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Fall Sermon Series and Small Groups: On Sunday, August 25, we started a sermon series called "Fruitfulness on the Frontline: Making a Difference Where You Are." This is an 8-week series that will encourage and challenge us to see how we are missionaries right where we are.
Families in Faith, meets in the Fellowship Hall.
Contact: Patricia Zeigler at pdmz@rocketmail.com
Foundations, meets in room 112/113 of the Light House
Contact: Sharon Capps at sharon@sharoncompany.com or 960-2264
The Explorers, meets in room 139 of the Light House
Contact: HH Ham at hhham@saxegotha.org or 359-7770 ext 40
Musicians in the Word, meets in the Choir Suite in the Main Building.
Contact: Hal McIntosh at hmcintosh@saxegotha.org or 359-7770 ext 13
In the Hope Ferry Rd/Corley Mill Rd area of Lexington, hosted by Jenni and Sean Gannon.
Contact: Jenni Gannon at jgannon129@gmail.com or 543-0097
Meets in room 155 of the Main Building
Contact: HH Ham at hhham@saxegotha.org or 359-7770 ext. 40
In the Oak Grove section of Lexington, hosted by Brian and Wendy Thies.
Contact: wdelmater@usa.net or cell: 803-479-1202.
Attention 4th and 5th graders, join us for SuperStart! A preteen worship experience in Duluth GA, October 18-19. Details and registration can be found at the link below.
(Babies - 5th graders, Ages K5 & Under in Nursery and 1st-5th in Room 205) September 27 from 6:30-9:00 pm here at Saxe Gotha. This is a free event but reservations are required, please register via the link below.
Join us on Wednesday Nights from 6:30 - 7:30 pm in the Light House Cafe - Began August 28.
We’ve all wished that our children came with an instruction manual or handbook. Parenting is wonderful, but also extremely difficult. It only seems to get harder in an age of rapidly changing technology, new pressures, and emerging dangers. We are all trying to figure it out! God may not have given us all the instructions, but He did give us community. The old African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” is very true. We need all the help we can get, and it is time to pool our collective knowledge and wrestle with these big topics together!
This Fall we are offering a new opportunity for parents to have discussions around the big topics of our day. We are calling it “The TALK”. Yes, we will likely discuss the birds and the bees in today’s highly sexualized culture, but we are going to talk about much more. This is not a class or a lecture. There will be no workbook. What we will have is some battle worn parents, some coffee and drinks, and some open conversations about the things that really matter to today’s parents. Come talk and join the discussion!
Dinner at 5:30 / Classes at 6:30 - Please join us!
Menu for 9/18: Italian chicken with parmesan cheese and roasted potatoes, salad bar, rolls and brownie trifle for dessert.
Menu for 9/25: Spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic bread and dessert.
Cost: Adults $5, Kids 3-11 $3, Family Max of $20. Make reservations by clicking on the link below. Reservations due by noon on Monday.
Sundays, October 13 and 20 (9:45 - 10:45 am, Light HouseCafé)
We invite new members and active guests to discover your spiritual gifts, what it means to be a Presbyterian and how to "Give God Joy" as a fully engaged member of Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church! Periodically throughout the year, SGPC offers a Discovery Class to help new members and guests get plugged into Saxe Gotha. The class lasts for about an hour, but it is extremely helpful in introducing individuals to all aspects of our church and its ministries. Please contact Gaby Gonzalez Hackett at ggonzalez@saxegotha.org or 803-359-7770, ext. 45 if you would like to attend.
Sunday, September 22 in the Sanctuary (9:45-10:30 am, during the Sunday School hour). Jim David will lead a seminar on methods of saving for college. The entire congregation is invited to attend, parents and grandparents alike.
Thursday, September 19, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm in Room 151 (near Kitchen). Entertainment: Moses Andrews, III will be singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Entertainment will be in the Light House Auditorium. Cost: $7 per person payable at the door. Reservations required by Tuesday, September 17. Please call Pansy Floyd 359-7770, ext. 11 or email pfloyd@saxegotha.org for reservations.
(NEW SESSIONS: Sept. 20 - Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 - Dec.13) Please join us for an exercise class on Fridays in the Welcome Center/Fellowship Hall from 10:15 - 11:00 am to improve strength and balance. The class is $30 per each 6-week session. The class is for beginners up to intermediate participants. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. Contact Vicki Beatty at vpbeatty@gmail.com or 803-260-5817 for information and to register.
Last week our South Sudan Ministry team met and began planning for our annual mission trip to South Sudan. Here is an overview of what we expect. We plan to fly into South Sudan on Saturday, January 25 from Nairobi, Kenya on an AIM Air Charter flight; one week later we will depart on Saturday, February 1. The entire trip including time for travel to and from the United States is about 11 days. Our focus area will be Pibor in Boma State of South Sudan, as it has been for about 11 years. Some of our team members will split their time between Pibor and Gummuruk, a neighboring village. On the return flight, we plan to stop at Akobo in Akobo State of South Sudan for about two hours to get familiar with the location and determine whether it is a candidate for a second mission location for us in the future.
Team Leader: Greg Force*
Two Pastors: This will involve preaching, teaching scripture, and teaching pastors preaching techniques.
Two Medical: Amy Smith, RN* plus an ophthalmologist
Christian Educator: Lee Ann Alexander*
Farmer: Role is to assess the area to determine locations appropriate for farming and potential crops
Educator: One who can coach teachers, identify needs and serve as a liaison for the ministry and the church-sponsored Kondako School between visits.
Videographer:
* Indicates people who have made this trip before.
Our hosts are (1) a domestic non-profit called Serving and Learning Together (SALT) whose founder and executive director is Rev. Orozu Lokine Daky. Orozu has been a partner and friend since 2005 and (2) Eastern Jonglei Presbytery whose General Secretary is Rev. James Aleyi Zeelu. Zeelu has been a partner and friend since about 2010.
This is advance planning information. If you are interested in going or know someone who is, please contact Bill Andress or Greg Force. We have been seeking an ophthalmologist for several years and particularly need assistance with this. Projected personal costs are about $2,500 including airfare.
Those considering joining the team should understand that:
This is physically a demanding trip. Daytime temperatures routinely exceed 100/38 Degrees F/C and may reach 110/43 Degrees F/C. There is minimal electricity and no air conditioning. We stay at the SALT compound where there is a sleeping building, but most take their beds outside because it is cooler. Food will be basic. No hotels or restaurants. Much like camping. Toilets are outhouses; and a bath is using a washcloth and bucket of water.
The U.S. State Department considers it unsafe to travel to South Sudan and recommends no travel there. This has been the case for several years.
We are confident because we know that: (1) our hosts will alert us in advance if we need to divert; (2) the peace-building efforts of our hosts over the years have resulted in Boma State being among the safest states in the country, and Pibor is much safer than the nation's capital; (3) we fly a charter flight with a Christian organization which independently assesses the situation; and, (4) if we ever lose total confidence, we will cancel, divert or withdraw the team immediately.
While we can never guarantee total safety, what we can guarantee is, the exceptional welcome, hospitality and love you will feel. You probably will experience a miracle; and you definitely will experience the Holy Spirit and want to return.
Bill Andress (803-546-9099) or BillAndress75@gmail.com or
Greg Force (803 960 5957) / gregorylforce@gmail.com
Join us again on September 5 - Meets on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays of the month in Room 154, MB (10:00-11:30 am). If you like to knit, or would like to learn to knit, this group is for you. Questions? Call Polly Askew at 803-359-7263.
Dear Friends,
We, here at Saxe Gotha, have been serving some of the mentally ill in our community by hosting a dinner and some kind of faith based entertainment 6 times a year for 25 years. These folks have become our friends, thus the name Friendship Dinners.
Our guests/friends love to come and get a warm welcome, hugs, conversation, a wonderful dinner and entertainment. Most of them live on a very tight budget and can barely afford to buy their medications, let alone entertainment.
We are looking for a musical group/individual, a drama group/individual or a dancing group/individual who are willing to come and help us make life a little happier for our Friends. A short 20 to 30 min. program is best. Upcoming dates are October 18 and December 6.
Please contact Kathy Seymour at 4kathys@gmail.com or 803-920-7385.
Saxe Gotha is hosting a Stephen Ministry Introductory Workshop on Saturday, September 21 from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm in the Light House Atrium for those interested in starting a Stephen Ministry at their church.
About Stephen Ministry Introductory Workshop
If you attend the workshop, you'll come away with a clear understanding of the difference Stephen Ministry makes and a vision for getting it started in your congregation. Attending one of these workshops is not mandatory for beginning Stephen Ministry, but they are an excellent way to get your questions answered and learn what Stephen Ministry is all about.
Each Workshop has Three Sessions:
SESSION 1: Ministering to Those Experiencing Grief
Sample the quality of Stephen Minister training firsthand
Develop grief ministry skills you can put to use right away
SESSION 2: An Introduction to Stephen Ministry
Explore the life-changing value of this ministry
Discover how to bring Stephen Ministry to your congregation
SESSION 3: How to Care in a Distinctively Christian Way
Learn to integrate faith into everyday caring and relating
Experience the Christ-centered nature of Stephen Ministry
Who Should Attend?
Each participant receives an informative packet of materials. Every congregation receives a set of DVDs with inspiring videos to build support for beginning Stephen Ministry.
Pastors and church staff
Lay leaders and decision makers
Caregivers and Caregiving teams
Cost: $15 per person or $50 for a group of four or more from your congregation or organization. This is collected to pay for your workbook and workshop materials. Saxe Gotha members can register for free.
How to Register:
Saxe Gotha Members Register: https://saxegotha.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/270644
Community Members Register: https://www.stephenministries.org/stephenministry/register_caring_ministry_workshop.cfm?WorkshopID=1483
Did you know that when shopping Amazon they will make a donation to Saxe Gotha that will go towards Debt Free in Three, 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.
Lexington One Backpack Program:
Saxe Gotha partners with Lexington School District One to support the Backpack Program. Items Needed for Backpacks: juice boxes, cereal/granola bars, snack crackers, single serving cereal boxes/bowls, raisins, peanut butter, fruit cups/pouches (please no applesauce cups), pudding cups, oatmeal packets. If you or your small group is interested in donating food or packing bags to assist with this effort, please contact Holly Waldrip: waldrip@sc.rr.com. Also, you can place donations in the blue bin in the church main office.
The Compassionate Care Meals Ministry provides meals to our families when they are going through the loss of a loved one. This ministry is in need of additional members. If this is an area you could help with, please call Renee’ Starnes at 359-7770 ext. 37 or send her an email.
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.
9/22: Team 5, 9/29: Team 6.
To listen to past sermons, please go to our audio sermons page.
