During Lent Caring for Creation invites you to think about it!  Microbeads, tiny pieces of plastic found in many personal care products, are too small to be filtered out by water treatment plants.  Microbeads make their way into our waterways, absorbing toxins and being consumed by fish and other wildlife.  In December, Congress passed a ban on the manufacture of products containing microbeads which will take effect on July 1, 2017.  Until then, protect  our planet by looking for products that do not contain polyethylene or polypropylene.  www.popsci.com/what -are-microbeads-and-why-are-they-illegal.

Little Light of Mine, the adult special needs group that meets at St. Andrews, is so excited to be performing their dances and songs by special invitation at the Special Olympics, May 3 and 4, in Jonesboro, Arkansas. They are working very hard practicing their dances, learning the songs, signs and scripture.

Little Light will be part of the  Concert by People with Disabilities in the concert hall of Arkansas State University.  They have also been invited to perform their community service, which they share with us at St. Andrews annually, in a local Jonesboro church.

Little Light’s first choreographer and dance teacher was Kathy Patterson recently died in a house fire along with her precious daughter Kayla and Madelyn.  The group is dedicating their dance at Arkansas State to Kathy and her daughters, and  will perform “We Believe” and “Because He Lives”, both songs bring back memories of the Patterson family.

This is a great adventure for this troupe, and they ask for our prayers for planning, traveling and performing.  If you feel led to help financially, please contact Ed or Linda Weaver.  Linda Weaver is the director of Little Light, and our own Rachel Ellingson is their dance teacher and choreographer.

Have you ever wondered how to help someone who approaches you in the parking lot asking for money for food?  Do you want to help, but worry about the rest of the story?  Join us at WOW on march 16th when we will have a presentation and discussion about these issues, followed by packing blessing bags to hand out to those you encounter who ask for money or food.  Please contribute to the bags even if you can’t with us at WOW.

During the next several weeks we will be collecting items for these bas.  Some suggested items:  Toiletries – baby wipes, lip balm, lotion, sunscreen, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste.  Food – applesauce, trail mix, beef jerky (soft), crackers, chewy granola bars, instant coffee packets, bottled water, dried fruit, pop tarts.  Miscellaneous items – restaurant gift cards, socks, band aids, EmergenC Packets.

Please bring all items to the collection box in the church narthex.

This is a reminder that our March 6 service will be a special time of worship.  As we continue our study of The Lord’s Prayer, we reflect on the “give us this day, our daily bread” portion of the prayer.  We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper and engage in the prayer practice of praying through service.

During worship we will package 10,000 meals for Stop Hunger Now.  These meals cost .25 cents per meal to package so we really need everyone’s help to raise $2,500 to cover the cost.   To donate, you can stop by the church office and leave a check with Stop Hunger Now in the memo line.  Or just leave a check in the offering plate this Sunday.

You can find more information and register or donate online by visiting our team site .

Join us for dinner at 6 p.m. in Heffner Hall this Wednesday, Feb. 24.  The cost is $5 per adult and kids under 12 eat free.

The Glory to God Kids (G2G) continues to study The Lord’s Prayer in different media and will be finishing rehearsals for their singing and signing of the Lord’s Prayer this coming Sunday, Feb. 28.

The adults continue the exploration of what makes us Presbyterian by asking two questions: Are Only 144,000 Saved? And When Will the World End, or Did it End in the 1960s?  The study will look at that word so often associated with our tradition, predestination, and the Reformed understanding of the rapture and end times.  No experience or homework required.  (Study is based on the book, “Being Presbyterian in the Bible Belt,” by Ted Foote and Alex Thornburg)

Each Wednesday Tucker United Methodist  Lenten Organ Recitals will be presented during Lent at 12 noon in their sanctuary.  Each 30-minute program is followed by a soup and sandwich lunch.

Support St. Andrews gifted organist on Wednesday, Feb. 24, as Ed Weaver will be the featured artist.

Every Easter St. Andrews has Easter lilies at Easter morning worship to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.  If you would like to honor a loved one or dedicate an Easter lily as a memorial, please find the Easter lily dedication forms in the sanctuary pews.  You can return the forms in the offering plate with a check made out to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church noting in the memo that the payment is for Easter lilies.

Please join other Presbyterians for A Day at the Capitol, a unique opportunity to advocate in person to make Georgians safer, healthier, and more secure.  Gather with other Presbyterians on Thursday, February 25, 2016, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Central Presbyterian Church across from the state capitol.

Register at http://www.p4bg.org/

You may have missed the Coro Voci concert at St. Andrews, but this new choral group presents an encore performance at Eastminister Presbyterian Church on Hugh Howell Parkway, 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28.  The concert will sere as a fundraiser for Eastminster’s new Respite Program for elderly daycare.

Take this great opportunity to hear great music with the “Songs of Love” concert and help support a great ministry.