

working together to eliminate the commercial exploitation of chil-

dren around the world. Please bring non-perishable or canned food

for the local food pantry, along with your lunch. Beverage and des-

sert will be provided. The offering will be divided between the des-ignated choice of our speaker and PWP Scholarship Fund for Synod

events.

Circle meetings will be on April 23 at 10:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Lesson 7 from Epistles will be discussed. The morning circle meets

at 10:30 a.m. Bring your lunch, beverages will be provided. The

evening group meets at 7:00 p.m. with refreshments provided.

Birthday Offering envelopes will be distributed.

Please feel welcome to join HUPC Presbyterian Women at anytime.

Chancel Flowers

The Deacons would like to extend their gratitude to those who con-

tinue to donate flowers for the sanctuary. The flowers really enhance

the beauty of our church during worship and have been greatly appre-ciated by many receiving them following worship who have recently

been hospitalized or living in nursing homes, etc. It is for this reason

that we continue to welcome donations of flowers made in honor of

someone or to commemorate a special day. For information on how to

donate flowers, see Gwyn Ramage. Many thanks.

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APRIL

2013

HamiltonUnionHappenings

Sun

M

on

Tue

Wed

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hu

Fri

Sat

1

2 3:30pmBrownieTroop1495(M)

3 7pmBoyScouts(D)

7pmWebelosScouts(D)

7pmPokingBrookDancers(M)

7pmChessClub(L)

4 7:15pm

Chan

celChoirPractice(C)

5

6

7

Communion

8:30amEarlyWorshipService(S)

10amWorshipService(S)

11:45amHandbellChoirPractice(S)

8

9 3:30pmBrownieTroop1779(M)

7pmSCAChorus(M)

10

7pmBoyScouts(D)

7pmWebelosScouts(D)


7pmChessClub(L)

11

Newsle

tterDeadline

7:15pm

Chan

celChoirPractice(C)

12

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15

16

3:30pmBrownieTroop1495(M)

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7pmBoyScouts(D)

7pmWebelosScouts(D)


7pmChessClub(L)

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7:15pm

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celChoirPractice(C)

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22

23

10:30amPWMorningCircle(L)


7pmSCAChorus(M)

7:00pmPWEveningCircle(L)

24

7pmBoyScouts(D)

7pmWebelosScouts(D)


7pmChessClub(L)

25

7:15pm

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celChoirPractice(C)

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HAMILTON UNION PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

2291 Western Avenue

Guilderland, New York 12084-9747

Change Service Requested

Dated Material Please Deliver Promptly.

Church: (518) 456-5410

FAX: (518) 456-0002

Rev. Pattison (H) 456-1373

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: HamiltonUnionPresbyterianChurch.org

Ministers: The People of Hamilton Union

Our Staff:

Rev. Stewart Pattison, Pastor

Rev. Douglas Gray, Pastor Emeritus

Rev. Mary Jo Pattison, Parish Associate

Charlotte Palmeri, Director of Music

Cheryl Cootware, Church Secretary

Newsletter deadline for the

May issue is

Thursday, April 11

NONPROFIT ORG

US POSTAGE PAID

GUILDERLAND, NY 12084

PERMIT #1

GOOD NEWSGOOD NEWSGOOD NEWSGOOD NEWS

Published monthly by theSession, and mailed to eachchurch family household,students away from home,and others.

Mark Hutchinson, Editor

Email Address: [email protected]

GoodNews.23 04.April2013

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