News

The church is open for worship services, Sunday School and small group meetings.

We 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.

We would love to chat with you online during the services. Please turn on the YouTube chat function if you would like to comment.

And the votes are in and the drawing has occurred. Congrats to the following family teams:

- Creative Where's Waldo Picture - Stoudemire Family - $10 Walmart Gift Card

- Best Dressed - Powell Family - $10 Walmart Gift Card

- Sword Drill Hidden Prizes - Tyler Carpenter & Micah Cherry - $10 Chick-fil-A Gift Cards

- Random Drawing for Completing Race - Schmoltze & Green Families - Dollywood Tickets

Congratulations to all the teams and thanks for coming out for our Next Gen Family Day and Amazing Race Scavenger Hunt. Please contact Pastor Patrick at pcherry@saxegotha.org to pick up your prizes.

The Annual Women’s Spring Luncheon will be on May 16 at 12:30 pm in the Gym. We will eat boxed lunches and then enjoy our speaker. Ticket are now available online and will be sold through May 2. Tickets can also be purchased via the green envelopes in the pews in the Sanctuary and at the table at the back of the Light House Auditorium during worship service.

Our guest speaker will be Melanie Shull, Founder and Editor in Chief for Living Real Magazine and the host of The Living Real Podcast. Melanie Shull has spent the past 10 years providing a platform for real people to tell their stories of how faith in Christ affects real life. Her topic will be ""Let Your Faith Be Bigger Than Your Fear," focusing on Isaiah 41:10.

Please purchase your tickets soon, seating is limited.

Free Exercise classes are held on Wednesdays in the Fellowship Hall from 9:00 - 10:00 am. Contact Vicky Beatty with questions: vpbeatty@gmail.com.

Message from Bill Andress:
Your donations in March for Change for South Sudan set a record! Over a two week period, $12,843.25 was received. This is almost three times as much as we ever have received before for a single collection. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Praise God for your generosity!

The photograph shows part of the food that was purchased for famine relief; your generosity allows us to do more.

We have positions open for college age interns to share Jesus with our kids. Please see below for the position description and contact Melinda Boyle at mboyle@saxegotha.org if you are interested.

We look forward to you joining us for the 2021 Summer Camps. We missed you last summer! All Summer Camps will follow CDC Safety Guidelines. All camps are for boys and girls, ages are noted. For complete details, please go to saxegotha.org/summer or contact Pansy Floyd: pfloyd@saxegotha.org.

Kelly’s Flip Fly Gymnastics Camp:
June 7 - 10, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, Room 145/146 in SGPC Light House. (Ages 4 - 9) Cost: $94. 

Soccer Shots Camp:
June 14 - 17, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, SGPC Gym. (Ages 4 – 8) Cost: $115.

Family Vacation Bible School:
June 28 - July 1, Evenings, Monday – Thursday, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. (Families with Rising 3’s – Rising 6th Graders) COST: FREE. 

Kelly’s Gladiator Nerf Kids Camp:
July 5 - 8, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, Room 145/146 in the SGPC Light House. (Ages 4 - 9) Cost: $94.  

Art Camp: 
July 12 - 16, Art Camps for Early Childhood and Elementary/Intermediate Art Students. Early Childhood Art Camp, from 9:30 to 11:00 am, Rooms 231-235. (Ages 4 - 6) Cost: $95. Elementary/Intermediate Art Camp, from 12:30 to 3:45 pm, Rooms 231-235. (Ages 7 -11) Cost: $165.

Kelly’s Survivor Ninja Challenge Camp:
July 19 - 22, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, Room 145-146 in the SGPC Light House. (Ages 4 - 9) Cost: $94. 

Basketball Camp:
August 2 - 5, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, SGPC Gym. (Ages 6 - 12) Cost: $100.

June 28 - July 1, Evenings, Monday – Thursday, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. (Families with Rising 3’s – Rising 6th Graders) COST: FREE. Welcome to Wilderness Escape—an exciting journey with God’s people, the Israelites, that brings God’s Word to life for kids! Our SGPC Vacation Bible School is always a great time for children to learn about God’s word through terrific music; fun, hands-on activities; creative, multi-sensory experiences; and energetic large group ensemble led by our youth praise band and adult “characters” who dramatically tell about the VBS Biblical theme to Trust God. VBS is a free experience that’s open to the community (T-Shirts will be available). For questions or to volunteer, please contact Melinda Boyle at 359-7770, ext. 64 or email mboyle@saxegotha.org.

Children ages 4-6 are invited to join us for a series focusing on worship and the sermon topic in an age-appropriate way. Kids will begin their worship time with their parents in the AWE Service and will join Children’s Ministry leaders in a designated room in the Light House, where parents will pick them up when the service ends.

Email Erin Stoudemire with any questions or to let her know that your children will be participating.

Wednesday classes for adults have resumed from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. We offer the following classes:

·  The Ten Commandments: Are They Still Relevant? - Join this casual conversation facilitated by Jenni Gannon. They will meet in 155 MB. Each week a separate topic will be covered. Feel free to jump in at any point and if you miss a class, you can come back and pick up with the commandment being studied that week. Class ends May 5. (jennifer.gannon@dominionenergy.com)

·  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. Class ends May 12. (hhham@saxegotha.org) Book $14.00.

For everyone’s safety, we will continue to wear masks inside the buildings and maintain the safe social distance of six feet. If you have any questions or would like more information about how to grow deeper in your faith in 2021 or the above classes, please contact hhham@saxegotha.org or 803-359-7770.

We are now meeting virtually and in person at 9:45 am. The following protocol will help everyone remain safe:

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

From learning more of God's Word to creating meaningful projects to completing creative Bible challenges, Sunday School is a way for kids to grow spiritually! We meet at 9:45 am in the gym. This week, we will continue our study of the prophets while learning about Isaiah. 

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. The last online Sunday School Kids Class will be held on May 23, then all classes will be in person.

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.

If you would like to join Zoom manually:

Meeting ID: 858 0312 2810

Passcode: M3HwJx

Nursery is available for ALL services and Sunday School. Friends ages 3 and younger can join us in Room 215 during the worship services.

Preschool Sunday School for ages 2 through kindergarten will be meeting in rooms 214 and 224 until spring/warmer weather.

We are following CDC guidelines--temperature checks will be given at check-in. Please contact Sara McCarter at smccarter@saxegotha.org if you have any questions.

Pray for the Saxe Gotha Community

Please come together to pray for those in our community and around the world. Taking the time to refocus our vision from our own worries and concerns to God’s infinite grace and loving providence. To help us be aware of the prayer needs of our community we have launched the Saxe Gotha Prayer Wall on our website at saxegotha.org/prayer. Here you can post your prayer requests, see what prayer requests others in our community have posted, and show that you have prayed for them. This platform helps us to actively see the power of prayer in our everyday lives and in the lives of those around us.

We invite you to begin Prayerwalking to refocus ourselves on God, rather than the distractions of the world. Prayerwalking involves taking our prayers out into our community where we desire to see God’s presence manifested and our prayers answered. We welcome you and your family to join us in praying for our community as we prepare for Easter. Download the brochure below to get your own copy of the Prayerwalking guide.

Registration is Now Open to Public

Summer and Afterschool Registration:

Registration Now Open to Public

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

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, relocation or chronic or terminal illness.

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.

The First Impressions Team is in need of Ushers and CREW members. Please call or email Carl Hammond at 803-767-0864 or Carl@AmeriCareMidlands.com if you are interested. All volunteers assist once every 5 weeks.

Saxe Gotha has a 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.

Kindergarten - 3rd grade bible study and fellowship time on Sundays from 4:00-5:30 pm. Drop off and pick up kids under the covered awning to keep everyone socially distanced. The kids will be in MB Room 224/225. Bring a mask and friend!! Contact Sara McCarter at smccarter@saxegotha.org.

We will have a ton of fun while we SEEK God in His word together and store up His word in our hearts! We will learn all about who God is, and how God has a plan of redemption for those who seek and know him! 

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.

This semester we will be studying the Armor of God. Bring a mask and friend! 

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!

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.

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.

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 6:00-7:30 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

Meets on Tuesdays from 6:30-7:30 pm in a new location. We'll now be meeting at Jennifer Gissendaner's house. That address is 248 Clubside Drive. For more information, contact Justin. 

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. Meets on Mondays 6:00-7:00 pm. We'll now be meeting at Liz Carpenter's house. That address is 84 Rocky Cove Road. For more information, contact Justin.

Middle School Boys Bible Study

Join in 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. For more information, contact Justin.  

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 and Justin 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. If you have any questions, you can contact Justin.

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.  

April 20 Update: We had 8 volunteers who served ten people that stopped for prayer. Two of them made a U-turn to come back for prayer. We have now started our fourth year of the program.  

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 later in the year.

The Young Mother's Bible Study will resume later this year.

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.