Hurricane season, June 1 – November 30, is not just a coastal problem. Last year Irma was felt hundreds of miles inland. Significant impacts occurred without it being a major hurricane.

Hurricanes cause four primary concerns for inland areas. The greatest risks are heavy rain and flooding. 59% of deaths from tropical systems are from inland flooding. Most tropical systems produce very heavy rainfall after landfall that can reach hundreds of miles inland and cause widespread flooding. In fact, inland areas typically see more rainfall than coastal areas during tropical events.

Inland winds are another high risk. Winds from a hurricane can reach well inland and, depending on the speed of the storm, can be hurricane strength in our area! Long duration strong winds and gusts (greater than 35 mph) down trees, knock out power, and cause structural damage, especially in areas of heavy tree density.

Tornadoes are also a risk. About 4% of tropical cyclone deaths are caused by tornadoes. Tornadoes usually occur in the right-front quadrant of the hurricane, but can occur in any quadrant, thus a Gulf of Mexico storm would produce a higher tornado threat for our area.

It’s important to be prepared for a hurricane. Make sure you have enough non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person in your family a minimum of one week as you may lose electricity and water for at least that long. Prepare with extra cash, a battery-powered radio, flashlights, and a portable crank or solar powered USB charger to charge your cell phone. Verify that your insurance is up to date, is the right kind of coverage and that you have enough homeowners insurance to repair or even replace your home. Don’t forget coverage for your car or boat. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flooding. Both homeowners and renters need separate policies for flooding… available through your company or the agent locator at www.floodsmart.gov. Act now as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period.

Prepare for a hurricane NOW when you have the time and are not under pressure. Write down your hurricane plan. Know where you will ride out the storm and get needed supplies. Provide the church with up-to-date phone numbers and family connections so others can check on you!

It is with great joy and gratitude that, on behalf of the search commitee that we share the good news about the future of our children and youth ministry programs at St. Andrews. We present to you John McCrosky as our new Director of Children and Youth Ministries. He is a 1995 graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia (formerly Presbyterian School of Christian Education) with a Master of Art in Christian Education degree. He comes to us with twenty years of work experience with children and youth in ministry and non-profits organizations. John and his family (wife, Catherine, and 9th grade son, Sam) are moving to Decatur in July so he can begin his Master of Divinity studies at Columbia Theological Seminary.

John’s official start date will be July 8 and he’ll jump in quickly as he joins our high schoolers on the trip to Montreat Youth Conference. He’s an old Montreat pro, having served on a conference planning team, as a small group leader, and as a back home group leader. We look forward to introducing John to the congregation formally. You are welcome to come to the youth lounge before worship on Sunday, July 8th at 9:00 to greet John and his family before he departs with our youth to Montreat.

Following the Clarkston Prayer Walk a few weeks ago, our congregation was called to engage with a specific mission that serves the refugee community in Clarkston, the Friends of Refugees. The Career Hub program that FOR hosts is moving directly across the street from their current location to the little blue house.  Unfortunately, some problems have arisen, and this move has been delayed.

We will continue to work with the Clarkston Refugee community, and hope to have more information about service opportunities in the near future.  Thank you for your support and assistance!

During July, St. Andrews Presbyterian Church will support the NETWorks Cooperative Ministry (NETWorks) here in Tucker as they hold their annual Good Neighbor Back 2 School Shop. In the Back 2 School Shop, your donated, new school supplies are offered to parents at greatly reduced prices allowing for a dignified way to provide for their families at affordable prices. Here’s a list of needed items:  NETWorks+Bulletin+Insert+Back to School Shop+2018+Spanish-English

Any donations not purchased in the store are donated by NETWorks to local schools.  Please continue to support this important community effort by NETWorks.  Drop off boxes for donations (and lists of needed school supplies) will be placed in the Narthex from Sunday July 1 through Sunday, July 22, as the donations must be submitted to NETWorks by Monday, July 23.  The Back to School Shop will run July 28-29 (Sat: 10am-4pm, Sun: 1-4pm) in the gym of First Baptist Church on Main Street, Tucker.  In addition to donations, you can also volunteer to work at the shop using the sign up link – https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/2305492/false#/invitation – or call 770-939-6454.  Questions:  contact Mike Bearden, 404-660-8234 or michaelrbearden@bellsouth.net .

Following the Clarkston Prayer Walk a few weeks ago, our congregation has been called to engage with a specific mission that serves the refugee community; Friends of Refugees. The headquarters of Friends of Refugees is being moved to various locations throughout Clarkston, as their building is being torn down in July. The Career Hub program that FOR hosts is moving directly across the street from their current location to the little blue house. The Career Hub program trains refugees in various job skills and provides continuing education for those who want to advance. Our charge is to assist in preparing the little blue house for the Career Hub’s move in date of July 9th. We need volunteers to help clean and paint the interior of the building. With your help, we can make a real impact in the Clarkston Refugee community through this service project!

Location: 1000 Rowland Street, Clarkston, GA; directly across the street at Evans-Cown House (aka the little blue house)

Saturday, June 30th – Intergenerational work day, 9am – 3pm (lunch provided)

Saturday, July 7th – if needed

Contact Josh or Mike if you can help. Mike’s phone number is 404-660-8234

St. Andrews is pleased to announce that John McCrosky is coming on staff as our new Director of Ministry for Children and Youth.  John, along with his wife, Catherine and son, Sam, will join the Saint Andrews family in early July. He recognized that he had no more excuses and it was now or never he, with the encouragement of his family and faith community, decided to take the leap of faith and enter the Master of Divinity program at Columbia Theological Seminary where he will live with his family. John is not new to ministry, however. He has worked beside young people and those who love them for over 20 years. He has served the Presbyterian Church in Georgia, North Carolina, and Colorado. John has also worked with disadvantaged children, youth and their families in Jacksonville, FL through the public school system and the Boys & Girls Clubs. He is a lover of Montreat and believes that camp and conference ministry programs are vital to faith development for all ages. John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation from Winthrop University and a Master of Arts in Christian Education from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (now Union Presbyterian Seminary). Catherine, John’s wife will begin working at the Willow School in Decatur this fall and Sam, their son, begins 9th grade at Decatur High School and will be a member of the band as a trumpet player.

World Refugee Day This Wednesday, June 20 is World Refugee Day. In honor of this day, make plans to visit Refugee Coffee Co. They are open Monday-Saturday, 7am-6pm, and are located on 4170 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. in Clarkston. Refuge Coffee Co. is a 501c3 non-profit business, which exists to serve the global community in Clarkston through coffee-related job creation and job training.

Next up for Engagement is the Back to School Carnival on Saturday, August 11. The event is from 10 AM – 1 PM, and volunteers will be needed from 8 AM until 2 PM.

It’s become a St. Andrews tradition to welcome the Tucker community to our front lawn as we celebrate the start of a new school year with our neighbors! Bounce house, petting zoo, face painting, free lunch…and much more! This is our most visible and well attended outreach event of the year, and we need lots of volunteers to make it a success. Sign up at this link for a shift and help us introduce Tucker families to the wonderful, welcoming St. Andrews family, or let me know about your availability to volunteer by contacting me at paigemk@gmail.com or 404-895-4210.

Please share this link with other groups you are involved in at church…it’s All Hands On Deck for this event! And for our youth, if you are part of student organizations, we’ll give community service to any friends you recruit to help out.