In sure and certain hope of the Resurrection through our Lord Jesus Christ, St Andrews’ congregation extends sympathy to the family of Eloise Ballard, who died on November 2nd.
A graveside internment service will be planned for later this month. We will share the date and time, once details are confirmed. The Ballard family would appreciate your prayers. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord; they rest from their labors and their works follow them.

Holidays are coming! The SAPC fall order for high-quality shade grown, fairly traded and organic products has begun. Find product availability here and contact Mary Evans,  770-493-9489 to order. Place orders by November 8 for pre-Thanksgiving delivery. Pay upon delivery. Thank you for supporting small farmers world wide who work the land in their communities to provide the most delicious products available absent of harsh chemicals, ravaged environment and child slavery.

It is All Saints Day and we will celebrate worship in our homes via Facebook Live and YouTube. We will have Sunday School before and fellowship after worship on Zoom conference. The links for Sunday are below. We will post the recording of our worship service on our website. Rev. Camille will be preaching on Hope, Through History. Our hymns will be For All the Saints and Give Thanks for Those Whose Faith is Firm. Our scripture passages are Psalm 34:1-10, 22 and 1 John 3:1-3. For a copy of Sunday’s bulletin, click here.

         Besides voting, another act of faith you can engage in on Election Day is prayer.

 Prayer is always a good idea, but in anxious times it is especially helpful in reminding us that God ultimately holds the future. We know God is already at work among us. Prayer helps us remember that and moves us to act in faith.

The polls will be open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm on Tuesday, November 3rd. We have made an online sign up sheet for our St. Andrews community to pray while the polls are open. You’re invited to sign up online for a 20-minute slot to pray wherever you are during those 12 hours. You can also sign up to come to the church sanctuary to pray. If you sign up for one of the sanctuary time slots, please wear a mask and follow the posted safety procedures when you arrive. Only members of the same household will be permitted to be in the sanctuary at the same time.

Click here to sign up for a time slot to pray at home or in the sanctuary.

         And so, we will pray that God will be at work in our electoral process. We will pray for a peaceful transition, no matter the outcome of our elections. We will pray that the demonization of one another’s opponents which has characterized this election not be further stoked by its outcome. We will pray that all those elected be moved, strengthened and guided by the Spirit, to lead us through fractious and dangerous times. We will pray in gratitude for those who, with sacrifice of self and noble intent, step up to lead our common life.

        You will find a guide to prayer to use during your time attached to this email here. The guide includes liturgy and scripture for a self-guided prayer service, instructions for praying in color, a busy hands prayer, and a link to a broadcast of hymns and prayer.

Remember these words from scripture:Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. (1 Peter 3:8

Book Discussion We will begin a new book discussion of Love is the Way by Bishop Michael Curry, Sundays at 7:00 pm on Zoom, Nov. 1, 15, 29, Dec. 6. Bishop Michael Curry came to international attention when he delivered his sermon on the redemptive power of love at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. While this might have been the first time many had heard of Curry, the presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, he has been engaged in ministry and preaching the redemptive power of love with his words and his actions for decades. His new book Love Is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times weaves together scripture, his personal stories, and the challenges of our times is an inviting, reflective, and hope-filled way.

On November 1, we will discuss the Introduction and Chapters 1 – 3.We encourage you to order a copy of the book for yourself from your favorite independent bookstore (find one here). If they don’t have it in stock, they can usually get it for you. The book is also available electronically (Kindle and iBooks) and in audiobook format (Audible and others).

Join us at 6:30 in the parking lot for s’mores and Things That Go Bump in the Bible: investigating monsters and scary stories in Scripture. Contact John McCrosky with any questions.

This Week in Worship It is the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost and we will celebrate worship in our homes via Facebook Live and YouTube. We will have Sunday School before and fellowship after worship on Zoom conference. The links for Sunday are below. We will post the recording of our worship service on our website.

We will celebrate the Kirking of the Tartans this week. Rev. Camille will be preaching. Our hymns will be Let All Things Now Living, Amazing Grace and Together We Serve. Our scripture passages are Romans 13:1-10 and 1 John 4:7-21. For a copy of Sunday’s bulletin, click here. The Kirking of the Tartans is a service reflecting the Scottish heritage of the Presbyterian Church. With bagpipes, tartans, special music, and liturgy, we celebrate the Scottish roots of our Reformed faith. While our members come from a wide diversity of countries and ethnicities, the Presbyterian Church traces its roots back to Scotland. We are all children in God’s family, brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter our lineage- and we are all families in the clan of St. Andrews. On the Sunday when we celebrate our Reformed and Scottish heritage we also celebrate that the Gospel was not confined to Nazareth. We celebrate that the good news continued to spread to Scotland, to the United States, and around the world. This Sunday, as we worship from home, everyone is invited to wear something that represents and celebrates their heritage, whether it be a tartan, Kente cloth, or cowboy boots!

Youth on Sunday Join us at 6:30 in the parking lot for s’mores and Things That Go Bump in the Bible: investigating monsters and scary stories in Scripture. Contact John McCrosky with any questions.

Pets, Pledges and Prayers Join us in the parking lot by the sanctuary for this fun, community, drive-through event on Sunday, October 18 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m Bring your well-behaved pet, or a picture of your pet for a pet blessing. Bring your tithes, offerings and 2021 pledge card to share our gifts and resources. We are starting a new, community prayer station. No Pets, pledges or prayers are required to participate. Just roll on over to St. Andrews to say ‘Hey!’ We’ll have treats for all pets and people.

2020 Pledge Cards and Letters were mailed to all members. Click here to see a copy of Camille’s letter. Click here for a digital fillable pledge card. Please return pledges on or by Sunday, October 18. Pledge cards can be returned by mail, dropping it off in the mail slot of the church office building, by emailing it to our finance administrator, Debbie Hutto or by joining us for Pets, Pledges and Prayers this Sunday, October 18th.

Virtual Caregivers Support Group The Caregiver Support Group that Pat Baker facilitates on a monthly basis has gone virtual. The next one will be on October 20th at 7:00 pm. If you are a caregiver for a family member either in your home, in a facility or long distance then you might be interested in joining Pat’s group. It is open to all caregivers. For more information about the group please contact Pat at pcbaker22@comcast.net.  Click this link to join on Zoom from a computer, tablet or smart phone. To dial in, call 301-715-8592 Meeting ID: 846 0764 2017 Password 373 499.