“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it;”

(Psalm 24:1)

This week, the sections of the email are:

• Opening reflection: Harvest.
• This Sunday: Luke 16:1-13
• Key notices: Harvest Service, Myriad Taster Event
• Coming Up: The Birth of St. George’s, Men’s Night, Male Voice Choir Cancelled
• From the Wider Church: Baby loss support service, ACTS quiz evening
• Interesting Blogs: The lies being fed to us; There’s going to be less clergy.
• Weekly Calendar
• Online Forms

Scroll on…

Opening Reflection

Harvest is a time to give thanks. We take for granted the food that is so readily available in our shops or that is delivered to our door, but it is good to take a moment to reflect on all that goes into ensuring that we can have food on our table.

There is a long chain of people involved in ensuring food sits on the shelves. There are those who work in the shops, the people who transport the food, the people who work to prepare, cook and package the food ready for the supermarket and of course at the start of the chain, the farmers who grow the ingredients from which the food is made. We ought to take a moment to acknowledge and be thankful for all those involved in this chain which is essential to our survival and wellbeing.

Additionally, in a world that is becoming increasingly nationalistic, it is important to acknowledge the international nature of our food sources. Although, much of what we eat is grown in this country, there is much that is not. Chocolate, coffee, tea, most spices and a lot of our fruit all have to be sourced from abroad.  We rely on the global nature of our world more than we often like to admit. So, this harvest let’s give thanks for all those around the world who enable us to enjoy the food we do.

Finally, let us remember the ultimate source of our food. The verse above reminds us that everything in the earth belongs to God, he is the creator and source of all things. Ultimately, he is the one who provides the food we enjoy, so it is only right that we stop to thank him, too! So, this Sunday, join us for our Harvest service, so that we can give thanks together!

Paul Worledge

This Sunday

Harvest – Sowing for Growth (Luke 8:1-15)

This week is Harvest. We will be having an All Age service, although Sparklers will still be running. During the service we will be collecting non-perishable food for the local food bank and donations towards the work of Mercy Ships. See more information below.

Key Notices:

Harvest Service – Sunday 28^th September

We will be having a financial collection for this year’s chosen charity: Mercy Ships. Mercy Ships operates two hospital ships that visit various ports in sub-Saharan Africa. As well as completing thousands of urgent operations onboard the floating hospitals, the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy, Mercy Ships volunteers also work closely with host nations to improve the way healthcare is delivered across the country, by training and mentoring local medical staff, and renovating hospitals and clinics. Please consider giving generously to their work and enabling those in countries with no affordable healthcare to receive the kind of treatment we have come to expect in our country. You can read more about the remarkable history of Mercy Ships here….

If you aren’t able to attend the service or prefer to give by bank transfer, then please donate using: PCC of St Lukes Parish Ramsgate / 40-52-40 / 00015701 / Ref.: ‘Harvest2025’

Also, please bring non-perishable food to offer at the Harvest Service on 28^th September to support the local food bank at the Salvation Army.

Myriad Taster Event

Part of our Vision 2030 is to create new worshipping communities. One way that could happen is through the support of Myriad, which trains small teams of lay people to start small new worshipping communities. If you are interested in finding more about this, then there will be an online taster event for Myriad in Canterbury on either Thursday 25^th September or Tuesday 30^th September from 7:30-8:30pm. Please contact Paul if you are interested. Why not also sign up to help develop this part of our vision on the New Worshipping Communities workstream. Go to form.

Coming Up:

The Birth of St. George’s – Saturday 4^th October, 3pm

A great chance to learn more about both the history of the town or church. An illustrated talk by Margaret Bolton looking at how Ramsgate developed up to the Regency period and what prompted people to build a church. Why did they call it St George’s? Where did the money come from? Why was it designed to look as it did? Who worked on the project? How has it changed since?

Tickets are £5 on the door or in advance from the website. All proceeds to the St. George’s Restoration Fund. Fliers available at the back of church.

Men’s Night – Thursday 9^th October

The next event is the Pool Challenge at the Frames Snooker Club on Thursday, 9 October.

Thanet Male Voice Choir – Saturday 11^th October, 7:30pm

This concert has been cancelled due to lack of ticket sales.

From the Wider Church:

Baby Loss Support Service

Canterbury Cathedral 11am, 4/10/25

This service is for anyone who has either personally lost a baby at any stage of pregnancy, at birth, or in early years, or who has been affected by family members’ or friends’ loss. Whether the loss was recent or 80 years ago, everyone is welcome to attend. We have also extended the services, and gladly welcome anyone who is grieving the fact that they haven’t had children. This may be due to circumstance, infertility, or for other reasons – but all are welcome. Babies and children are also invited to come with their families, as the Saying Goodbye service is truly a family event for all. Find out more…

ACTS Fundraiser Quiz Evening

Friday 3^rd October, 6:30 for 7pm start at St. Philips Church Palm Bay

£5 per person, you need to book a ticket. For more information see poster.

Interesting Blogs to Share:

The lies being fed to us…

In this 20 minor video, Glen Scrivener gives a powerful analysis of how the internet is leading us into rage. What is the antidote? Church. Watch the video…

There’s going to be less clergy

In this article by Ian Paul, he reflects on the implications of the latest figures on the age of clergy. At present 47.5% of paid clergy are 55 or over. That means an optimistic projection of a national drop from around 7,000 to 5,000 in the next 10 years. So what are the implications? Read the article…

Weekly Calendar

Sunday 28^th September – Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity

Harvest Service (St. Luke’s Church), Luke 8:1-15, 11:00am-12:00pm

Monday 29^th

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

The Bible Course (St. Luke’s Hall) – 7:30-9:00pm

Tuesday 30^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

Thursday 2^nd October

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

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

The Bible Course (St. Luke’s Church) – 11:30am-1:00pm

Friday 3^rd

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

Saturday 4^th

Churches Together in Ramsgate Prayer Breakfast – 9:00-10:00am

The Birth of St. George’s (St. George’s Church) – 3:00-5:00pm

Sunday 5^th – Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

Family Service (St. Luke’s Church), Luke 16:19-31, 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.

Finally, let’s keep thanking God for all his goodness to us.

Yours in Christ

Paul Worledge

(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)