Thirty years ago, the Rev. Fay Ellison was the pastor at PPC, the first woman to lead our church and one of the first in the Hudson River Presbytery, let alone the entire USA.

Looking through our Session Minutes for the year 1977, we find that permission was granted to the Children's Shakespeare group to hold rehearsals in the Parish House every Tuesday and Thursday. Jean Brock was the director, the (single) play that year was, "The Merry Wives of Windsor," and included among the cast members were John Anderson, Laura and Phil Harrison, Alice Kriz and John Garland. Diana Green recalls that it was the last play that Jean Brock directed. Diana herself was not in it, "too old" she says, but she certainly made up for that disappointment with her subsequent and triumphant revival of the players, which she has expanded and now includes the Rogue Players. Rehearsals and performances are still held in the Parish House to this day – to the delight of us all.

That same year, the Session of the Church voted to ban the use of chemical fertilizers on the Church grounds, formed its first Personnel Committee, sent a group of people to Wheeling, West Virginia (Appalachia) for a work week and voted to keep the Palisades Library and other community organizations and churches informed of all our activities, which continues to this day.

A NEW LOOK FOR THE ANNUAL STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

This year, on June 9th, PPC's much-loved Strawberry Festival will include a Silent Goods and Services Auction. The front yard of the Church will be tented and passers-by will be tempted by exciting opportunities to bid on unusual items.

The Parish Life Committee is putting this auction together and is looking to its neighbors in Palisades for contributions. We would dearly love to have items such as:

• A week at a summer camp for a child
• Lessons - piano, photography, cooking, computer skills etc.
• The services of a handy-man (for a day or more)
• A landscaping consult
• Time-shares in a vacation home
• The loan of a vacation home in the U.S. or elsewhere
• Membership gifts - spa, museum, and gym
• A web site design
• Signed articles or letters from well-known people etc.

Anyone wishing to contribute to our fund-raiser, which will help maintain the Church buildings and grounds, please contact Karen Consolini @ 212-569-0602 or leave a message on our Church answering machine. Thank you.

EASTER SERVICES AT PALISADES CHURCH

Maundy Thursday, April 5. A potluck supper at 6:30 with a service following at 8:00 pm. We will be joined by members of the St. Charles AME Zion Church of Sparkill.

Good Friday, April 6. 12:00 Noon. Good Friday Service at Noon. Church Sanctuary will be open from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm for any who wish to come and pray.

Easter Sunday, April 8. 6:00 am. Sunrise Service at the Ludington's in Sneden's Landing. Easter Traditional Service at 10:00 am