THINKING BACK

This May, I will celebrate my 5th anniversary working at SSCC. What a great (almost) five years it has been.

Often times people ask me what I do or what my title is. Depends on who is asking, but the answer may be Operations Manager, or Chaos Coordinator or even (my favorite) Church Lady.

While you may think I stay tucked in my office all day, working on a computer or two or three, that's not necessarily the case. There's never a dull moment here at SSCC, and while I get pulled in different directions throughout the day, I don't mind, that's what makes my "job" so interesting, busy and fun. Not to mention I have a great and very appreciative boss and fantastic coworkers.

Over the years I've found out I have a very diverse skill set and I wear many hats. I've been everything from a plumber, general contractor, graphic designer, snake wrangler, bird catcher/reviver, barista, arborist, ambassador, HVAC technician, negotiator, furniture mover to an alarm repair person, just to mention a few.

But just having a great job and work environment isn't the best part. I get the distinct honor of "serving" my church (and TDS) family by doing what I do every day. I get smiles and hugs from my bridge ladies and more smiles, hugs and even lunch from the Sigma Delta gals. I get to compare varying degrees of OCD and perfectionism with my friend and Thursday volunteer, Wayne. My Wonder Twin, Kathy Gregory, never ceases to amaze me and always has a huge smile on her face and the perfect words to say no matter what the subject is that we are discussing.

I feel the support and love from my church family and coworkers every day. I hope I will for years to come. My door is always open, you know the one, it says "Chaos Coordinator" right on it.

Peace, Amy Frost

THIS SUNDAY

Glow

A Sermon Series for the season of Epiphany

by Rev. Dr. Nathan C. Brown

“You are the light of the world” -- that’s what Jesus says, according to Matthew 5:14. He doesn’t say, “you should,” or “you could” or “you can.” No, he says, “You are the light of the world," which means we glow. Each and every one of us emanates light. Yes, sometimes we forget. Sometimes we fail to recognize it. Sometimes we have a hard time trusting it. Perhaps we are not putting it under a bushel basket, but sometimes we do try to hide it. So, during this season of light, we call Epiphany, let us spend some time in worship

reflecting on how we might spend less time living in woe and start learning

to embrace our glow.

February 20, 2022

"Woe or Glow?"

Luke 6:17-26

NEXT SUNDAY

Transfiguration Sunday

by Teddy Ivey, Pastoral Intern

Sunday, February 27^th, is Transfiguration Sunday, a day we remember Jesus’ change in appearance as he is joined by Moses and Elijah. This event is a true miracle witnessed by Peter, James, and John. As amazing as this sounds, it is not the whole story. After the transfiguration, the next day Jesus and the three disciples return down the mountain toward the valley to continue God’s work on Earth. This Sunday, we will explore how to balance the joy of mountain top experiences with the necessary work in the valley we are called to do.

February 27, 2022

"What's So Wrong With Valleys?"

Luke 9:28-43a

IMPORTANT DATES

NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION DEADLINE

If you have something for publishing in the newsletter, please submit it via email to: amy@sandysprings.org by 10:00 Thursday mornings.

J.A.M IS CANCELLED

Third Sundays usually means the kids meet after church for J.A.M.

However, J.A.M. is cancelled this coming Sunday. We will let you know if it will be rescheduled for another Sunday, or we will wait until March. Thank you for your understan

WEEK OF COMPASSION SPECIAL OFFERING

The next two Sundays, we will have a special collection for the DOC Week of Compassion.

When you give to Week of Compassion, the relief, refugee, and development mission fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), you help rebuild communities recovering from disaster. You also empower farmers to grow new kinds of crops in a changing climate; you support refugees; you empower youth through education, and empower women through vocational opportunities. In so many different ways, your gifts of love have the power to transform lives.

With support for long-term recovery, including innovative programs like the Pathways to Homeownership project, Week of Compassion helps create opportunities for families to thrive after disasters. Because love remains.

ASH WEDNESDAY

Join us in the sanctuary on March 2nd at 6:00 pm as we begin the season of Lent. Immediately following the service, please join us in Dunlap Hall for supper.

Please click on the button below to sign up, so we know how many to plan for.

We hope you will be able to participate. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Leslie Lady at bwlady@bellsouth.net.

JUST A REMINDER!

In case you’ve forgotten, our All-church Talent Show and Auction is fast approaching. The date is Sunday, March 20th following the morning church service. This is a fundraiser for the Chaplaincy program at Campbell-Stone Apartments. C-S is a HUD site, therefore the Chaplaincy program that we and others support is unable to use HUD funds without violating their basic separation of church and state agreement. The Dalrymple Chapel is entirely dependent on outside gifts for its operation. You will hear more about the significant work of the Chaplaincy soon. 

We will be selling tickets (please consider inviting friends or family) over the next few weeks. These are very reasonable at $10 each which will cover a fabulous Torbert-prepared lunch and your entertainment! The advance ticket sales are for purposes of planning and reservations. Also, we will be able to accommodate any special food needs with notice. The ticket prices are being kept low so that you may feel freer to participate in the Auction portion. So far, we have some lovely and interesting gifts donated to the cause, but we still can use more gifts of talent and gifts of service! It is not too late to donate a few hours of yard work, pet care, lessons in your field of expertise, or tutoring! All gifts gratefully accepted, and a few will be featured in the coming weeks.

If you are thinking about performing a musical number that would require Ella Lewis’ accompaniment, please contact her immediately, because her time in the weeks leading up to March 20 are extremely busy. If you know you will want to attend on March 20th, but are unsure whether you will be in attendance when tickets are sold, feel free to reserve your tickets ahead with Janis. Text 770-926-0131. Be sure you receive a confirmation reply. 

SSCC NOTEABLES

NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: ARLENE AND KLAUS FLOCH

The Flochs officially joined SSCC on February 6th. Here's some information about them.

Arlene was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Klaus immigrated with his family there from Austria when he was 13. They married and moved to Ottawa in 1965.

Further moves took them to Montreal and back to Winnipeg and then they got transferred to Atlanta in 1983, settling in Peachtree Corners. Their son, Paul, lives in Memphis with his wife, Teresa, and their granddaughter, Lissette. Arlene and Klaus attended Peachtree Corners Christian Church prior to joining SSCC.

NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: CATHY MILLER

Cathy was born in a small town outside of Edinburgh, Scotland and emigrated to the US with her parents and brother in 1948. They lived with a family in West Virginia for a year and then moved to Detroit, MI where they attended a Presbyterian Church. 

She married my husband Mike 1969 and they had four children, Michelle, David, Amy, and Jenny. Mike was offered a job in Georgia and they moved here in 1983 and she loves it here. Mike started a small company in 2002 as “something to do when he retired”, but he passed away in 2003 and she now has a “retirement” company.  

She visited several churches in the Peachtree Corners area hoping to find a church home and it was Michelle who convinced me to go to PCCC after she had attended with a school friend who was a member. 

Cathy has 8 grandchildren… 3 girls in Connecticut (Michelle’s), 2 boys and a girl in Kentucky (David’s), and two boys here in Georgia (Amy’s) just around the corner from me. Amy’s oldest son Charlie attends the youth group at SSCC.

She had been to SSCC a few times in the past for meetings, Camp Gala, etc., however as PCCC was “just around the corner” she became involved there. She likes to garden, read, also do some house (inside) painting. She has a dog, Maisy, and a cat, Satchel.

She's glad Jenny, her daughter, and their little group agreed that SSCC was the best choice for them. "It was like coming home after a long journey."

OUTREACH UPDATE

Do you have a servant heart? Have a suggestion for an outreach program or project? Would you like to help our community through SSCC Outreach? Contact Cindi McCollough - csbfish@bellsouth.net, 770-365-0365 text or call. 

This Saturday at CAC is Saturday, February 19th. CLICK HERE to sign up for Saturday or other volunteer opportunities at CAC. Your neighbors and SSCC need YOU! Please share a few hours of your time with us at the CAC.

Food baskets and barrels are waiting in the church lobby for food donations and toiletries. Current food needs:

 Beans (dry), Canned Fruit, Vegetables, Tomatoes and Meat,

Canned Pastas, Cereal/Oatmeal, Dry or Evaporated Milk, Jelly, Jell-O or Pasta, Peanut Butter, Pudding Mix, Macaroni & Cheese, Meal Helpers

Meat Entrees (chili, stew, chicken & dumplings), Potatoes (dry/can), Rice, Soup

Snacks (crackers, cookies), Spaghetti Sauce

Toiletries:

Diapers (medium, large, XL), Deodorant, Disposable Razors, Feminine Products

Shampoo, Soap, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Toilet Paper

SIZES: Standard sized containers are best, oversized or family size containers are difficult to pack and carry for many of our clients using public transportation.

EXPIRATION DATE: For safety reasons, canned and dry goods past the three-month expiration date cannot be distributed.

BROWN BAGS: Consider requesting paper bags when shopping and then donate them to CAC. It is a great way to recycle!

BAPTISM AND BELONGING CLASS

Lent is typically a time of preparation for baptism. In the Disciples tradition, we usually baptize children during the time of 3rd-6th grade. If your child is interested in exploring an Easter Baptism, we hope you'll consider joining us for our Baptism and Belonging class led by Rev. Nathan. Dates for our class will become available as we find a time that works best for the children involved.

This is really just a chance for your child to learn more about baptism. By coming to the class, by no means does that mean your child has to be baptized this year. We really want your child to feel comfortable and understand what it means before making such an important decision. Parents are also welcome to join us for the class. After the class, we can talk more about whether you all are ready for baptism on Easter Sunday. You can email Bryant & Katie at youth@sandyspringscc.org for more information or to secure a spot for your child.

Also, in the Disciples of Christ Church, if you haven't been baptized, you are always welcome. If you have questions about baptism. Please contact Rev. Nathan at nathan@sandyspringscc.org or call the church office.

SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS UPDATES

PLEASE JOIN US!

Hello Modern Disciples! This Sunday please attend our class that will gather in the Conference Room at our normal time... 9:00-ish for socializing & refreshments then class begins around 9:15-ish. 

This week, we will be focusing on the third chapter of Adam Hamilton book study called "The Walk". This third chapter focuses on "Serve: Here I Am, Lord, Send Me". No reading necessary to attend class... purely optional! There will be a video to watch to help you with Cliff-notes of the chapter. We'd love to see, pray, worship, study and serve with you on Sunday morning for socializing, learning, discussion, & refreshments before Sunday worship!

All the best, Casey Evans

SIX-WEEK STUDY

Please join the Pathfinders Class at 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning in the Common Ground Room. We are currently in a six-week study of Galatians, facilitated by John Mills, using the book, Now That Faith Has Come: A Study of Galatians (2020) by Beth Moore and Melissa Moore.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Please pray for continued healing for Robyn Hicks after a short hospital stay. Thankfully the doctors have ruled out any serious illness.

After a bomb scare and police escorts for jurors, Brandi Evans' jury duty is thankfully over and justice prevailed.

Please pray for and send hugs to John, Reverend Carol Mallon’s husband and life partner, as he navigates life without her. Carol passed away the evening of 2 Feb. Also, lift up the Rehabilitation Team at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She served as the Chaplain for that team and the children they cared for for many years. Carol was also a long time member of SSCC.

Please pray for Rev. James & Rev. Betty Brewer Calvert of First Christian Church Decatur (DOC). Pastor James is undergoing treatment for recurring cancer.

Prayers for continued healing for Jim McGahee, father of David McGahee, as he continues to recover from a minor stroke.

Prayers for Dick Allen as he continues to heal from a recent stay in the hospital.

Prayers for quality of life for Jeff Moore's Mother, Jan Moore, in her remaining days.

Prayers of comfort for the Michels family.

CLICK HERE to see the list of our first responders and military members who we continue to pray for.

If you have any prayer requests or joys to share, please contact Teddy Ivey, Director of Congregational Care via email: Teddy@sandyspringscc.org.