“These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.”

(1 Corinthians 10:11)

For my birthday my brother-in-law bought me a t-shirt. It had pictures of chess pieces and a pithy saying: ‘I never lose – either I win, or I learn.’ Learning from your losses is an important thing to do, but even better is to learn before you lose – especially when the stakes are higher than the result of a board game.

In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul is concerned that the Christians of Corinth will lose their faith. He is worried that some of them are so complacent about the strength of their own faith, that they are in danger of slipping into idolatry without realising the danger.

So, to help them he gives some examples from the Old Testament. He wants them to learn from other people’s mistakes, so that they do not make the same mistakes themselves. His claim is that these events were written down to be a warning for us.

Paul’s examples all come from Israel’s time in the wilderness. The people had experienced God’s amazing and miraculous rescue from being slaves in Egypt and his incredible provision of food and water in the desert. Yet, they still failed to trust God and ran after other gods. So, they faced God’s judgement.

Through the week our study groups have been looking at 1 Corinthians 10 and have sent in some questions. Here are four we will consider on Sunday:

• How do we reconcile God’s acts of judgement in the Old Testament with the emphasis on God’s love in the New Testament?
• What’s wrong with grumbling? Is it ever legitimate for Christians to complain? (vs. 10)
• What is a mature or sensible Christian? (vs. 15)
• What idolatry do we need to flee from today? (vs.14)

Paul Worledge

This Week’s Sunday Service – 11am

Biblical Warnings (1 Corinthians 10:1-14)

This Sunday we are delighted to have a baptism as part of our service. Our theme for the service is Biblical Warnings. There will be the normal children’s groups running.

Newsflash: Saturday’s Prayer Breakfast (2^nd March) – Cancelled

The Churches Together in Ramsgate Prayer breakfast planned for tomorrow (Saturday 2^nd March) has been cancelled. As a result, we will hold a normal Saturday morning prayer meeting at St. George’s from 9:30-10:00am.

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 3^rd March

Creative Group Singing Practice (St Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:30pm

Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-17,

11:00am-12:00pm

Monday 4^th      

Daily Prayer (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am

Study Group (South Eastern Road) – 7:15-9:30pm

Tuesday 5^th         

Daily Prayer (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am

Christ Church Toddlers @ St Luke’s (St. Luke’s Church Hall) – 9:30-11:30am

Study Group (Lyndhurst Road) – 2:30-4:00pm

Wednesday 6^th    

Study Group (Langdale Avenue) – 10-12 noon

Depression & Anxiety Self-Help Group (Perry Room) – 6:00-7:30pm        

Study Group (South Eastern Road) – 7:30-9:30pm

Thursday 7^th            

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 8^th             

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 9^th            

Daily Prayer (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am

Sunday 10^th      

Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, 11:00am-12:00pm

Mothering Sunday – Next Sunday 10^th March

Join us for an All Age service including the distribution of daffodils next Sunday as a great way to start your mother’s day.

Easter Cracked – Tuesday 19^th March

We are welcoming Year 6 pupils from three local schools to St. Luke’s for a 90-minute interactive session to explore the Easter story on Tuesday 19^th March. If you can help with children making chocolate Easter nests or in other practical ways on the day, then please let Paul know asap. We need people in the morning from about 9:30am until just after 12:00pm and in the afternoon from 1:00-3:00pm.

Thanet Vue is showing the film ‘Cabrini’

Cabrini (12A) is at Thanet Vue cinema (Westwood Cross) this Friday 8th March at 7.20pm. Catholic missionary Francesca Cabrini arrives in New York from Italy in 1889 and manages to convince the hostile mayor to secure housing, healthcare and schooling for the city’s destitute orphans. Tickets are from just £7.99. To view the trailer and to book go to: http://angel.com/cabrini

From the Archives: East Kent Times and Mail – Wednesday 18 May 1904

The dedication of the new pulpit and reading desk at St. Luke’s Church, Ramsgate, took place on Thursday afternoon. There was a fairly large congregation, and the clergy present consisted of the Very Rev. the Dean at Canterbury Dr. Wace), the Vicar of Ramsgate (Rev. L. J. White Thermos). the Vicar of St. Lawrence (Rev. T. G. Crosse). the Vicar of Christ Church (Rev. C. L. Williams), and the Revs C. S. Kroenig Ryan, S. N. Squire. G. E. Bettie. T. C. Walton. W. A. Parton. Unfortunately the Vicar of St. Luke’s (Rev. J. B. Whiting) had not so far recovered from his as to be present at the service—a matter which gave extreme regret to the reverend gentlemen and to his parishioners. The top of pulpit is of oak carved, resting on a slab of alabaster, supported by granite columns, on a base of Devonshire marble. The reading desk is oak, the base Devonshire marble. The reading desk is the gift of one donor. The oak top to the pulpit was presented by two old friends of the Vicar’s. The base of the pulpit has been given as a memorial of some of the original subscribers to the church. The carpenter employed was Mr. George Lambert, of Adelaide Gardens (who was foreman when the church was built 27 years ago.) 

Safeguarding Training

If you volunteer in anyway at church the national authorities are strongly encouraging you to take at least the Basic Module in safeguarding training once every three years.

If you have not completed the training in the last three years, then the module can be completed online and takes about ninety minutes. You can access the training by following this link. You will need to first register, to access the training. Once the training is completed, you will be sent a certificate. Please forward that certificate to James (office@stlukesramsgate.org), so that we can keep records of who has done the training.

Links to Share:

Living in Love and Faith – General Synod latest

Living in Love and Faith is the name given to the discussions within the Church of England over issues around sexuality. The discussions have become quite bogged down amongst big divisions at General Synod (the Church of England’s Parliament). This article gives a simple update on the situation. Read more.

Places of Welcome

keep going, when under great pressure to give up? In this article read about an Anglican Bishop caught up in the Japanese capture of Singapore, who was literally beaten for his faith. Read more.

Finally, let’s not be complacent, but seek to follow Christ faithfully throughout our lives.

Yours in Christ

Paul Worledge

(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)

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.