“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

(Matthew 7:7)

Due to staff holidays and sickness, this notice sheet covers the weeks beginning Sunday 19^th, 26^th January and 2^nd February. The next mailing will be on 9^th February.

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At times in life, we can feel powerless in the face of difficult circumstances. Those moments can feel like dark times. Perhaps it is a problem, where you just can’t see the solution. Maybe you just feel out of control as others have power in a situation where you are losing out. It could be that you are stuck in a difficult situation and can see no way out, no light at the end of the tunnel. What do we do, when there is nothing that we can do?

When we are powerless, the only hope is to find someone who has power to help us. This is where the spirituality of prayer comes in. Prayer seeks help from the one who is free from the constraints of this world but cares deeply for those in the world. It is a cry from helplessness to the one that we have faith can help us: the God revealed in the Bible.

The Psalms are full of such cries for help. They profoundly express the struggle of faith meeting life, when belief in the all-powerful and all-loving God meets situations of desperation and despair. Their beautiful poetry grapples with the seeming contrast between God’s past actions and his present seeming inaction. The psalmists both praise God for his compassion and complain to him about their desperate straits.

It is not surprising, then, that Psalms have been an important part of Christian spirituality down the ages. By saying the Psalms, we discover that we share with people down the ages the same distress, despair and doubt as saints throughout history. Yet, out of the struggle we are also joined to their faith, which leads them out of the darkness of despair to the light of hope, out of the powerlessness of life to the power of God, our rock and our salvation.

Paul Worledge

Sunday Service, 19^th January, 11am

Spirituality for Dark Times: Seeking (Psalm 143)

How do we respond to powerless in the face of dark times? Seek God’s help. This week is a Holy Communion service. There will be normal children’s groups, praise, prayer and Bible teaching.

Sunday Service, 26^th January, 11am

Spirituality for Dark Times: Waiting (Psalm 130-131)

How do we keep going through dark times? Wait on God. There will be normal children’s groups, praise, prayer and Bible teaching.

Sunday Service, 2^nd February, 11am

Spirituality for Dark Times: Meditating (Psalm 130-131)

How do we remain rooted and flourishing through the dark times? Meditate on God’s word. There will be normal children’s groups, praise, prayer and Bible teaching.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, from 27^th January

In Ramsgate this is going to take place during the last week of January. There will be prayer meetings at the United Church, Hardres Street at 9:00am from Monday to Friday and a prayer breakfast at Centenary Hall, Hardres Street at 9:00am. Please do support this important expression of church unity in the town.

Please note that during this week (from 27^th January), there will be no daily prayer at St. Luke’s or St. George’s.

Prayer and Verse of the Year – 2025

Please take one of the new prayer and verse of the year bookmarks to pray at home from church this week. You can catch a sneak preview on the church website: www.stlukesramsgate.org

Calling all Musicians and Singers

We are looking to expand the number of different groups of musicians leading our praises at church on Sunday mornings. This means there will be a rota of groups, so those involved do not have to commit to playing or singing every week. If you are interested in being part of one of the groups as a singer or musician, please talk to Alison Hawthorn, Tom Keenan, Peter Weichselbaum-Barlow or Fiona Worledge.

There will also be a special praise and worship event at 6pm on Sunday 2^nd February at St. Luke’s church, when the different leaders will explain more about how their groups of musicians and singers will be run.

Christ Church Services

There will be evening prayer services at Christ Church, at 3pm on 2^nd Sunday of the month starting on 9^th February.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Links to Share:

Why should we love the church?

In this profound reflection on a poem by T. S. Elliott is an honest reflection on why people do not love the church. Read on…(5 mins)

 

Jimmy Carter: five takeaways from a life well-lived

With a new President about to take on the White House, check out these reflections on the life of the recently deceased former President, Jimmy Carter. Read on… (9 mins)

Finally, let’s keep seeking God in prayer.

Yours in Christ

Paul Worledge

(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)

Normal Weekly Calendar

Due to staff holidays and sickness, this notice sheet covers the weeks beginning Sunday 19^th, 26^th January and 2^nd February.

Monday      

Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am (Not 27^th)

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

Tuesday       

Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am (Not 28^th)

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

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

Wednesday

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

Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am (Not 30^th)

Cafe4All (St. Luke’s Church), Coffee and Chat for all – 10:00-11:30am

Friday

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

Saturday 

Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am (Not 1^st Feb)

Sundays

19^th January – The Second Sunday of Epiphany

Family Communion (St. Luke’s Church), Psalm 143, 11:00am-12:00pm

26^th January – The Third Sunday of Epiphany

Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Psalm 130-131, 11:00am-12:00pm

2^nd February – Presentation of Christ

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

Worship & Praise Event for musicians (St. Luke’s Church), 6-7pm

9^th February – Fourth Sunday before Lent

Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Psalm 34, 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.