The Good News - This Week

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, they lined the streets to welcome him, waving palm branches and shouting "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" Alpharetta Presbyterian Church pulses with a similar excitement as we prepare to welcome the new visitors, regular members, and returning friends who worship at APC during the Easter season. This Sunday, we will wave palm branches in worship, and sing Hosanna, Amen! Greeters and ushers will stand at the doors of the sanctuary with words of invitation.

This year we are glad to announce that we will have an extra entrance available to the church lobby! Thanks to the efforts of the Open Arms Christmas CD fundraiser, APC debuts a new, push-button, wheelchair-accessible door at the parking lot entrance to the sanctuary. Improving the accessibility of the campus, this door allows APC to invite more and more people to participate in our activities and programs. This season we celebrate that APC has gone one step farther in widening the path of welcome, that all may know and proclaim the good news of our Risen Lord. Hosanna!

Easter Flowers

Last Sunday to signup for Easter Flowers! Honor or remember a loved one by contributing $25 for Easter flowers. Order forms can be found on the table near the church office. Cash or check (make payable to APC with "Easter flowers" on the memo line). The order deadline is Sunday, April 1. Any flowers not taken home after the 11:00 Easter service will be donated to companion care seekers.

One Great Hour of Sharing

This Sunday - Palm Sunday, we will join millions of Christians around the world to give hope to those in need through the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. Your gift will support ministries of hunger, disaster response, refugee assistance and community development in areas of need throughout the world. Children are asked to bring their coin banks to church on Palm Sunday and make their offering during the Children's Moment.

STARS News

STARS - The deadline is this Sunday, April 1 to signup and make payment for the Senior Follies at The Cumming Playhouse on Sunday, April 29 at 3:00 PM. Seats are still availble, first come, first serve! The cost is $25 and carpooling from APC is available. More details can be found on the signup sheets on the bulletin board outside the church office.

Next luncheon and meeting: Wednesday, April 11 at noon in Room 206/207.

Mark Your Calendars

Please mark your calendars for the Installation of Rev. Jamie Butcher as Associate Pastor on Sunday, May 6 at 4;00pm at APC!

Lent and Easter Schedule

"The fast I choose: justice, kindness, humility"

Palm Sunday Worship Services* 8:30, 9:45 and 11:00am, Sunday, April 1

Maundy Thursday Service* 7:30pm, Thursday, April 5 (Holy Communion)

Good Friday Service* 7:30pm, Friday, April 6

Mission Day of Service 9am-12pm, Sat., April 7, APC volunteers in the community

Easter Sunrise Communion 7:00am (note time change), Sunday, April 8 (outdoor chapel)

Service

Easter Worship Services* 8:30, 9:45 and 11:00am, Sunday, April 8 (sanctuary)

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*Nursery care provided for children ages 0-5.

Access ACS

Coming soon to a mobile device or computer near you -- new and improved ways that you can connect with Alpharetta Presbyterian Church. These include:

· An online church directory that is password-accessible and always up-to-date;

· Easily update your own contact information and choose what information you want to share online;

· Online signup for activities and events like mission trips, dinners and meetings;

· Make pledges online and keep track of your giving. You also will be able to make payments to the church online by credit/debit card or checking account;

· And there's even more to come!

But first, we need your help. It's estimated that nearly a third of the listings in our church directory need to be brought up-to-date -- especially e-mail addresses. Please check and update yours. We will need one main e-mail address for each member.

1) Check the printed list available at the Information Desk and make your changes or,

2) Write your current main e-mail address when you sign the Friendship Pad in church or,

3) Just send us an e-mail to info@alpharettapres.com with your full name and the e-mail address we should be using and we'll do the rest.

Please update your information before April 15 and get ready to stay connected in the life of our church. You can find more information and see answers to frequently asked questions at www.alpharettapres.com/acs

Mission Day of Service

APC's Annual Mission Day of Service will be April 7. It is an APC tradition to end the Lenten season with a day of service in praise of God. Each year, church members join together in mission work on the APC campus and throughout the community. This year will be no different! The Mission Committee has been hard at work putting together a project list that includes mission work for everyone (even the little ones!). Please plan to join us on April 7. Sign ups will be available in the lobby on Sunday mornings through April 1.

Can't make it on the 7th? You can still help out by donating supplies. Sign up to donate on Sunday morning at church or visit our online supplies list to select your donation. Questions? Contact Allison Neal.

Property Work Day

Property Work Day, April 7 - We will be working on the grounds from around 8:00am until... All are welcome to come and help any way they can. We will be working to make our church grounds beautiful for Easter. There are several other projects in and around the church needing attention. If you have any questions, please contact Chuck Watson in the Church office at 770-751-0033.

A Big, Fat, Thank You!

A BIG, FAT, THANK YOU to all who participated in the Fellowship and Youth Italian Feast, Talent Show and Service Auction this past weekend. The evening was a huge success and the youth raised just under $4,000 for summer mission trips. A special thank you to the Fellowship Committee for co-sponsoring the event and to all that helped set up, cook, serve, clean up and share their talents. Thank you to the congregation for your generous support!

APC Summer Camps

Sports-n-Faith Camp and Vacation Bible School are on the horizon! Children's Ministry is seeking additional youth and adult volunteers to join in the fun!! Come help our children learn the FUNdamentals of your favorite game during Sports-n-Faith Camp, which is scheduled for the mornings of June 6-8 for K-3^rd graders. You need not be present for all three mornings. We are excited about our theme of SKY, for VBS, which runs the mornings of July 10-13. We'll be creating everything from mega-bubbles to flying gizmos! Registration will be online in April. Please contact Kathy Ailts at kathy@alpharettapres.com if you can help us with either of these summer programs.

Save the Date!

Sunday, April 22 is APC's 25^th year anniversary celebration which includes guest minister Rev. Katie Dillon Crowe, who grew up at APC, preaching at 8:30 and 11:00. A picnic and other activities will follow beginning at noon. Mark your calendar and spread the word to any former members!

NFCC News

Education Program is Growing

We would like to thank the volunteer job coaches and instructors who have helped us make the education program an integral part of our mission. During 2011 we have assisted over 760 individuals living in North Fulton improve their lives, find jobs, and learn new life skills. We have settled into our new Education Center and have increased the number of classes we schedule by 50%. The Family Enrichment Program offers classes in English, Spanish, Computer skills, Money matters, Adult Literacy, Job coaching, and GED tutoring. We continue to look for qualified job coaches and volunteer instructors to add to our team. Visit our website at www.nfcchelp.org for more information about available classes or to volunteer.

ACT1 Theater ACT1 News

Mark your calendars! Auditions for our summer musical The Wind in the Willows are coming up fast so we want to be sure to get a spot on your calendar!

You can join us on either of two audition dates: Tuesday, April 10 6:30pm or Thursday, April 12 at 6:30pm

Produced at over 200 theaters across the country, this musical tells the story of the friendship of the good-hearted Water Rat, the shy and curious Mole, and the sensible Badger. What tests that friendship are the antics of Mr. Toad, a wily and impulsive animal given to sudden crazes such as stealing motor cars and driving them recklessly around the countryside. Their task is to save Toad from himself and then rescue the magnificent Toad Hall from the devious weasels, ferrets and stoats.

This show requires adults, teens and children age 7 and over. Most of the cast will play multiple roles. There are several small parts which will be assigned to various cast members who will also be in all the large chorus numbers. Most of the roles can be either male or female and a teen or an adult.

You can find more information on what roles will be available, what auditions will be like and what the rehearsal and performance schedules are by picking up a booklet in the church office (where you can also find preview scripts) or on our website at www.act1theater.com.

Faith & Families Class

The Faith and Families class last one in the series on The Seven Deadly Sins and Corresponding Virtues. The material is from the TheThoughtfulChristian.com.

4/1: Pride and Humility, by David Rensberger

FW Plate Fun Wednesday

We hope to see you at Fun Wednesday Dinners. Reservations are no longer required for dinner. Please sign in when you pay for your meal. NO Fun Wednesday this week due to Spring Break! See you on April 11.

Career Transition

APC Career Transition Program - Recently the unemployment rate in Metro Atlanta dropped from 10.2% to 9.9 %. When individuals are no longer job hunting, as well as those who seek full-time jobs are counted, the real rate of unemployment is a conservative figure of 15%. Since 2007, Georgia has lost 360,000 positions, so the state now has approximately the same number of jobs that existed in 1999. Elder Bill Harris leads efforts at APC to address the employment concerns and needs your help. We are trying to get a handle on how many of our members are unemployed and underemployed and whether or not they participate in the Career Transition Group at APC. If you would like employment assistance, please email Bill at w.m.harris@att.net.

If you work for or lead an organization, we would appreciate any information on positions that might represent opportunities that become available or contact names that would ensure a more effective outreach. We need our employed professionals and executives to reach out and make information available that will give a competitive edge to members of our congregation who are endeavoring to gain a sense of the real jobs and hidden market versus Internet postings. In the Lobby, the Career Transition Bulletin Board is now up and running. Please email Bill with any assistance you can offer as we renew our commitment to serve our members, veterans and the community in this challenging and prolonged Recession.

Youth Ministry News

Click here to view this week's youth newsletter.

We will NOT meet on April 1st or 8th, Happy Easter!

For questions or more information, please contact Kelly Edwards, Director of Youth Ministries at kelly@alpharettapres.com or 770-751-0033.

Children's Ministry News

On Palm Sunday, the children will be invited to parade with and distribute palms following the announcements at the 8:45 and 11:00 services. Following the children's message, they will have Kinderkirk as usual. At the 9:45 service, the children will gather as a group in Fellowship Hall in the area by the piano; sign-in sheets will be here as well. Following the passing of the peace, we will accompany the children to parade with palms in the sanctuary. After this time we will take the children to the Solid Rock Theater for activities for the remainder of the service.

Sunday School for preschool and elementary age children is from 9:45 - 10:45am.

Nursery care is provided on Sundays from 8:15am - 12:15pm for ages 0-2 in the nursery.

Children's Choir practice is on Sundays at 9:30am; children will join the rest of their classes following this time.

Promise Class is provided on Sundays from 9:30 am - 12:30pm for our special needs students in the Rainbow Room.

Kinderkirk (Children's Worship Education for children ages 3 - First Grade) meets in Room 108 for the 8:30am service and Room 105 (Preschool) and Room 108 (Kindergarten & First) during the 11:00am service.

Fun Wednesdays' enrichment program for children meets from 6:15pm - 7:15pm following Fun Wednesday dinner. Activities include music, art, Bible stories, drama and games.

For more information, contact Kathy Ailts at kathy@alpharettapres.com.

Sympathy & Celebrations

Sunday Volunteers

Serving as acolytes this Sunday: Chip Neal at 8:30 & Caroline and Kate Tweedy at 11:00

Serving as greeters this Sunday: Larry and Mim Prohl at 11:00

Serving as ushers this Sunday: Dick and Sharon Bean, Rick Caudle, Tom Hyatt, Richard Boston at 8:30 & Steve Ludlow, Dale Carter, Duane Lofdahl, Lee Jones at 11:00

11:00 Kinderkirk volunteers this Sunday: Heidi Alatar & Michelle Smith

Promise Class volunteers this Sunday: Laurie Peebles at 11:00

APC Church Officers

The Session

Class of 2012 Class of 2013 Class of 2014

Dianne Berry-Children's Ministry George Bancroft-Property Scott Doll-Membership/Youth Ministry

Michelle Burton-Youth Ministry Jodie Barger-Children's Ministry Molly Elkind-Worship

Morris Estes-Finance Lynn Danson-Fellowship/Mission Stu Laubenstein-Personnel

Jim Gray-Clerk of Session/CE Pat Dennis-Open Arms Anne Mahone-Dayschool/LRP

John Shevlin-Mission Stacy Guy-Commitment/Commun. Charles Moriarty-Property/CE

Jessie Prigge-Youth Ministry Nancy Hill-Personnel/Nominating Sarah Provow-Open Arms/Commitment

Amy Rogers-Communications Jan Hughey-LRP/Finance Ferrell White-Worship/Fellowship

Jean Williams-Nominating/Membership Kylie Vacko-Open Arms

Deacon Care Teams

Hospitality - John Hicks, 678-513-4570, hicksjc@bellsouth.net

Companion Care - Carolyn Dillon, 770-751-3799, csdillon@bellsouth.net

Hospital & Recovery - Paul McChesney, 678-234-8471, paulsmcchesney@gmail.com

Sympathy & Celebrations, Steve Ludlow, 770-722-5473, ludlowst@comcast.net

APC on Facebook

Find us on Facebook! That's right Alpharetta Presbyterian Church has a facebook page! You can "like" APC at http://facebook.com/alpharettapres. Look for the latest information about activities and missions of the church!

The Good News - This Week

Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.
You can visit the church on line at www.alpharettapres.com or contact the office during regular business hours at 770-751-0033 (Mon-Thurs, 8:00am-4:00pm and Friday, 8:00am-1:00pm).