(Joshua 1:9)
After the death of Moses, God called Joshua to lead his people and spoke words of true beauty over him. The author of creation tells him he will be with him wherever he goes, that he will give him every place he sets his foot and that no one will be able to stand against him all the days of his life. God asks Joshua to keep the book of the law always on his lips and to meditate on his word day and night so he can be careful to do everything written within it which will bring him prosperity and success through leading people in the way of God.
We can read these words with a twinge of jealousy. How much would we all desire God to speak so directly, so clearly and so preciously to us? The reality is, however, that we have a whole book of the greatest love story ever written, written for us and able to be meditated on by us day and night.
As Joshua was given the task to lead and the promise that God would be with him, so to are the disciples in Jesus’ Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) As disciples of Jesus, this commission continues with us today. As Jesus’ disciples, we are called to reach out, nurture faith, baptize, serve, pray, heal, and love, with the promise that He will be with us always.
We are all beloved, commanded and joined together in our great commission to the world and the church. So, as Joshua did, let’s take courage in the growth of the church and meditate on his word day and night, treating it as the true gift it is.
Beth Keenan
This Sunday
This week we consider God’s encouragement to Joshua to be strong and courageous. It is also the baptism of Billy Adams-Truman and as it is Half Term an All Age service.
New Notices:
Ascension Day Service, 12noon, Thursday 29th May
Ascension day is when we celebrate Jesus leaving earth 40 days after his resurrection and going to sit at God’s right hand to rule. We will be holding a special 12noon Holy Communion service in St. Luke’s after Cafe4All – All are welcome.
Ascension Day also marks the beginning of Thy Kingdom Come ten days of prayer. Why not give one or more of our daily prayer meetings during this period where we will be using the Thy Kingdom Come materials?
Beth’s Ordination as Priest
Beth will be being ordained as Priest at Canterbury Cathedral on Saturday 28th June at 2:30pm. More details to follow…
Reminders:
APCM and PCC membership
Our Annual Church meeting (APCM) will be on Thursday 22nd May at 7:30pm in the Church Hall. Available in paper format at the meeting or on the website are: agenda, minutes from 2024 APCM, annual report for 2024, nomination forms for PCC members (3 spaces), Deanery Synod reps (2 or 3 spaces) and church wardens (2 spaces). Do consider standing for these positions or encouraging others to do so.
Planned Giving Review
Last week we launched our annual ‘Planned Giving Review’. This will climax with a Gift Day on Pentecost Sunday, 8th June. We are asking people to consider how much they can give to financially support the church as well as how they might be able to offer practical support and help with Vision 2030.
Please check the back of the church and take the envelope with your name on it, if you have not already done so. (If there is not an envelope with your name take one of the spare ones.)
Joint Pentecost Service, 8th June, 6pm
Churches Together in Ramsgate invite you to celebrate Pentecost. An evening of worship, prayer, teaching and fellowship. All welcome (including families, children and youth.
The event will take place at Royal Harbour Academy (CT12 6FA) on Sunday 8th June at 6pm.
An Update about Youth Hangout and Youth Work
We’ve had a meeting to discuss on how to go forward with providing a safe place for the youth of our church and local community. We’ve considered what worked and what didn’t and feel the way forward is to change the day and time to an evening session. This will include Biblical teaching through activities and games, an easy meal to share together and a big game at the end.
In order to help this vision to take place we are asking if anyone with a passion to engage and explore helping with this initiative to speak to Tonya Curry, Tina Gilham, Paul Worledge or Beth Patterson as soon as possible. We are praying for at least 6 extra volunteers so a rota could be set in place.
Young Voices Questionnaire
If you are aged 11 to 24 or know someone who is, then do encourage them to fill out the Canterbury Diocese Youth Council questionnaire which focuses on mental health. These snapshot questionnaires are an opportunity to hear the voices of young people from across our diocese. It closes on 23 May.
Youthscape Launchpad Diocesan Event
6:30-9:00pm on Monday 2nd June at St. Laurence church in Ramsgate. Led by Bp Rose Hudson-Wilkin, with Jen Tobin the Diocesan Lead Officer for Children & Young People’s Work and Launchpad Youth Scape Representatives. This is an intergenerational event for young people 11 years old and upwards and those helping to lead young people’s work. See Tonya Curry if you are interested in going as part of a group from St. Luke’s.
New Ladies Group
We would love to start a “Share and Care” group where we can get to know each other better and support and encourage one another.
To get the ball rolling we would like to invite you to a coffee and cake morning at Hazel’s (15 St. Augustine’s Park, Ramsgate CT11 0DE) on Saturday 24th May at 10.30 till 12.00 so that we can throw some ideas around. All ladies welcome.
Please let one of us know if you can come (to help us gauge catering) and if you need a lift or if you cannot make it bur would like to be part of future events: Hazel Kenney (07887863176), Lesley Turner (07896634090), Brenda Clarke (07508174251).
Sponsorship Request
Cyra McWilliams, one of our newer members, is doing a walk 100 miles in May 2025 to raise money for Young Lives vs. Cancer. Click here to support her.
Links to Share:
This week a focus on resources that you may want to use during the Thy Kingdom Come season between Ascension Day (29th May) and Pentecost (8th June)
Abuse in Church
This latest Cambridge Paper, written by David McIlroy, focuses on a challenging and important topic: ‘Abuse within evangelical churches and organisations: Addressing the vulnerabilities’. Read more…
New Worship Song – This is the Day
On a lighter note, here is a video of one of a set of new songs commissioned by the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity. Watch…
Finally, let’s be courageous, knowing that God is with us.
Yours in Christ
Paul Worledge
(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)
Weekly Calendar
Sunday 25th – Sixth Sunday of Easter
All Age Baptism Service (St. Luke’s Church), Joshua 1:1-9, 11:00am
Spring Bank Holiday Monday 26th
No Prayer meeting
Tuesday 27th
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 28th
Study Group (Langdale Avenue) – 10:00-12:00 noon
Study Group (South Eastern Road) – 7:30-9:30pm
Thursday 29th – Ascension Day
Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Cafe4All (St. Luke’s Church), Coffee and Chat for all – 10:00-11:30am
Ascension Day Holy Communion Service (St. Luke’s Church, 12noon)
Friday 30th
Play and Praise (St. Luke’s Church Hall) – 10:00-11:30am
Saturday 31st
Daily Prayer (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
New Ladies Group (St. Augustine’s Park) – 10:30am-12 noon
Sunday 1st June – Seventh Sunday of Easter
Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), 2 Kings 6:8-23, 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.lease 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 