News

Out of an abundance of caution, all services will be virtual on January 17. 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.

The church campus will be temporarily closed for in person meetings.

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

Wednesday Night Classes will resume when we can gather again in person.

Parenting in a Defective World – Raising children is a tough challenge in today’s world. This class offers practical tools and solid biblical advice on how to effectively raise children in today’s world. Jim Glatz will lead this class both virtually and in person. They will meet in room 151 MB. (jglatz@saxegotha.org)

The Ten Commandments: Are They Still Relevant? – Join this casual conversation facilitated by Jenni Gannon. They will meet in 155 MB. No book necessary and attendance not required! (jennifer.gannon@dominionenergy.com)

The Reason for God: Conversations on Faith and Life – This class will dig into the objections of the Christian faith to learn about both sides of the issues. Chuck Stoudemire will lead this class and teach some basics of apologetics. They will meet in room 154 MB. (cestoudemire@windstream.net)

Holy Conversations: Talking About God in Everyday Life – This interactive class will help us learn to engage in comfortable conversation about the good news of Jesus with those around us. Taught by Helen Harrison Ham and Pete Eckert and will meet in the Library/152 MB. (hhham@saxegotha.org)

Kids: Join us on Zoom on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm.

Our Mystery Family will tell us about one of the miracles of Jesus and then lead us through a craft.

You can manually join the Zoom meeting with the following information:
Meeting ID: 730 6284 6921
Passcode: WWMF21

If you have technical difficulties or questions, please text Melinda at 803.397.7034.

Students: Each week, Downpour is a student worship event that is released on the Saxe Gotha YouTube channel on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm.

To help keep everyone safe, we are meeting virtually January 17. When we are able to resume, the following will occur:

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. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at hhham@saxegotha.org.

Grace and peace, HH Ham

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 Sunday School 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.

To log in with Mrs. Dawn, click here.

Meeting ID: 845 8013 1133

Passcode: 0eh2sd

Can't wait to see you! If you have technical difficulties or questions, please text Melinda at 803.397.7034. 

Students Sunday School Online: Click here to join a Zoom Sunday School Meeting for Students. Middle and High School students will meet together and then go into Zoom breakout rooms. Contact: Justin Hall at jhall@saxegotha.org.

Held on Sundays (2:00-4:00 pm) for 13 weeks online.

It can be very hard to deal with the loss of a loved one. Daily life, responsibilities, and the many feelings that are associated with a death can be difficult to manage. You are not alone. Come and join us as we look at ways to manage the many aspects of life that have changed. Being with others that have lived through the passing of a loved one, along with being around others that understand how you feel, can be very beneficial. We are here for you.

You are welcome to begin attending the GriefShare group at any session. Each is “self-contained,” so you do not have to attend in sequence. You will find encouragement and help whenever you begin.

Contact Renee Starnes at rstarnes@saxegotha.org or Marti Evans MKE29072@gmail.com for details.

January 25: Sibling Registration Day

January 26: Saxe Gotha Church Member Registration Day

January 27: Wait List Registration Day

February 2: Registration Opens to Public

Summer and Afterschool Registration: *Tentative*

March 1-16: Current Student Registration

March 16: Sibling Registration

March 17: Saxe Gotha Church Member Registration

March 18: Waitlist Registration

March22: Registration Opens to Public

Please contact Hope Andrews for more information: handrews@saxegotha.org.

We are looking for someone to join our team! Primary role is to assist the Director of Student Ministry in the implementation of ministry to students. Please download the complete job description below. Contact pcherry@saxegotha.org with questions. We look forward to hearing from you!

Do you or someone you know need to talk to someone?

Have you heard about Stephen Ministers?

If you would like to talk to someone, contact Carol Perrin at 803-917-6690 or by email tictic8000@yahoo.com.

Stephen Ministers are lay congregation members trained to provide one-to-one care to those experiencing a difficult time in life, such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or relocation.

Stephen Ministers come from all walks of life, but they all share a passion for bringing Christ's love and care to people during a time of need.

Since 1975, more than 600,000 people from more than 13,000 congregations and other organizations have been trained as Stephen Ministers.

As many of you are aware, the West Columbia Sistercare shelter has been closed since March 24, 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. I was hoping the shelter would reopen the first of 2021, but with rise in COVID cases along with the delayed vaccine distribution, the shelter will remain closed. The women and their children in need of Sistercare services will remain in local hotels. 

For the next three months, they continue to request non-perishable food donations along with paper products such as diapers, feminine products, toilet paper along with cleaning products for the next three months. You can drop your donations off in the church kitchen (when the church re-opens) or in the boxes placed outside of the church office anytime through out the month. 

We will reevaluate in April hoping that we can restart our meal deliveries every Monday and Thursday. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions/concerns.

Thank you for all your support,

Stacey Rowlette/Sistercare/SGPC

srowlette@sc.rr.com

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.

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.

Will resume January 24.

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!

Will resume January 24.

Sundays, 4:00-5:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Refuge is a place for High Schoolers to relax and fellowship together. And in the midst of that fellowship, we are going to take time for conversation. You don't have to wrestle with the hard questions alone.

Will resume January 24.

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.

We're very excited to be returning to Snowbird's Summer Conference from July 26-31. This trip will be a chance for middle (current 5th-8th grade) and high school (current 9th-12th grade) students. to grow in their faith and fellowship with one another. Snowbird, the camp that will be our home base for the week, is located in Andrews, NC. They will be hosting our meals, keeping us bunked, and providing worship and messages for us. The price also covers fun activities for students through the week like rafting and paintball! 

The cost of the trip will be $500. A deposit of $150 is required to confirm your spot. If you have any questions or if you are a leader who would like to volunteer, email Justin at jhall@saxegotha.org.

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. 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. This group is on a short break until a new leader is confirmed.

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. This group is on a short break until a new leader is confirmed.

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.

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

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.

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.  

***Thank you to those who donated to Harvest Hope Food Bank during DTP this month!***

On December 15, we had 8 volunteers who braved cold, windy conditions to serve 4 cars that stopped by for prayer. One lady saw the food drive as she drove by, turned around and came back to write a $100 check. 

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

Debbie Knight’s Monday morning study will resume this Spring.

The Young Mother's Bible Study will resume this Spring. Meet on the Light House patio at 10:00 am on Mondays.

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.