ATLANTA—Tracy Sands, an artist, teacher and the creator of “The Christian Alphabet,” will be the guest speaker at the next Magnificat gathering for women to be held on Saturday, March 5.  

All women are invited to attend the Magnificat, which will be held at Holy Cross Church in Atlanta from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Atlanta chapter of Magnificat hosts the gathering, which includes breakfast, a time of praise and worship with music, and the speaker’s testimony. 

Artist Tracy Sands is the guest speaker at the March Magnificat gathering.

The international Catholic women’s ministry is inspired by the joyful meeting of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, related in the Gospel of St. Luke. 

A resident of Peachtree City and member of Holy Trinity Church, Tracy Sands says that she has three main passions in her life: her faith in God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; her family; and creating art.  

Growing up as a Catholic in Stone Mountain, she wrote in a journal to God the Father. She had an overwhelming desire to draw God’s creations. As a young adult earning her bachelor’s degree in art education at Furman University, in Greenville, South Carolina, she wandered from the Catholic faith, while at the same time getting to know Jesus and sacred Scripture better. She earned her Master of Art Education at Georgia State University and taught art, mainly in middle schools in metro Atlanta, for a decade. 

While living in Conyers, Sands met her supportive husband, Albert, who helped draw her back to the Catholic Church. They now have three young adult sons and have lived in Peachtree City for 23 years. 

At the age of 35, Sands experienced the Holy Spirit moving deeply in her life. A dramatic moment of inspiration began the process of her creating “The Christian Alphabet,” a unique form of art using ancient and modern Christian images to teach about Jesus through the letters of the alphabet.  

Sands said, “It is a beautiful thing when your passions come together to glorify God and further his kingdom.”  

With God as her inspiration and the Holy Trinity as subject matter, she has been creating this unique Christian artwork as personalized gifts for over 20 years. It has served to spread the Gospel all over the United States and internationally. In 2012 “The Christian Alphabet” was also published as a book for children about Jesus, prayer and the Bible and was honored by the Christian Small Publishers Association as best book for young children. 

In her Magnificat, she will describe her journey of faith and the inspiration to evangelize through her artistic gifts, which began in the year 2000. 

The Magnificat ministry began in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and has spread throughout the world. Chapters are under the guidance of the local bishop. The Atlanta Joyful Visitation chapter has been active since 1992. The purpose is to help women open more to the Holy Spirit through a deeper commitment of their lives to Jesus as Lord and to impart the Holy Spirit to one another by their love, service and sharing the good news of salvation. 

Advance reservations for the gathering are required and can be made either online or through the mail. The cost is $20 per person. No tickets are sent. Check-in is at the door for those with reservations only. 

To register online, visit https://tinyurl.com/22Mar05Br. Those who have provided contact information to the ministry will receive an email invitation. To be added to that list, please send a request to joyfulvisitation@gmail.com. 

To register by mail, send your name, address, parish if applicable, contact information, and a check made payable to Magnificat Joyful Visitation to Debbie DuPont, 315 Rose Court, SW, Lilburn, GA 30047. Registration closes on Thursday, Feb. 24. Mailed reservations must be received by that date. 

At this time, the guidelines of the Archdiocese of Atlanta say that masks are strongly recommended for all and that those who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 are required to wear a mask during any parish activity.  

The doors open early. Guests are encouraged to arrive by 9 a.m. Holy Cross is located at 3773 Chamblee Tucker Road, Atlanta, less than a mile from the Chamblee Tucker Road exit on Interstate 285. 

Priests and religious are invited to attend free of charge, but reservations are still requested to plan for the meal. Since the morning is designed to speak to the hearts of women free of distractions, it is respectfully requested that young children not attend. 

For information, contact Debbie DuPont at 770-696-6216.