Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honours him. (Proverbs 14:31)
(Proverbs 14:31)
In our series on Ezra-Nehemiah we have reached a point in the narrative (in Nehemiah ch5) where the conflict that has come from opposition to the rebuilding of the walls, and the work of rebuilding itself, takes a back seat and a new problem emerges – the problem of hunger and exploitation.
Hunger and exploitation are problems that have plagued history throughout the world; even in our own part of the world and in this modern age. In January 2022, Thanet accounted for 11% of trafficking and modern slavery reports made in Kent. These figures included illegal workers who were being exploited and made to live in extremely poor conditions. Food banks in Thanet over the last four years have seen them serving more than six times the number of families and elderly than in the previous years. Hunger and exploitation are real problems.
As we read God’s word and as we build our relationship with God, by standing in the gap in prayer, we discover God’s heart for equity. We realise we are called to be distinctive in our living and to love as God loves. Jesus told his followers to love their neighbour as themselves, which rightly means making sure ourselves and others don’t suffer hunger and exploitation, taking the example from Nehemiah’s time (as well as our own).
On a global scale this might seem impossible to achieve – the eradication of hunger and exploitation. But what we can do is in the way we live; be examples of people that do not exploit, that are wise with resources and seek to show God’s love in how we treat both friend and stranger. Let’s seek to be living examples this week.
Claire Coleman
This Week’s Sunday Service – 11am
This Sunday, we once again gather together to worship, and our normal children’s groups will be running. In this weeks sermon we think about how Nehemiah deals with the problems of hunger and oppression by sharing and leading by example, how can we model good practice and care today?
St. Luke’s Website
- What’s On – a page which lets you know what is happening this week and gives information about upcoming events.
- Notices – You can read the latest notices on this page.
- Sermons – Read a transcript of a recent sermon or watch the YouTube version recorded at St. Luke’s. You can also listen to the sermon through the podcast website castbox.
Weekly Calendar
Sunday 28th January
Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Reading: Nehemiah 5,
11:00am-12:00pm
Monday 29th
Daily Prayer (Hardres Street Church) – 9:00-9:30am
Study Group (South Eastern Road) – 7:15-9:30pm
Tuesday 30th
Daily Prayer (Hardres Street Church) – 9:00-9:30am
Christ Church Toddlers @ St Luke’s (St. Luke’s Church Hall) – 9:30-11:30am
Study Group (Lyndhurst Road) – 2:30-4:00pm
Wednesday 31st
Daily Prayer (Hardres Street Church) – 9:009:30am
Study Group (Langdale Avenue) – 10-12 noon
Study Group (South Eastern Road) – 7:30-9:30pm
Thursday 1st February
Daily Prayer (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Cafe4All (St. Luke’s Church), Coffee and Chat for all – 10:00-11:30am.
Time4All (St. Luke’s Church) – 11:30-15:00.
Friday 2nd
Daily Prayer (Hardres Street Church) – 9:00-9:30am
Play and Praise (St. Luke’s Church Hall) – 10:00-11:30am
Gather, Women’s Drop-In (St. Luke’s Church) – 12:30-2:30pm
Creative Group Singing Practice (St Luke’s Church) – 4:30-6:00pm
Saturday 3rd
Churches Together Prayer Breakfast – Prayer for unity
(Centenary Hall, Hardres Street) – 9:00-10:00am
Sunday 4th
Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Reading: Nehemiah 13:1-22,
11:00am-12:00pm
Prayer Requests
- Gloria Tipler: continue to pray for her recovery from recent knee surgery.
- Caroline Perkins in hospital with an infection.
- Peter Ovenden and family after the death of his mum, Joy (Funeral at Thanet Crem Tuesday 30th 11:30am).
- Andrew McMillan waiting to see a Cardiologist.
- Venna Styles, for improved mental health
- Audrey Tucker struggling with dehydration and lymphedema.
- Those in need of God’s ongoing healing: Kelly Costello, Wendy Fuller, Emily Gardiner-Harley and Lorraine (Julie’s friend).
- Those undergoing cancer treatment: Kelly (Caroline’s sister-in-law), Michelle (Terry de Vere’s wife) and Collette Judge.
Please also continue to pray for Rosa, Mitch Styles, Jean Hann, Shirley Crabb, Joy Smithers, Pauline Emptage, Karen (Gloria’s daughter in law)
Prayer for Christian Unity
Monday 29th January to Saturday 3rd February is the week of prayer for Christian unity – do look at the calendar for more details but note that except Thursday (when we’ll meet as normal at 9:30 in St. Luke’s) we will be cancelling our normal morning prayers and joining brothers and sisters at Hadres Street 9-9:30.
Vacancy: Hooverers
We are looking for more people who can offer to be on a rota to hoover the church after the Sunday Service. Interested? Please let Paul or one of the church wardens know.
Pancake Party
Pancaked, fun and games on Tuesday 13th February, 4:00-6:00pm, St. Luke’s Church, organised by the St. Luke’s and St. George’s social committee. Please bring your own frying pan!
Love is all you need – Community Meal Fundraising Concert
This concert at St. George’s church on Friday 9th February at 7:30pm is to raise money for the running of the Community Meal at St. George’s Hall on Tuesdays. Tickets are £8 in advance and now available online: https://bit.ly/3S546IB or £10 on the door.
What should we be asking God?
We are making 2024 a year of Discernment for our churches, where we are seeking to find out where God wants to lead us in the coming years. As a first step in this process, we want to gather questions that we think we should be asking God. We are opening this up to the whole congregation and others. So, please pray and consider submitting a question via our online form (https://stlukesramsgate.org/2024/01/12/questions-for-the-year-of-discernment/) If you cannot use an online form, then please write it down and hand it to Paul, Claire or James.
Ventures for Young People
If you know of any young people looking for a fantastic holiday, where they can also make friends with Christians from around the country and learn more about the Christian faith, then we would recommend CPAS Ventures: https://www.ventures.org.uk/schoolventures/churches or see the brochures at the back of church.
Online Forms
Under the ‘Contact’ tab on the website, there are now three forms that you can use to help us in managing the church:
- Events Application Form. Use this if you are organising a church event that needs a church room booked, advertising or ticketing.
- Submit a Notice. Use this if you want to ask us to include a prayer request or other notice in the church notice sheet or email.
- Maintenance Reporting Form.Use this to report any non-urgent issues with our buildings or grounds.
Links to Share:
Cashing Out, Biblical Thoughts on the Future of Money
Monetary systems are innovating rapidly yet also losing the public’s trust. Given that trust (and government solvency) are critical to the survival of banks, recent bank failures may presage the transition to a new monetary paradigm. The Bible’s pointers to the features of a desirable monetary system are used to assess the merits or otherwise of the challengers to the status quo – notably cryptocurrencies and Central Bank Digital Currencies. The latter, in particular, raise a number of concerns regarding governmental surveillance and control. Read more…
World hunger – our Christian response
If you want to think more about this topic in a deeper way than we can explore in our sermon. This article although from 1992 has some interesting perspectives that might help us grapple with our own thoughts on how we can be living examples against hunger and exploitation. Read here.
Finally, let’s keep studying God’s word, standing in the gap and living by example a way that demonstrates God’s desire for equity.
Yours in Christ
Claire Coleman
(Curate, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)
St. Luke's Church Ramsgate 