“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, this is your true and proper worship.”
(Romans12:1)
This week, St. Luke’s welcomes Dick and Caroline Seed back as part of their visit from South Africa. Check out this email for information on that and many other important notices and a blog on praying for the new government and another one on Christian concern for the environment.
Worship is the outpouring of our gratitude for all that God has done. Are there things we sacrifice to do this? Time, energy, finances? How do we worship fully not just on a Sunday but throughout the week?
The lectionary is a collection of readings from the bible that are intended to enhance our acts of worship and centre us around the life and work of Jesus. Currently, the Christian church is working through Mark’s gospel. This Sunday’s reading is Mark 6:14-29, and is sandwiched between Jesus sending out the twelve and the feeding of the 5000 (which we will look at next week.)
Herod hears about all that Jesus has been doing. Jesus’ ‘fame’ has reached the ears of the rich and powerful. And it has caused panic in Herod thinking John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. John the Baptist, whom he himself had beheaded partly because John would point out Herod’s lack of holiness. Mark flashes back to this in his account. Herod in his revelry and sin was manipulated and became the author of John’s death. In the present time there seems to be another, preaching of a Kingdom of God and forgiveness of sins, of holiness and godly living. Herod is in a panic.
Yet Jesus as we will discover as we read through the gospel is more powerful than John. He will go on to defeat sin and death – a truth well worth our worship and sacrifice that that might bring. It is not to cause panic but to cause reverence and worship – that God cares that much for us. The sacrifice of worship is small compared to all God has given us. So let’s do so joyfully and wholeheartedly.
Claire Coleman
This Week’s Sunday Service – 11am
Dick and Caroline Seed (Romans 12:1-9)
Join us as we welcome Dick and Caroline Seed to hear more about their work in Africa helping training institutions for ministers across the continent develop their teaching. Also, Dick will be preaching on Romans 12:1-9 and this is the last week of the summer term for all our children and youth groups. Find out more about Dick and Caroline…
Summer Celebration Service – 21st July, 6:30pm, St. Luke’s
This is an informal contemporary service where we will be using the year of discernment psalm to help us focus on Seeking God and dwelling in his presence. All welcome.
Can you help? – Summer Services, starting next Sunday
During the school holidays our children’s groups take a well-deserved break. During the services we plan to show DVDs during part of the service for children to go out and watch. We need at least one person who has been safer recruited by St. Luke’s and one parent to sign up for each week.
Sunday School After Party – Cancelled
Due to lack of interest, we have decided to cancel the Sunday School After Party this Sunday.
Harvest Appeal
Each Harvest we hold an appeal where we financial support work overseas. In the past we have supported: IJM, Tearfund, Compassion, Mercy Ships. We want to invite members of the congregation to make suggestions for this year’s Harvest Appeal. The criteria for selecting organisations to support, is that they have a Christian foundation and work internationally. If you can give suggestions to Claire by the 14th July, they will then be considered and this year’s appeal will be chosen from that list by some members of the PCC.
Cars at front of church
The Standing Committee met this week and decided that to improve our health and safety and fire safety, we need to ask people not to drive into the church garden through the main gate. If this causes you problems, then please talk to Paul.
Depression and Anxiety Self-Help Group
We are meeting from 6-7.30 on Wed 17 July, when our theme will be How to stop worrying. The group is open to everyone and is free. We meet in the Perry Room in the church hall at St Luke’s Church. Go to the back of the church and follow the signs. For more details contact David on davidw.hawthorn1@sky.com or Pauline on p.emptage@sky.com.
Sunday School After Party – Cancelled
Due to lack of interest, we have decided to cancel the Sunday School After Party this Sunday.
Cars at front of church
The Standing Committee met this week and decided that to improve our health and safety and fire safety, we need to ask people not to drive into the church garden through the main gate. If this causes you problems, then please talk to Paul.
Depression and Anxiety Self-Help Group
We are meeting from 6-7.30 on Wed 17 July, when our theme will be How to stop worrying. The group is open to everyone and is free. We meet in the Perry Room in the church hall at St Luke’s Church. Go to the back of the church and follow the signs. For more details contact David on davidw.hawthorn1@sky.com or Pauline on p.emptage@sky.com.
Summer Fair
There is a new date for the St. Luke’s and St. George’s Summer Fair. It will now be on Saturday 31st August, from 1pm to 4pm. See flier for details.
St. George’s Church Art Exhibition
The Annual St. George’s Art Exhibition in aid of the Church Restoration Appeal will taking place in the church from Tuesday 9th July – Sunday 21st July.
Open daily 11am – 5pm. Over 150 Artworks for sale by local artists.
Links to Share:
Seven ways to pray for the new government
1 Timothy 2:2 tells us to pray for all in authority. But how should we pray? Check out these suggestions from Care. Read more…
Jesus died to save the planet
A big issue for all governments is how to tackle climate change. Check out this resource from the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity, which argues that concern for the planet is not just an optional extra for Christians, but a foundational part of our calling. Read more… (If you want to follow this up more and become an Eco-Champion for the church, then please chat to Paul).
Let’s keep worshipping God, no matter what the sacrifice.
Yours in Christ
Paul Worledge
(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)
Weekly Calendar
Sunday 14th – The Seventh Sunday after Trinity
Creative Group Singing Practice (St Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:30am
Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Romans 12:1-9, 11:00am-12:00pm
Monday 15th
Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Study Group (South Eastern Road) – 7:15-9:30pm
Tuesday 16th
Prayer Meeting (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 17th
Study Group (Langdale Avenue) – 10-12 noon
Depression & Anxiety Self-Help Group (Perry Room) – 6:00-7:30pm
Thursday 18th
Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Cafe4All (St. Luke’s Church), Coffee and Chat for all – 10:00-11:30am
Friday 19th
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
Saturday 20th
Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Sunday 21st – The Eighth Sunday after Trinity
Creative Group Singing Practice (St Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:30am
Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Mark 6:30-34,53-56, 11:00am-12:00pm
Summer Celebration (St. Luke’s Church), Mark 6:30-34,53-56, 6:30-8:00pm
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.
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.
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.
St. Luke's Church Ramsgate 