Dear Friends,

Has anyone else made a new year resolution? Maybe to eat healthier, get on a budget or grow closer to God? If your New Year’s resolution is the third one, we have a great tool to help you! In our new One Church App, just click on the three bars in the left hand corner to be taken to the drop down menu. Toward the middle, you will see Spiritual Formation listed. Select that option, and you will find three links to great daily devotionals – right on your smart phone! The Bible Recap and The Daily Audio Bible are Bible reading plans that each have a corresponding podcast. The Encounter with God is an online version of the paperback devotional that we offer quarterly. 

You will also find a list of Adult Sunday School Classes. We offer Sunday School from 9:45 – 10:30 am in both buildings. There are many types of classes available...some classes are large, some are small and some are discussion based, some are lecture style. All Sunday school classes are a great way to connect with other adults who want to grow in the faith and connect in fellowship and community. Please contact me at [email protected], and I will suggest a couple of classes for you to visit.

Finally, on the Spiritual Formation page, you will be taken directly to the Right Now Media App. Right Now Media is like the Netflix of Christian videos. We have a church-wide subscription to it, so accessing all of this great information is free to you. We have several different channels within Saxe Gotha's custom library: Adults, Youth, Children, Worship and the Arts, Missions and Outreach, Marriage and Parenting. To take advantage of Right Now Media, just use your own account or set-up a new account by contacting me at [email protected]. Here is the specific link to it if you already have your account set up:

https://www.rightnowmedia.org/CustomLibrary/8737.

All of the information to stay connected at Saxe Gotha with One Church is included in the article below. We look forward to us all being well-connected to fully experience all that 2023 has in store at Saxe Gotha!

Grace and Peace, 

Helen Harrison Ham

One Church App

Stay connected to our church wherever you go by downloading the free My One Church App for iPhone and Android devices. Use it to communicate with your groups, RSVP to events, update profile information and more.

With One Church, you can connect throughout the week and know what’s happening:

• Groups—Keeps everyone up-to-date with the latest posts, information and events for your group and for your church as a whole 

• Events—See event details (date, time, location, etc), submit your RSVP and make payments for events

• Service Opportunities —Volunteer with Saxe Gotha, make a donation to a local or international mission and join a Congregational Care team 

• People—See names and basic profile details for church members or groups, based on their privacy preferences 

Upcoming Sermon Series

WITH: Cultivating a With-God Life

Audience: Anyone who has been disappointed that their relationship with God and with how church has not lived up to what they imagined or hoped it could be. 

Purpose: To illumine (or even expose) the ways we relate to God that are less than the Biblical vision for a with-God life, and far less than God’s best for us. 

Description: From the Garden in Genesis to the New Jerusalem in Revelation, the Bible presents of vision of God and humanity being in loving communion with one another. In Jesus Christ as Immanuel, we have the clearest demonstration of God’s desire to be fully “with” us. Why is it then that we have settled for a relationship with God that is far less intimate and so disconnected from this vision? Instead of a with-God life, we tend to settle for lives that are under God, over God, from God or for God. Drawing heavily from Skye Jethani’s book With: Reimagining The Way You Relate to God (Thomas Nelson, 2011), we will discover how we all tend to settle for these lesser relationships, the huge price we pay for doing so, and how we can enjoy the life Jesus always wanted us to have. 

Five Sermons :

Jan. 15 WITH: What God Longs For Most of All

Jan. 22  WITH is better than Under

Jan. 29  WITH is better than Over

Feb. 5   WITH is better than From

Feb. 12 WITH is better than For

Feb. 19 WITH Faith, Hope & Love

Benefits: Understanding the difference between an authentic With-God relationship versus the ones we settle for: 

• Life Under God: If I obey God’s rules and stay inside God’s boundaries, then me and mine will be protected and blessed. 
• Life Over God: If I follow the right principles for success, then I will have a good life. 
• Life From God: If I stay on God’s good side, then I can get the things I want for a happy life. 
• Life For God: If I accomplish great things for God, then God will love and accept me. 

God at Work - First Hand Account of Saxe Gotha's Mission Work in South Sudan

A Letter from a Student We Support:

Dear Boma Assistance Group for South Sudan,

Greetings from Kampala in Jesus name. In the first place, I thank God for His protection upon us and our families and for always blessing us abundantly.

You may not know how joyous I am for God's fulfillment of my prayers through you people! For all my journey of education, my struggles over my education was one of the biggest thing I have encountered, though I had always been leaning on the Almighty powers of God to push me forward. 

I am writing this email to confirm that I have received the money for the first semester of 2023. The total cash sent from America to Juba was $1,700; however, $93 was deducted as bank transfer charges and withdrawals. Therefore, I received at the bank today $1,607. I will design a way of reducing some costs of food for some days so that it can compensate for the $93 bank charges. You indeed rescued me out of a situation where I was almost hopeless and had this support have not come from you blessed brothers and sisters there, I was going to drop my studies for good and I don't know how my life would be? Thank you once again.

After the New Year celebrations, I look forward to school restarting. Happy Christmas and prosperous 2023!

Thanks,

Paul J. Kadiman

We would like to invite all who volunteered at Saxe Gotha during 2022 to a drop-in reception this Sunday, January 8 at 2:00 pm in the Gym. We would like to personally thank you and give you a small token of our appreciation for all you have done this past year! Please RSVP to Amy at: [email protected].

Men's Monday Morning Bible Study - Join Us for a Study of Revelation!

Please join the Men’s Monday Morning Bible Study on January 9 at 6:30 am in the Light House Room 112/113 as we begin a new series on Revelation. Start the day, the week and the New Year by exploring the riches of this captivating book which sets forth "the things that must soon take place." (Revelation 1:1). Contact Brad Farrar with questions: [email protected].

Drive Thru Prayer: Tuesday, January 17

(7:15-8:15 am)

(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. 

December 20 Update: 

Please read this. If you think that God is not at work in the simplest of ways, and in our everyday lives, this may change your mind.

We had 17 volunteers this morning, four of which were college students. One had never volunteered with Drive Thru Prayer before. I met our newest volunteer while he was holding a sign at the driveway into our parking lot. I offered to introduce him to our team as he had arrived a few minutes after our team was in place for the morning. As we walked down the driveway to the prayer group, I asked him what he did. He said that he was in college studying Construction and Spanish. I said that was wonderful because we had so many Spanish speaking people in the trades, agriculture, etc. I could see how that would be useful. I mentioned how I wished that I could speak the language. As we chatted, a car approached for prayer (or so we thought). I told my new friend that normally men pray with men and women with women, but in this case, he could join me to observe how we pray with folks. 

The tiny car drove up with four ladies all bundled up for the winter chill. The driver rolled her window down, and I welcomed her to Drive Thru Prayer. She immediately responded in Spanish that she did not speak any English! I stood there, shocked! I looked to my new young companion and asked if he could translate for me. He immediately began. These ladies said that they weren't sure what we were doing, but they wanted to stop in. We explained that this was Drive Thru Prayer and would be happy to pray with them and for any needs they might have.

As the English and Spanish translation began, they realized our purpose and shared their prayer needs. They also rolled down the back window so that everyone in the car could hear. As I prayed in English, my friend prayed in Spanish. I will admit that I was amazed at what was unfolding in front of me and my prayer wasn't as eloquent as it could have been. As I looked up, I saw the driver wiping tears from her eyes. 

I was able to remember "Feliz Navidad!" (Merry Christmas!) We all laughed and smiled as they drove away.

I said to my friend, "I can't believe that just happened. We never get non-English speaking people through here. My friend said, "Really, I would have thought that happened a lot." "No," I said. "That never happens. This is the first time. You were in the right place at the right time." Later, I shared the story with our group as we summarized our morning. No one else in the group could speak Spanish! Only our new volunteer knew the language and knew it well.

Some may say this is a coincidence. But few Christians believe in such things as coincidence. We believe in God's perfect plan, at the perfect time, and his perfect Will. (Romans 8:28)

Just as the baby Jesus was born at the perfect time in a manger. During this Christmas season, please know that God truly has a plan for your life. You may not understand it now. It may be to use your story to help someone else, or to make you strong or wise; so many things that he is doing in your life are to use you for His Will and to His Glory. May we remember that the story is about Him, and not about us. Merry Christmas, from the Drive Through Prayer Team!

To Volunteer, contact Loretta Gobbel at 319-4608 or Pete Eckert at 608-9835 or email [email protected].

First Impressions - LH

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: [email protected] or

Jack Barber: 803-440-2334, [email protected]

Widows in Group Share

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 luncheon for this month will be held on January 14 at 11:30 am at Ferrara Pizza Restaurant in the Flight Deck shopping area off of US 378 and Old Chapin Road.

Please contact Carol Harden by January 8 at 217-652-2768 to let her know if you are able to attend. We look forward to seeing everyone!

Prayer Shawl Ministry - Restarts Thursday, January 5!

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

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 [email protected] or 803-359-7770, ext. 137.

We're looking for AV Professionals and Teachers!

We are looking for a Part-Time AV Technician. If you are interested in joining our team, please contact Alisha Hudson at [email protected]. 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]. Sharing the love of Jesus is one of our priorities!

Kids Sunday School

Preschool Sunday School meets in the Nursery Area @ 9:45 am.

Room 214: 2-3 year olds

Room 224: 4-5 year olds

Nursery for 3 and younger will be in Room 215.

Join us as we play our way through the Bible! Parents please pick up by 10:40 am. 

WANTED: SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS 

We want YOU to serve our 2s and 3s Sunday School Classes.

Requirements: Review prepared lesson each week to teach our children as they journey through the Bible. Each lesson includes Biblical truths, scripture, games and activities.

Hours: 9:30 - 10:30 am on Sunday Mornings.

Search: Find another person or couple to team teach every other Sunday with you.

Reward: You will delve deeper into God's word as the kids learn along with you.

Questions, please contact: Erin Stoudemire​.

Preschool Sunday School

How do preschoolers learn best? Through play! Learning the Bible is no exception. Teaching little ones about God’s word by living it out is not only FUN but it helps it to take root in little hearts. Years from now these young friends will hopefully remember the fun they had parting the Red Sea with their friends. We hope your little one (2K-5K) can join us Sunday mornings at 9:45 AM on the nursery hall as we play our way through the Bible!

Sunday Afternoons Restart on January 22!

Small Groups Restart January 17 & 18

Thursday morning Bible Studies Restart January 19!

Sunday Afternoons Restart on January 22!

Please refer to the schedule below for Weekly Events 

Tuesday Evenings, 6:30-7:30- The following Small Groups meet in the Light House

Middle School Girls - The Well, Room 148

High School Girls - Room 138 

High School Boys - Room 130

Wednesday Evenings, 6:30-7:30- A Small Group for Middle School Boys meets in LH Room 130

Thursday Mornings- Morning Bible Studies

6:45-7:45 am Middle School Bible Study meets in the Light House Atrium

7:00-8:00 am High School Bible Study meets at the Thomas' house

Sunday Mornings, 9:45-10:30- Sunday School meets in the Light House

Middle School - Room 144 

High School - Room 143

Confirmation - Room145/146

Sunday Afternoons, 4:00-5:30- Sunday Afternoon Groups meet in the Light House

Oasis (Grades: 6-8) - The Well, Room 148

Refuge (Grades: 9-12) - Room 138 

Details, contact Justin Hall at [email protected].

Student Sunday School Classes

Sunday School is the foundation for Christian education in Student Ministry. Every Sunday morning, a variety of teachers will present lessons to students about foundational Biblical principles that are essential for those who are still discerning their own faith, but also excellent for the growth of students who have taken hold of their own faith. All students begin in the Light House Atrium at 9:45 am for fellowship before going to their classes and wrapping things up at 10:30 am. The classes and their locations are:

• Middle School - Room 144
• High School - Room 143
• Confirmation - Room 145/146

Child Development Center

Please contact Hope Andrews at [email protected] or 803.359.7770 ext. 126 or stop by the Child Development Center if you are interested in our CDC.

Services Available Online: To watch past sermons, please go to our Saxe Gotha YouTube Channel and make sure to subscribe.