“He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”
(Luke 10:27)
This week, the sections of the email are:
- Opening reflection
- This Summer
- Key notices
- Over the summer
- Beyond the summer
- Interesting Blogs
- Prayer Requests
- Weekly Calendar
- Online Forms
Scroll on…
This is the last email until the beginning of September – so do pay close attention!
Opening Reflection
The Lion and the Mouse, The Boy Who Cried Wolf and The Tortoise and the Hare are just some of the fables attributed to Aesop, a Greek fabalist traditionally known to be a slave in ancient Greece.
As fables often have one key point, the boy who cried wolf teaches not to lie, the parables of Jesus have intrigued people to this day with how to interpret them, how deep their meaning runs, how many layers the stories have and whether they should be interpreted in multiple different ways or seen simply with one moral takeaway.
In our story of the Good Samaritan, we could see it simply, as scholar Adolf Jülicher did, as a story with the message to ‘be kind and help others whoever they are’ and nothing more. However, we could understand it on the other extreme, how St Augustine of Hippo writes about it, that it’s a parable where every element and character is symbolic, serving together as an allegory for the fall of man.
However, there’s a significant challenge here when we consider the context in which Jesus shares this story. Jewish Scholar Amy-Jill Levine suggested a more balanced approach between the two above, highlighting the importance of context in understanding parables and their nuanced meanings. Before sharing this parable Jesus is asked ‘Who is my neighbour?’ Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan. It shows kindness, compassion and neighbourly love between enemies, between people that are not similar in their beliefs, culture or location. This raises a difficult question for us today: who are the people we, both individually and collectively, would be tempted to exclude, ignore, or turn a blind eye to in their suffering, and how do we truly love our neighbour?
Beth Keenan
This Summer
Below are links to all the livestreams up to and including the 31st August 2025:
Sunday 13th July – Fourth Sunday after Trinity
Family Baptism Service – Luke 10:25-37
The normal children’s groups will be running this week.
Please also note that this Sunday is the Thanet United Prayer Meeting – 6-7:15pm, Queen’s Road Baptist
Sunday 20th July – Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Family Service – 1 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5 – see below for children’s activities.
Sunday 27th July – Sixth Sunday after Trinity
Family Service – 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13 – see below for children’s activities.
Sunday 3rd August – Seventh Sunday after Trinity
Family Baptism Service – Luke 12:13-21 – see below for children’s activities.
Sunday 10th August – Eighth Sunday after Trinity
Family Service – 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 – see below for children’s activities.
Sunday 17th August – Ninth Sunday after Trinity
Family Communion Service – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 – see below for children’s activities.
Sunday 24th August – Tenth Sunday after Trinity
Family Service – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 – see below for children’s activities.
Sunday 31st August – Eleventh Sunday after Trinity
Family Service – 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28– see below for children’s activities.
Key Notices:
Donations in Memory of Jean Hann
At Jean’s funeral £529.46 was collected from donations made in her memory. This will be shared between RNLI and The Theatre Shed, a charity to help children engage with the theatre where her grandchildren grew up.
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. This only takes 45minutes to an hour to complete. If you are involved in working with children or vulnerable adults you also need to do the Foundation Module, which takes a similar amount of time.
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@churchramsgate.org), so that we can keep records of who has done the training.
Why not find time over the summer to complete these courses and help us ensure we are a safe church for all?
Over the Summer
Children and Youth on Sundays
As we put our normal Sunday groups on hold for the summer from 20th July, Tonya is going to be leading some interactive games and teaching in the hall during our summer services. This is for our school age children. Tonya needs someone to go out with her each week. Please sign the list at the back of the church to volunteer for one or more weeks.
For pre-school children, we will provide the option of parents taking them out to the vestry with toys and activities for them or possibly using the Perry Room, with a livestream of the service playing.
Groups will return to normal on Sunday 7th September.
Dare to Pray, St. George’s, Saturdays 19th July and 16th August
It was great to have 18 people from both churches at the first of these last month. Join us as we gather to pray for our plans as we move towards Vision 2030 from 9:30-10:30am.
Ramsgate Carnival – 27th July
It’s that time of year again! Ramsgate Carnival on Sunday 27th July, which means that our Regeneration Officer, Jemima is looking for volunteers to pull the St George’s lantern and carry our flag. The route is shorter than last year so it shouldn’t be such a slog. We need a minimum of 4 pulling the lantern at any one time, but if there are more we can share the work and take turns.
We’ll be getting start time details etc shortly but last year we gathered at Government Acre at lunchtime/ early afternoon.
Please let Jemima know if you are interested by WhatsApp message or text to 07971782477.
Vicarage BBQ – 5-8pm, 27th July
If you did not make the last vicarage BBQ on 5th July and are able to come on 27th, then please sign the sheet at the back of church and come along with some meat or equivalent to be cooked.
Small Groups
If you are interested in connecting with one of our small groups over the summer, please contact:
- Monday evenings: Trevor Clarke – 07899 318952
- Tuesday afternoons: Mark Ogden – 07896 111159
- Wednesday mornings: Vanessa Shingles – 07969 207887
- Wednesday evenings: Mike Turner – 07971 601364
Beyond the Summer
Deanery Roadshow – 7pm, 3rd September, St. Luke’s Church
Everyone is welcome to hear from Diocesan Officers on various themes around the theme: The Next Steps to Growth. Refreshments from 6:30pm.
The Bible Course – Coming in September
Starting on Monday 8th September, 7:30pm in St. Luke’s Hall, we will be running The Bible Course (new edition), a great opportunity to understand how the Bible fits together as a whole. It is ideal for both those new to the faith and those who have been Christians for years. This will last for eight weeks and replace the small groups for September and October.
Ride and Stride
The annual Friends of Kent Churches ride and stride event takes place on Saturday 13th September. People can be sponsored to cycle and walk around as many churches as they can on the day. Alternatively, you can volunteer to welcome people into the church. See James Patterson for more information.
Harvest Sunday – 28th September
This week the PCC decided that this year’s Harvest Appeal will be for Mercy Ships. Mercy Ships is a pioneering international health charity. Our hospital ships bring free, life-changing surgeries to women, men and children across sub-Saharan Africa. In partnership with African nations, they train healthcare professionals, they build stronger medical services, and they fight for the health of everyone.
Kent Women’s Convention, 4th October, Canterbury
The Kent Women’s convention is to be held in Canterbury this year. 4th October, St. Mary Bredin. Tickets cost £10. See flier in church. Book early!
The Birth of St. George’s, 3pm, 4th October
Join us at St. George’s Church to hear our very own historian, Margaret Bolton, share the history of the original setting up of St. George’s church nearly 200 years ago. Tickets, £5. More information to follow.
Interesting Blogs to Share
Letter from Istanbul: How many neighbours is it possible to love?
In this 6 minute read, Becky Ruth shares her experience of living in Istanbul and the enormous pressure of immigration in Turkey as she ponders the parable of the Good Samaritan. Read more…
Line Judges replaced by robots? You cannot be serious!
In this 3 minute read, Matt Lewis bemoans the loss of line judges at Wimbledon, wondering if our humanity is being lost to technological efficiency. Read more…
Weekly Calendar through the summer
Mondays
Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Tuesdays
Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Thursdays
Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Cafe4All (St. Luke’s Church), Coffee and Chat for all – 10:00-11:30am
Sign Language Class (St. Luke’s Church) – 11:00-11:30am
Saturdays
Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
19th July and 16th August – DARE TO PRAY. Join together to pray for our plans as we move towards Vision 2030. 9:30-10:30am, St. George’s Church.
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.
Finally, let’s make sure we love whoever we come across as our neighbour!
Yours in Christ
Paul Worledge
(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)
St. Luke's Church Ramsgate 