”Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
(Romans 12:2)
Please check out everything in this post, lots of information about tomorrow’s service, important upcoming events, news about our mission partners and a link to a video about a comedian, who is performing in Ramsgate tonight! Sorry it’s all slightly later this week.
This week we begin a series on the book of Daniel. The book includes some well know Bible stories, such as Daniel in the lions’ den, but also weird dreams and visions similar to those in Revelation.
Daniel, himself, was born in Judea, and probably grew up in a wealthy and important family in the small Jewish kingdom. Everything changed when the Babylonians came and conquered Jerusalem. He was exiled to the capital and selected to work for the Babylonian civil service, presumably because he was an intelligent young man.
He had grown up and been taught to serve the one true God of Israel. That would have been straightforward living in and around Jerusalem but was it possible to do so working in the courts of the pagan Babylonians? How could Daniel do his job well and stay true to his faith? Could he really dare to stand out as a follower of the Jewish God and reject the idolatry of his co-workers?
The stories in the book of Daniel relate how this question worked itself out in Daniel and his friend’s lives. When they stood for God, God proved himself faithful, even when it felt that the might of great kingdoms was against them. At the same time, the book relates dreams and visions, that ultimately show how the seemingly great kingdoms of the world come and go, but God’s kingdom stands forever.
In the end, Daniel and we can dare to stand out as different and remain firm in our faith, because God’s kingdom is the only one that will be left standing in the end.
Paul Worledge
This Week’s Sunday Service – 11am
This week all our children’s groups meet as normal and there is the regular mix of songs of praise, prayers and Biblical teaching. We start a new series on the Book of Daniel and see how he coped when he found himself in the midst of a pagan culture. If you want to watch an overview of the book of Daniel in preparation for the sermon series, then check out this video. It’s from the Bible Project and less than 10 minutes long.
The Light Party, Thank You!
A big Thank You to all those who made this such a great event on Thursday. We had 27 children and a similar number of adults join us. It was a good mixture of regular church members and families from the local community. Lots of fun and lovely food!
Study Group Notes
This term our small groups are going to be discussing what we have learnt through our sermon series on Daniel. We have groups meeting in the daytime and evening. If you want to join a group for this term, then please see Paul. Printed sheets with discussion questions are available at the back of church for leaders or members to collect.
Remembrance Sunday
Next Sunday is Remembrance Sunday. Please ensure that you arrive a few minutes early, so we can have the two minute’s silence at 11am.
What have we discerned?
As we come to the end of the Year of Discernment we want to share, Vision 2030, the plan we think God has for our churches over the coming five years. We will be making a presentation on Monday 11th November at 7:30pm at St. Luke’s church, members from both churches are encouraged to come and hear the plans. There will be opportunities for feedback in the meeting and in the weeks afterwards.
Coming Up: The Big Quiz Night
Tearfund’s The Big Quiz Night is back on Saturday 16th November, 7:30-9:30pm at St. Luke’s Hall. The money this quiz raises will support Tearfund’s Transforming Communities programme, helping local churches around the world lead their communities out of extreme poverty and into a sustainable future. Invite your friends, family and neighbours for some poverty-beating, community-building fun!
Basic Safeguarding Training
If you are involved as a volunteer at St. Luke’s, then you are encouraged to do the Basic Safeguarding training. This can be done online (and if you are working with children or vulnerable adults, you will need to do the online version, so that you can access the next level), but there is also an opportunity on Saturday 23rd November, 10:30-13:00 at St. Mark’s Ramsgate to attend a face-to-face training session led by Kevin Spain. You can access the online training by following this link.
Thanet Prayer Diary – November and December
You can download the Thanet Prayer Diary for November and December here.Alternatively pick one up from the back of church.
Samaritans purse shoe box appeal
For anyone wishing to donate a shoe box for the Samaritans purse shoe box appeal, it can be delivered to church in the week beginning the 11th November and last day is the 16th November. See Tina Gilham for more details.
Dick and Caroline Seed’s Link Letter
The latest link letter from Dick and Caroline Seed who visited us in the summer is available to read here.
Here is further news of what they are doing in the coming months:
Next week (4-8 November) we will be running our 2024 Cert TALHITE Phase 3 online for participants from across the continent. Please pray for good interactions and good connections, especially for those joining us from South Sudan. Our training facilitator, Karen, will be teaching online with us from her base in Australia.
A week later, Karen will fly back to South Africa to help us run Cert TALHITE Phase 1 for 35 interested students from George Whitefield College (18-22 November). Some of the GWC graduating students will go straight into teaching in theological colleges across the continent, including a sizeable contingent headed to South Sudan. This is the first time we have had the opportunity to offer graduating students some kind of training before they go. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to prepare hearts to learn and for the Lord to give the facilitators wisdom as we teach.
On 7th December, we will be heading to Santiago in Chile for two weeks to assist the leaders of CEP (the Anglican training college) to train their new faculty members. During the first week we will run a training of trainers’ workshop for experienced faculty members who completed TALHITE in 2022. During the second week, we will help them to run TALHITE Phase 1 in Spanish for about 20 new or aspiring lecturers. Please pray for the CEP trainers as they learn to lead training for the first time. Pray also for the translator who still has 1/3 of the materials to complete before the end of November.
Thank you for praying for the three training initiatives. Please include safe travel, good health and stamina for everyone in your prayers!
ACTS Prayer and Thanksgiving Event – 18th November
Join us for an evening of prayer, thanksgiving and updates about the work of ACTS (Active Christianity in Thanet Schools). As well as a time to meet our new workers, Abi and Charlotte, over a cuppa and a slice of cake!
Monday 18th November, St Philips Church, Palm Bay, CT9 3JJ, 7:00pm
Links to Share:
This week a couple of links about well-known comedians.
Milton Jones
Watch this hour-long video with Milton Jones, the comedian as he talks about his career and his faith. Watch now…
Miranda Hart
This is a book review of Miranda Hart’s recently published autobiography. In it she reveals her struggles with ill health as a result of contracting Lyme Disease at 14, but she also speaks of nine treasures, which sound remarkably similar to a list of nine in the Bible…. read more.
Finally, let’s pray that we can make more disciples.
Yours in Christ
Paul Worledge
(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)
Weekly Calendar
Sunday 3rd November – Fourth Sunday before Advent
Creative Group Singing Practice (St Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:30am
Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Daniel 1:1-21, 11:00am-12:00pm
Monday 4th
Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Study Group (South Eastern Road) – 7:15-9:30pm
Tuesday 5th
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 6th
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 7th
Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Cafe4All (St. Luke’s Church), Coffee and Chat for all – 10:00-11:30am
Light Party (St. Luke’s Church) – 4:30-6:00pm
Friday 8th
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 9th
Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Sunday 10th – Remembrance Sunday
Creative Group Singing Practice (St Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:30am
Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Psalm 62, 11:00am-12:00pm
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 