“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

(Psalm 103:2)

This week we begin our series, “Spirituality for dark times.” Although, we are starting the series in January, when the days are still relatively short and the skies often gloomy, ‘dark times’ is meant to refer to times of difficulty or struggle that many of us are or may face. Certainly, a glance at the news suggests much to be depressed about: economic stagnation, crumbling public services, Los Angeles fires that point to the wider climate crisis, wars in Europe and the Middle East and an increasingly uncertain international order with the political rise of people like Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

In addition, many people may well have their own individual darkness. This could be due to personal circumstances causing grief, stress or anxiety or simply problems with one’s mental health. Either can feel very real.

So, how do we deal with these “dark times”? As Christians we have a distinctive perspective. We believe in a God who is both in charge of the universe in ways beyond our comprehension and yet incredibly is also totally committed to us at a deeply personal level. He is both transcendent and immanent. He created and loves the whole universe, but he also made and cares about me. And you. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, but also for my sins. Nothing can separate us from his love.

We know all this as Christians, but how can we make those great truths become effectively planted in our hearts? What turns them from mere facts into spiritual preservation of the soul? How can belief about God, be turned into a living and sustaining relationship with Him? This is the role of Christian spirituality. For us spirituality is not just a set of practices to make us feel better, but a way of renewing and deepening our faith in the God of Jesus Christ, that reorients our souls from darkness to light.

Paul Worledge

This Week’s Sunday Service – 11am

Out of Darkness (Psalm 103)

This week we begin our series, Spirituality for Dark Times. There will be normal children’s groups, praise, prayer and Bible teaching.

Christmas Decorations – Thank You

Thank you to everyone who stayed behind after the service last Sunday to tidy up the Christmas Tree decorations. It was great to have so many involved and to have it sorted so quickly.

Happy New Year from Claire Coleman

I just wanted to send a new year message to properly thank you all for all the kind gifts, cards, wishes; for all those who were able to attend my licensing and those who have supported me in prayer. It’s been a whirlwind starting, moving and then advent and Christmas. I am so thankful to you all for the time I served in Ramsgate – thank you all for the part you played in my ministry. 

Volunteers to Listen and Pray after the Service

We are hoping to create a team of people that can offer a listening ear and prayer after church services for those who might find that helpful. If you have done something similar before or think this is something you could do with a little bit of training and are willing to explore doing this at St. Luke’s, then please fill in this short form. We hope then to arrange some training in the New Year.

Men’s Group – Bowling, Wednesday 22^nd January, 6:15pm

The Men’s group January event will be bowling at Bugsy’s in Margate. There will be lifts available from Ramsgate at 5:45pm. The cost is £10. If you have not already signed up to go and would like to, then please contact Bruce Stokes on 07708 682464, or bruce.stokes@btinternet.com.

Local Church First Aid Course

As churches we are meant to have First Aiders at most of our meetings. Elim Oasis Church in Broadstairs are running a course on Saturday 8^th February. Taking part in the course will give you a qualified First Aid at Work certificate. Refreshments and lunch are included. If you are interested in taking part in First Aid training, then please see Paul by Sunday 12^th January. There are also Thanet District Council run courses available on 19^th and 20^th February. Please see Paul if you are interested in these instead.

It’s a Love Story, Concert 15^th February, 7:30pm

Love Story will be another gala fundraiser night at St George’s church, featuring Coastal Choir and guests with the St George’s Community Meal and Speak Up sharing the proceeds. Tickets £8 from Beth Paterson, Brenda Clarke or online through St. George’s website.

Dick and Caroline Seed

You can lead their December Update here. They especially ask prayer for:

• registration of the new postgraduate diploma,
• integration of faith and learning workshop in Uganda,
• the ICETE theological education conference in Albania,
• the Africa Mile Deep Strategy meeting in Rwanda.

Crowdfunder

St. George’s have produced a Crowdfunder to help keep the hall financially viable for community use after a challenging year. This is aimed at people in the wider community. If you are able to share the fundraiser on social media then please do so using this link.

Thanet Prayer Diary

The prayer diary for January and February can be downloaded using this link.

Drone Footage of St. Luke’s

Thanks to Andrew McMillan who found this Drone Footage of St. Luke’s on YouTube. Watch (less than 2 minutes).

Any notices for the rest of January?

If you have any notices to share with the church for the next couple of weeks, then please submit them using this online form before next Thursday (16th January). Next week’s email and notice sheet will be the last for a few weeks because of staff sickness and holidays.

Links to Share:

Faith Sharing – What’s your style?

When we think about sharing our faith, maybe we only think of one way of doing it. This can be problematic if we are uncomfortable with that way. And yet, faith sharing can happen in a number of different ways. This helpful short article considers some of the tensions in the different attitudes have between the way they share their faith with others and also suggests six different faith sharing styles. Which best reflects the way you share your faith? Read more…

What do ‘experts’ recommend when it comes to finding happiness?

As we think about ‘spirituality for dark times’ it is worth asking what experts from the non-religious world recommend as the secret to happiness. This article summarises some of the top tips. Read more…

Finally, let’s pray we can increasingly share the joy of being a disciple of Christ in 2025.

Yours in Christ

Paul Worledge

(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)

 

Weekly Calendar

Sunday 12^th – Baptism of Christ

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

Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Psalm 103, 11:00am-12:00pm

Monday 13^th     

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

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

Tuesday 14^th       

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 15^th

Study Group (Langdale Avenue) – 10:00-12:00 noon

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

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

Thursday 16^th

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 17^th

Play and Praise (St. Luke’s Church Hall) – 10:00-11:30am

Saturday 18^th

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

Sunday 19^th – The Second Sunday of Epiphany

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

Family Communion (St. Luke’s Church), Psalm 143, 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.