The Rev. Daniel B. Hahn

Transition Pastor

We welcome The Rev. Daniel B. Hahn to serve as our Transition Pastor at First Lutheran Church. Since his
retirement in 2014, Pastor Hahn has served as Transitional Pastor at Messiah, Rotterdam, St. Timothy’s (now
Hope), North Greenbush, Gilead, Center Brunswick, Trinity, Castleton/St. Stephen’s, East Schodack, and the
Tri-County (Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene) Lutheran Parish of eight congregations. Pastor Hahn had been director of Lutheran Statewide Advocacy for several years prior to recent parish ministry. Lutheran Statewide Advocacy was the State Public Policy Office of the ELCA in New York State, a partnership of the Division for Church in Society, Upstate New York Synod, and Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Its purpose was to provide a voice for the voiceless to government in New York State in the priority areas of economic justice, healthcare, hunger, clean elections and criminal justice. He also served in an Advocacy capacity with the New York State Council of Churches.

Julie Lind

Parish Administrator

For more than twenty years, Julie has been serving as Parish Administrator here at First Lutheran Church. Born and raised Lutheran, she became a member of First Lutheran in 1999. She also sings in the Chancel Choir. “I feel like this is what I am meant to do,” she says when asked why she liked her job so much. “There is rarely a slow time at FLC. There is always something going on that keeps me busy.”

Susan B. Hale

Director of Music & Organist

In high school, after seeing a picture of Notre Dame in her French class, Susan dreamed of playing in the great cathedrals of the world and she’s had the opportunity to play at a few. She has given recitals at several churches in NYC, Columbia University, the Chester Cathedral in England, The American Cathedral in Paris, and La Compania de Jesus Cathedral in Quito, Ecuador.

Susan received her bachelor of music degree from Wheaton College, Illinois and went on to pursue graduate studies in organ performance at The Juilliard School, where she studied with Jon Gillock. She also studied oil painting at the Art Students League of New York and enjoys presenting concerts and art shows together. A native of Scotia, NY Susan says, “There’s no place like home!” and she loves being the music director and playing at First Lutheran Church of Albany.