In 2000, the world became aware that children were being traded and enslaved in the production of chocolate. Encouraged by consumers, chocolate companies set in motion efforts to eliminate this child abuse, but today more than 2 million children in Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire, where 70% of the world’s cocoa is grown, work in hazardous conditions growing cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate. Poverty and limited access to education contribute to this abuse, but chocolate companies have failed to trace their supply chains effectively to prevent child labor. Progress, however, can be seen as local governments work with cocoa manufacturers and farmers to address the root causes of child labor in order to get children off farms and into schools.

Fair Trade has proven to be one of the most effective tools for reducing child abuse. Look for Fair Trade emblems when you purchase chocolate You’ll find them on Equal Exchange bars St. Andrews sells as part of the Presbyterian Coffee Project.

Registration for the summer and the 2018-19 school year is open.  Click here  for more information. Please let your friends and neighbors know!

If you’re not aware of all that our St. Andrews School offers, check out their web page.   Registration is open for the 2018-19 school year, plus Summer Camp is available for all.

The N.E.T. Food Pantry operates out of  Room 15 in the Tucker City Rec Center. It has been in operation for 35 years, and is staffed by volunteers from twelve area churches. St. Andrews provides volunteers for one month, every ten months. The pantry is open MWF from 10:30 am-2:00 pm.

The emergency food provided by N.E.T. for families is available to families in need up to 3 times per calendar year. The food provided is approved by a dietitian, and most of the food is donated by members of the participating churches.

St. Andrews provides powdered milk, and oatmeal/grits. Donations of these items are welcome year-round. There is a collection bin in the Narthex, and our congregation also provides money towards the purchase of bread and margarine.

St. Andrews’ next month to staff N.E.T. Food Pantry will be this April. Please contact Klara Smith for information about volunteering with us.

If you would like an Easter Lily placed in honor or in memory of a loved one on Easter Sunday morning, please fill out a dedication form, available in the pews, or by clicking here.

Lilies are still only $10, and payment can be made by cash or check to St. Andrews, please note “Easter Lily” in the memo field or on the envelope.

Presbyterian Women

Please join the PW in the Meeting Room at 10 a.m. on March 20th for Bible Study, fellowship and refreshments. They are currently studying the book of Hebrews. Contact Jackie Harper with questions or for more information.

If you’re reading this, chances are pretty good that you’ve consumed water from a single-use plastic bottle in the past week, maybe even today. Globally, a million plastic bottles are now purchased every minute. Estimates vary, but certainly fewer than 30% of single-use bottles are recycled. The rest end up in overflowing landfills or contaminate our planet’s waterways and oceans, putting wildlife at risk. The plastic bottle that you use for a few minutes will last centuries in the environment. Please consider investing in a reusable water bottle and refilling it with tap water. More information can be found here.

March 29, 6:30 p.m. Join your St. Andrews family for a simple meal as part of our Maundy Thursday service. To remember Christ’s Last Supper during Holy Week, we’ll share a meal, pray, listen to scripture, and join in song. To help with cooking, serving or clean-up, sign up here or contact Paige Kubik 404-895-4210.

Saturday, March 10, 11:30 am – 5 pm  Serve chili and share information about St. Andrews with our Tucker neighbors at this year’s Chili Cook-Off on Main Street. Marsha Ashby is the head cook. She’ll be dishing up an African vegan chili, and giving us an opportunity to talk about St. Andrews’ support of missions in Africa through Change for Children and Rise Against Hunger. Wear your St. Andrews t-shirt! To sign up for a two-hour shift, click here, or contact Paige Kubik or 404-895-4210.

As we get ready for the St. Andrews annual Easter Egg Hunt, we need lots of candy.

Please bring donations for the Easter Egg Hunt to the narthex. All candy should be individually wrapped; small items such as stickers are also welcome. Thank you!