Al Gelder has been Valley Church’s pastor since May, 1994 so by now New York’s Southern Tier feels like home to him, his wife Jan and their daughter Betsy. Al and Jan have two other children – Brenda, who is a neo-natal nurse practitioner in Knoxville, TN and Brian, who is a high school Spanish teacher in Rockford, MI. They also have six grandchildren, all of whom are gifted, beautiful (or handsome), brilliant and far above average.
Before coming to Valley Church, Al served churches in New Mexico, South Dakota, Missouri and Michigan. He received his preparation for ministry at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Much of his ministry has been involved with missions and outreach to the different communities in which these churches are located, including a Native American reservation, a mid-sized city much like Binghamton, a large urban center and a small mid-western town. He continues his involvement in the community by being part of the Chenango Forks Schools Drug-free Schools Committee, Broome County Opportunities Committee, and the Community Chaplains Corps of the Broome County Council of Churches.
Al is glad to meet new people as well as to be pastor to people who have been part of Valley Church longer than he has. You can reach him by e-mail at valleycrc@stny.rr.com or by calling the church phone at 607-648-8224,
Rev Al Gelder
