News

There are 2 services: 8:30 am Traditional in the Sanctuary and 11:00 am AWE (Contemporary) in the Light House. This arrangement allows us to use the facility once a week, since it would be impossible to sanitize the Sanctuary and AWE Auditorium for a subsequent service.

To keep participants safe, social distancing, masks and use of hand sanitizer are required. The pews and chairs are staggered and set-up for social distancing, and family units are asked to sit together. In addition, please note that during services to help make sure that the speakers can be heard, masks will not be worn by those speaking or singing on stage, but 3 times the recommended spacing is utilized as a precaution. 

* Nursery resumes this Sunday, September 20th. Temperatures will be taken for each child.

We plan to livestream our 8:30 am Traditional Service and our 11:00 am AWE Contemporary Service. If you prefer to view the Traditional Service at 11:00, you can re-play the 8:30 service at that time or any other time.

To view the Saxe Gotha Services and other resources, please go to: https://www.youtube.com/user/SaxeGothaPres.

Thank you to everyone who came out to our first ever CAR-nival Drive Thru Trunk or Treat.

Also, thank you to all the awesome people volunteering their creative trunks and those who helped setup, donate candy, pass out candy, run our radio station and direct traffic. It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces! We had over 200 cars come through with over 70 volunteers! Thank you Saxe Gotha!!!

Join the Saxe Gotha Men in Ministry for the annual Wild Game Night on Thursday, October 22 (6:00 - 8:00 pm) here at the church. 

A delicious meal will be served in the parking lot followed by showing of Free Burma Rangers, the true extraordinary story of the 20-year journey of missionaries Dave and Karen Eubank. The film follows Dave, Karen, and their three young children, as they venture into war zones where they are fighting to bring hope. Dave Eubank is a rare hero of the faith. He is a former U.S. Special Forces soldier turned missionary to conflict zones. The film is a real life adventure movie. Viewers will follow the family into firefights, heroic rescues, and experience life-changing ministry. 

Men age 12 and above.  If you have not reserved your spot, you can still do so by contacting Jennifer Dever at the church office (803-359-7770). Tickets are $15.  

These Poinsettias will be used to decorate the Sanctuary during Christmas. Make checks payable to: Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Women. Please contact Sandy Walker with questions: swalksan@aol.com.

This year, Samaritan’s Purse has requested that we hold off on holding packing parties, but that doesn’t mean that OCC will be forgotten! This year, we are approaching things a little differently, but with the same excitement and enthusiasm. We are asking that you begin putting together your OCC Shoe Boxes now. You and your family can go ahead and start gathering supplies for your boxes. If you need help figuring out what to purchase, just visit https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/what-goes-in-my-shoebox-suggestions/ and select the gender and age range you prefer. We will begin collecting boxes on October 18. Shoeboxes are available for pick up in the Narthex, Atrium and Main Office. Prayer crosses can be purchased from the Ashcrafts (call 803-237-6776 or email laka0499@gmail.com) for $2 a cross to help defray the cost of materials.

BUT...here is where the fun comes in. We would like to make this a friendly little competition. The Next Generation Ministry is going to match every box collected up until November 11. You heard that correctly. If you donate two boxes, then that just became four. If you bring eight, then that just became sixteen. Think of all the boxes we can load into that truck! 

Since we will not be able to have our packing party, we would like to have a Drive Thru - Drop Off Parking Lot celebration in its place, on November 11. It is going to be fun for the whole family! 

Please know that the chairs in your classroom will be spread 6 feet apart and everyone will be required to wear a mask indoors. Outdoors social distancing is required, but masks are optional. Please also remember that the coffee machines and the water fountains will not be available. Finally, because we are still livestreaming both the 8:30 am and 11:00 am services, Lonnie and his AV team are unavailable to help any Sunday school classes with technical issues. Again, I appreciate your patience and flexibility with this new configuration of our Sunday school classes. I am sure it will continue to change as the fall progresses. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at hhham@saxegotha.org.

Grace and peace, HH Ham

The First Impressions Team is in need of Ushers and CREW members. Please call or email Carl Hammond at 803-767-0864 or hammondcb@yahoo.com if you are interested. All volunteers assist once every 6 weeks.

Saxe Gotha has a new group just for Moms...we will connect you with other moms (with kids under the age of 21) who are going through the same challenges you face. This is a place to share your concerns, be encouraged by God's Word, and enjoy fellowship with moms.

Please like and follow this group on Facebook at SG Moms in Ministry or on Instagram.

Calling all 6th-8th graders!!!

The Oasis is a place of refreshment for Middle School students. We'll be in the Light House Atrium every Sunday afternoon from 4:00-5:30 pm, so come out and join in!

Club 45 is held on Sunday evenings from 4:00 - 5:30 pm outside the Light House (weather permitting). We will have a great time of fellowship and fun. Bring your Bible, a mask and most importantly a friend! Contact Patricia Zeigler with questions: pdmz@rocketmail.com.

Club 45 will pack backpacks this Sunday evening, October 25, from 4:00-5:30 pm in the Light House Atrium. Donations for this ministry should be labeled and placed in the bins outside the Main Office, in the Narthex or in the Light House Atrium.

November 6 (6:30 pm - 12:00 midnight) is going to be a very special night with two very special events! We're going to be hosting a girls night and a guys night that both have time to hang out and fellowship, but also take a little time to talk about what it means to live as a man or woman of God in today's world. Each event is only $5, and you can find out all of the details at the links below.

Girls' Night Registration

Guys' Night Registration

Refuge is going to be a place for High Schoolers to relax and fellowship together. Sundays are busy. Weekends are busy. Weeks are busy. All of life is busy, but Refuge isn't busy. We want to invite all of the High School Students to join us for an unstructured time of fellowship where we can just hang out for a while. Bring board games or cards and lets play. Bring your Switch and get beat as MarioKart. Tired? Bring a blanket, and enjoy a nap. No judgment! But in the midst of that fellowship, we are going to take time for conversation. This is where we can discuss topics that are found at the intersection of faith and culture. "How do I engage in politics in a way that honors God?" "Can we talk about the views on mental health issues in the church?" "Why does the Law matter if Jesus already died for me?" You don't have to wrestle with the hard questions alone.

Refuge will kick-off on November 1 from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. We'll have more details coming soon, but mark your calendars for Refuge.

Characters gives us a glimpse into the lives of people of faith. During the next year, we will be challenged as we dig deeper into the context and setting of each person’s life – gaining new insights into the world in which they lived and connecting their world with ours. Along the way, truths that impact our lives today will be discovered as we see the challenges, struggles and opportunities faced by people seeking to follow God. In many of these stories, we will find ourselves and our need for a Savior. We pray that through these studies, we will be transformed and better equipped to fulfill God’s purposes in our world today.

Dawn Merck is offering a Sunday morning Bible study time on Zoom for any kids who cannot attend our in-person Sunday School, for any reason, at any time. We are coordinating SS efforts, so she will also be using God's Story Cards and following along with Pastor Jim's sermon series. Please stay tuned for details in Melinda's weekly kids newsletter.

6th-8th Girls Bible Study: This group will be going through the book of 1 John. We will study what it means to love one another and the love of God. As we dig into the Word together, we will also have some time to deepen our friendships and fellowship with one another. We will meet on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 pm at Stephanie McGee’s home starting September 8. This group is led by Kalie Wehunt, Livvy McGee and Stephanie McGee. For more information contact Kalie Wehunt.

9th-11th Girls Bible Study: This group will go through the timeline of the Bible, exploring how God is not in a hurry, but He grows things. We will study how the Old Testament points toward Jesus and how the Lord used His people to bring redemption to all mankind. We will also learn how to grow deeper fellowship with one another as we study the Word together. We will meet on Tuesdays from 6:15 to 7:15 pm at Gaby Hackett’s house starting on September 1. For more information contact Gaby Hackett. 

12th Grade Girls Small Group: This group will be going through a semester of apologetics. We will learn how to defend our faith and how to handle the Word of Truth to do so. We will meet on Mondays 6:00-7:00 pm at Gaby Hackett’s house starting on August 31. For more information contact Gaby Hackett.

High School Boys Small Group: We know that iron sharpens iron, so why not pump some iron, too? We're going to get together twice a week to study the Word, work out and get better. Barry Morgan and Justin Hall are going to be leading this small group as we dig into the Word and then hit the gym. We'll meet twice a week in the church gym. Monday afternoons at 5:00-6:00 pm and Thursday mornings at 6:00-7:00 am. You can join in for one or both meetings each week, but make sure you have rides worked out beforehand because we won't be doing school runs since we'll be done around 7:00 am on Thursdays. Wear clothes you can work out in and close-toed shoes. And bring a Bible!

Middle School Boys Bible Study: Join Mr. Nick and Mr. Cliff for a Bible Study that's just for the guys. This group will meet every other Tuesday from 6:00-7:00 pm in the Light House Cafe. Next meeting is September 29.

Please contact Justin with questions: jhall@saxegotha.org.

Are you or someone you know dealing with the loss of a loved one? If so, GriefShare is available both online and in person. If you are looking for a group, you can go to their website at www.GriefShare.org and search for a current meeting list. Below are some nearby places that are offering the group weekly meetings to help deal with a loss.

Saxe Gotha will be partnering with Lexington School District One to support the Backpack Program. As a partner, we will help fill backpacks and send them to schools for weekly distribution to children who have great need.

Each child identified as having need will receive a backpack filled with child-friendly, nutritious, easy-to-open food to last over the weekend. 

Items Needed for Backpacks:

 juice boxes

cereal/granola bars

snack crackers

single serving cereal boxes / bowls

mac and cheese / Chef Boyardee

peanut butter

fruit cups/pouches, raisins (please no applesauce cups)

pudding cups

oatmeal packets

Please contact Holly Waldrip if you can't come to the food drive, please call or email her for a pick-up: 803-931-6218 or waldrip@sc.rr.com.

Food items should be left in the Narthex, Atrium or outside of the main office in the box labeled "backpack ministry." Monetary donations can be made to SGPC with “backpack ministry” in the memo line.

We are collecting non-perishable food items to be used for the Sistercare Ministry. There are 3 boxes for donations: outside the main office during the week, in the Narthex and in the Atrium on Sundays.

Sistercare needs food that can be cooked in a microwave or something ready to eat like nuts or dried fruit.  

Contact: Stacey Rowlette, 803-312-5570, srowlette@sc.rr.com.The Sistercare Ministry provides dinner for 20-25 women and their children to the West Columbia shelter. Contact: Stacey Rowlette, 803-312-5570, srowlette@sc.rr.com.

Meet at 8:00 am (the 2nd Saturday of the month) at the church outdoor patio in front of the Light House and bring a sack breakfast to eat, then leave from there to assist individuals in need. Contact Keith Hall with questions: Nailbenders.sg@gmail.com.

(the 3rd Tuesday of the month) 7:15-8:15 am, SGPC Parking Lot. Join together as we love and support community members in need of prayer. We will need prayer warriors, enthusiastic sign holders and traffic directors. 

To Volunteer, contact Loretta Gobbel at 319-4608 or Pete Eckert at 608-9835 or email missions@saxegotha.org.  

On October 20, we had 8 cars stop for prayer and 9 volunteers. Thank you for answering our call for volunteers.

Devotionals: If you have missed one of our daily devotionals, you can go to the Saxe Gotha Devotional Playlist. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLea6ndHzArf_GGgSnTna8lW6cUZHQlCew.

If you are interested in participating in one of our classes online, please contact our Associate Pastor Helen Harrison Ham at hhham@saxegotha.org, and she will provide you the information needed to sign-in to the class of your choice.

Senior Adults:

Caring Connections Brotherhood Virtual Lunch: 
Tuesdays at noon

Would you like to send out a Welcome Message to your Saxe Gotha family?

If so, we would like you to record a 10-second video of you or your family saying "Hello" to fellow Saxe Gotha members. Please record in landscape orientation and send to mandrews@saxegotha.org. We think this will really help people feel more connected while we are all worshiping at home.

Debbie Knight’s Monday morning study has resumed.

The Young Mother's Bible Study will resume after the trial period of school. More details will be provided at a later date.

Meets virtually on Mondays at 8:30 am for a brief lesson and to pray for each other and for other people. Contact Scott Welborn at bleedbabyblu@gmail.com for meeting information. This Bible study is open to men of all ages.

Our Missions Ministry has people standing by to help our congregation by running errands, picking up groceries or any essential items you may need.

Please contact Kathy Seymour at 4kathys@gmail.com or 803-920-7385 if you need this service.

Continuing to be mindful of the well-being of our members and staff, the Personnel Team and SGPC leadership have determined that the SGPC offices will continue to be closed to outside visitors until further notice. 

Here is the specific link to it if you already have your account set up: https://www.rightnowmedia.org/CustomLibrary/8737. RightNow is like the Netflix of Christian media and Bible studies. And if you’re already tired of watching TV and scrolling the internet, then feed your mind and heart with good stuff! We have several different channels within Saxe Gotha’s custom library: Adults, Youth, Children, Worship and the Arts, Missions and Outreach, Marriage and Parenting. 

If you need help setting up your Right Now account, you can contact one of the following:

HH Ham: hhham@saxegotha.org

Patrick Cherry: pcherry@saxegotha.org

Justin Hall: jhall@saxegotha.org

Melinda Boyle: mboyle@saxegotha.org

Hal McIntosh: hmcintosh@saxegotha.org

The studies and videos inside Saxe Gotha’s library on RightNow are just suggestions from our staff. Please feel free to explore and enjoy the many wonderful videos on Right Now while you are at home!

As part of Congregational Care, free soft blankets are available for any seriously ill child or a child who has lost a parent or sibling. Call Patti Schmitz at 467-6379 or Renee Starnes at 359-7770 ext. 37 or rstarnes@saxegotha.org.

Covered with God’s Love blankets are continuing to be made through the COVID-19 pandemic.
6 blankets delivered in South Carolina.
2 blankets delivered up north.
7 blankets delivered to the Hopi Tribe in Arizona (the Tribe was devastated by COVID-19).

Did you know that when shopping Amazon, they will make a donation to Saxe Gotha with no additional cost to you? The only requirement is to go through smile.amazon.com instead of Amazon.com and choose Saxe Gotha as your charity of choice. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service, but with each purchase you help reduce the debt.

NEW: AmazonSmile customers can now support Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church in the Amazon shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones! Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start generating donations.

Open the Amazon Shopping app on your device

Go into the main menu of the Amazon Shopping app and tap into 'Settings'

Tap 'AmazonSmile' and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

We are looking for new acolytes this fall. Any child that will be in 3rd grade

or above can by an acolyte. It is a great opportunity for your child to serve during worship. If you are interested, please contact Meredith Cully at mcully@saxegotha.org or sign up online via the link below.