News

In Person Worship

Each week, we have 3 services: 8:30 and 11 am Traditional Services in the Sanctuary and the 10:45 am AWE Contemporary Service in the Light House Auditorium. During the summer, families will worship together! Praise Packs will be provided to engage and welcome younger children in the congregation. Nursery will still be available for children 3 & younger.  

Online Worship

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 will collect a Christmas Love Offering for the SGPC staff members online and in person during the worship services through Monday, December 12. To donate online, please go to: saxegotha.org/give. The ushers will have the Staff Love Offering envelopes during the services and the envelopes will be in the pew pockets in the Sanctuary. The Pastors and Staff sincerely thank you!

We are glad to be back singing a full season again (Season 26), and we have many reasons to celebrate and sing! Season and individual event tickets are now available at LexCoChoralSoc.org. Shows are at 7:30 pm at Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church. The Society is led by Hal McIntosh.

Upcoming Shows:

The Holidays - December 2-3

The Three Baritones - January 20

Folks Near and Far - March 3

The Faure Requiem - May 5

A musty whiff emerges from the box as the nativity scene, with all the figurines, are carefully removed from their storage container after their yearlong hibernation in the attic. The rebuilding of the nativity marks the beginning of our preparation for Christmas. Each piece, carefully placed, reenacts the age-old journey we make throughout the season of Advent to arrive at the Manger. Along the way we revisit characters that proclaim the anticipation, preparation, provision, and promise of this season. This year, join with us as we consider how God is preparing us for our journey to the Manger.

• December 4: Joseph and Mary: More than Parents  

• December 11: Cantata: A Festival of Lessons and Carols

• December 18: The Innkeeper: Sorry We're full

• December 24: Jesus: The Present of Presence

The Advent Devotionals are here.  They are free of charge but supplies are limited. They can be found in the Narthex, Church Office and Light House Atrium. They come from the same ministry as last year, Frontier Fellowship, which is one of our ministry partners. They also compliment our advent sermon series “Journey to a Manager.” If you would like a daily email version of the advent devotional, you can sign up for that using this link: https://frontierfellowship.com/subscribe-advent/.  

We are planning to have a Friendship Dinner for our local friends who are dealing with mental illnesses on Friday, December 16. This will be the first dinner since February 2020. 

We will cook a big dinner, Garth Olson will provide the entertainment and Santa will pass out gifts. Dinner starts at 6:00 pm. Volunteers are needed starting at 4:00 pm. 

If you would like to volunteer to help make this a special time for our friends, please email or call Kathy Seymour at: 4kathys@gmail.com or 803-920-7385.

Calling Women of All Ages...We would like to invite you to come fellowship, enjoy some snacks and paint an ornament on Sunday, December 4 (2:00-4:00 pm) in MB Room 151. Our very own, Beth Maddox (from Lexington Paint & Pour), will be offering different paintable ornaments for you to choose from. Each ornament will be $15. Reserve your spot below. Check made payable to Beth Maddox or Lexington Paint & Pour. Hope to see you there!

Join the NextGen team for a bright night of fun holiday lights! Families and friends are all welcome to join us at Segra Park for this great time. We have a special ticket price available, so be sure to sign up here.

Mail – the envelope must be postmarked no later than Dec. 31, 2022.  

Offering – any offering submitted either in cash or check by year end.

In Person – Check/Cash can be hand delivered to the business office by Jan. 3, 2023 no later than 5:00 pm (checks dated Dec. 31, 2022). 

NEEDS VOLUNTEERS (ADULTS & YOUTH)
To Serve as USHERS/GREETERS/CREW to support the Light House Sunday School and AWE Service times. Each volunteer will serve once every 5 weeks.

Contact: Justin Hall: jhall@saxegotha.org or

Jack Barber: 803-440- 2334,
jackbarber1231@outlook.com

The Moms in Prayer Group meets on Wednesdays from 10:30 -11:30 am in the Fellowship Hall. Moms in Prayer International impacts children and schools worldwide for Christ by gathering mothers to pray. All are invited to come and pray. Please contact Sara McCarter with questions: smccarter@saxegotha.org.

The schedule is:

4:00-5:30 pm: Seekers (K-3) - Rooms 224/225

Club 45 (4-5) - Rooms 112/113 in the Light House

5:30-6:15 pm: Choirs- 2/3 year old, 4/5 year old, 1st-5th grade

* We will walk choir kids from Seekers and Club 45 with a snack at 5:15 pm. 

2/3 year olds- Room 211, 4/5 year olds- Room 212, 1st- 5th grade: Music Suite

Adult classes will be offered from 4:00-5:30pm. Nursery will be provided for 4 year old and younger for adult class participants only. Questions? Email Sara McCarter at smccarter@saxegotha.org. Semester ends December 11.

Are you going through a difficult time? A Stephen Minister can help. Stephen Ministers are members of our congregation who listen, care, encourage and provide emotional and spiritual support. They receive special training to provide one-to-one Christian care to people in our congregation and community experiencing challenges in life --- grief, loneliness, divorce, hospitalization, disability, job loss and many other life difficulties.

Contact Renee’ Starnes at rstarnes@saxegotha.org or call the Church Office at 803-359-7770 to learn more.

If you would like to preview the music that will be included in the AWE Contemporary Worship Service, click on the link below. Thanks to Jason Flores for putting this together for us!

The Lexington Lion’s Club is collecting old eye glasses and hearing aids. The glasses and hearing aids are used in other countries for people who cannot afford them. Collect all those old eye glasses and hearing aids and donate them for a good cause. The collection box is located in the Church Office.

Please contact Hope Andrew at handrews@saxegotha.org or 803.359.7770 ext. 126 or stop by the Child Development Center to pick up a Registration Packet. 

WINGS (Widows in Group Share) provides support and fellowship to widows. The group is made up of Saxe Gotha widows and their friends who are also widows. We will continue to meet the 2nd Saturday of every month for a time of Christian fellowship and sharing.              

The WINGS group will be having their December luncheon at Wellmore Nursing Home on December 10 at 11:30 am. The facility is off of Sunset Blvd. about 1 mile from Saxe Gotha. Please RSVP by December 8 to Carol Harden at 217-652-2768 or Colette Phillips at 803-553-9741.  We look forward to seeing everyone!

This ministry meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays from 10:00 – 11:30 am in Room 154 in the Main Building. 

The Prayer Shawl MInistry will meet briefly on December 1 at 11:00 am and then will go to Ruby Tuesdays for a Dutch treat lunch to celebrate Christmas and share in fellowship.

Just bring needles and learn to knit. The shawls made are blessed and given to members in need. Everyone is welcome to serve in this ministry, no experience required. Questions? Contact Renee Starnes at rstarnes@saxegotha.org or 803-359-7770, ext. 137.

Please email or call Carl Hammond at Carl@AmeriCareMidlands.com or 803-767-0864 if you are interested. All volunteers assist once every 5 weeks.

Caring Connections Brotherhood is gathering at The Flight Deck every Tuesday at 12:00 noon.

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

We are looking for a Part-Time AV Technician. If you are interested in joining our team, please contact Alisha Hudson at ahudson@saxegotha.org. See below for complete job descriptions.

**Looking to gain a new skill and work with some of the best! We are looking for AV Tech Volunteers, please contact Alisha Hudson at ahudson@saxegotha.org if you are interested.**

The CDC is always looking for individuals who are interested in teaching preschoolers. Experience working with children is preferred. If you are interested in possibly becoming a part of the Child Development Family please send an updated resume to Hope Andrews at handrews@saxegotha.org. Sharing the love of Jesus is one of our priorities!

The United Heroes Ministry here at SGPC sends cards and care packages to our military. We are in the process of updating our list of names and addresses. Please send the name and address of those that are active duty, serving overseas or stateside, to Jody Sullivan at unitedheroes@saxegotha.org or call 704-798-5444 to get your loved one added to the list.  

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. 

Just a Reminder: Sunday School ends at 10:30 am. Please pick-up your children promptly, so that Kids Sunday School leaders can get to Children's Worship.

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.

Please contact Sara McCarter at smccarter@saxegotha.org if you have any questions.

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.

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), 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.  

November 15 Update: What a wonderful morning at Drive Through Prayer! We had 7 cars, 9 volunteers and multiple honks and waves from the highway. A passing law enforcement officer gave us a flashing blue light acknowledgement! One driver that attends church near White Knoll High School said that his church has started a DTP and he wanted to extend a prayer to us. Another driver wanted to pray for the world and our divisiveness and the students at UVA regarding the tragic shooting. She started the first half of the prayer and our team member finished it. 

We have found that not only do people want to pray with us, but for us and our ministry! Our Drive Through Prayer continues to be a vital outreach to the community of Lexington. Please come join us! No training is involved. Just a heart willing to serve.

Meets In Person on Mondays at 6:30 am in Light House Room 112-113. Led by Brad Farrar.

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 ebleedbabyblu@gmail.com for meeting information.

These Bible studies are open to men of all ages.

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

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!

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.