“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

(Matthew 24:42)

This week, the sections of the email are:

• Opening reflection: Advent – “Am I using the gifts and talents God gave me as I should?”
• This Sunday: Use your gifts (Matthew 25:14-30)
• Key notices: Christmas Publicity, Pre-service prayer and prayer ministry, Generous Giving Sunday response, Christmas Unwrapped
• Coming Up: Churches Together Prayer Breakfast, Meal and Magic Evening, Sunday Club Christmas Party, Carol Singing at Care Homes, Women’s Share & Care Group Get Together, Christmas Baroque, Christmas Services
• From the Wider Church: Safe Family Events
• Interesting Blogs: What’s the role of the Bible and Mission, Don’t mix children and AI
• Weekly Calendar
• Online Forms: Event application, Submit a notice, maintenance report, access Safeguarding training

Scroll on…

Opening Reflection

Last week we saw that Advent is a season for making sure we are ready. Not just to celebrate Jesus’ first coming at Christmas, but more importantly to be ready for when he returns again to bring both judgement and a new heaven and new earth. During this time we are encouraged to think about whether we are living lives that will please Jesus he returns. One of the questions I said we need to consider is: “Am I using the gifts and talents God gave me as I should?”

It is not a question about whether I am doing or giving more than others. All of us have different gifts, strengths, energy levels and wealth. Neither is it a question about whether I should be doing the same as others. We all have different callings or vocations in this life. Rather, it is a question about whether I am making the most of what I have to offer in the vocation I am called to, so that I do the good works God wants me to do.

The good works will include doing my job, whether paid, voluntary or family care in the best way I can and to glorify God. It will also include the part we play in the life of the church, both in the support we give in serving the church family, but also in giving financially out of the resources God has already given us. At times in our life we will be able to do and give more to the church, at other times other important responsibilities will limit what we can do. Advent gives us a chance to review whether we have the balance right at this stage of our life, given the skills, energy, wealth and gifts we have.

The ultimate aim is to be ready for Christ’s return. I want to be able to look forward to the day when Jesus will look at what I have done for him and hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21,23)

Paul Worledge

This Sunday (30th November)

Use your gifts (Matthew 25:14-30)

This Sunday we welcome the family and godparents of Eloise for her baptism. There will be the normal praise, prayer and teaching and all the children’s groups will be running.

Key Notices:

Christmas Publicity

The Christmas publicity is now ready to deliver. If you can deliver to one or more roads, please grab enough leaflets from the pile at the back of St. Luke’s, check the roads are not already taken on the maps, then cross out the road(s) so that others do not deliver there. It would be great to cover as many roads as possible.

Pre-Service Prayer and Prayer Ministry

We are happy to announce that we will be starting pre-service prayer this Sunday 7th December at 10.30 am. This is open to all.

After the service there will be opportunity for anyone in the congregation to receive prayer from our newly formed prayer ministry team.

Generous Giving Sunday – Response so far…

Thank you to all those who have responded to the Generous Giving Sunday appeal. The projected deficit for St. Luke’s this year is around £22,000. Of the responses so far, we have received nearly £2,000 in one -off gifts to help us cover this year and a few have increased their regular giving to help us with the future. However, as one or two have had to decrease their giving, the overall level is going down for next year. Please consider responding asap if you have not already done so. Response forms can be returned in one of the envelopes addressed to Nicky Galer, our treasurer, available at the back of church or by emailing her on treasurer@stlukesramsgate.org.

Christmas Unwrapped – This Wednesday

Thank you to all those who helped with Christmas Unwrapped at the church on Wednesday morning. We had nearly 80 year 6 pupils from St. Lawrence College and Newlands come and learn more about the true meaning of Christmas. See the decorated biscuits the children did: St. Lawrence College, Newlands School

Coming Up:

Churches Together Prayer Breakfast, Saturday, 9-10am

Join Christians from all over Ramsgate for the monthly prayer breakfast. This month it is at Newington Free church.

Meal and Magic Evening, Saturday 6^th December, 7:00pm

The Men’s group will be hosting this fantastic event at St. Luke’s Hall. It will include a hot meal, a quiz and magic from Colin Hoult. This is open to everyone: children go free, adults only £5. For more information or to buy a ticket see Bruce (07708 682464, bruce.stokes@btinternet.com ) or Peter Erlam.

Sunday Club Christmas Party – Sunday 7^th December

We would like to invite all Sunday school aged children to a Christmas Party on the 7^th December at 12.30 (after church). There will be fun games and activities as well as party food and maybe a seasonal visitor. If you can help decorate the hall in preparation on Saturday 6^th from 1-3pm, then please let Tonya know. Also, let Tonya know if you can offer to provide some food.

Carol Singing at Care Homes

We are planning to go into a couple of local care homes to sing some Christmas Carols for the residents. If you can join us for these events, then please let Paul know:

                Keele House, 2:30pm on Wednesday 10^th December

                Ramsgate Care Centre, 2:30pm on Monday 15^th December

Women’s Share & Care Group Get Together

Evening get-together for women on Friday 12th December at 92, South Eastern Road, Ramsgate CT11 9QD. 7pm to 9pm-ish. Drinks, nibbles and maybe a festive quiz or two! Please speak to Lesley or Willow.

Christmas Baroque at St. George’s – 18^th December, 7pm

The Baroque Collective warmly invites you to the fifth annual Christmas Baroque Concert at St George’s on 18 December at 7pm. Tickets: £13 in advance, £15 on the door; free admission for children under 16. Find out more and buy tickets.

Christmas Services:

For more information see the fliers or website.

• Carol Services (Sailors’ Church, Harbour), Friday 19th, 3pm and 5pm
• Tree of Love Service (St. Luke’s), Saturday 20th, 6:30-7:30pm
• Family Carol Service (St. Luke’s), Sunday 21st, 11:00am-12:00pm
• Carol Service (St. George’s, Church Hill), Sunday 21st, 5:30-6:30pm
• Crib Service (St. Luke’s), Christmas Eve, 4:00-5:00pm
• Traditional Carol Service (St. Luke’s), Christmas Eve, 6:30-7:30pm
• Midnight Service (St. George’s, Church Hill), Christmas Eve, 11:30pm
• All Age Service and Communion (St. Luke’s), Christmas Day, 11:00am

From the Wider Church:

Safe Family Events

Christmas Zoom, Thursday 18^th December, 12:30-1:30pm

This is a time for all our supporters in London and the South East to meet online, to share stories from this year and take part in a quiz (trivia). This will be an opportunity to meet our team and celebrate this year. Totally optional but we’d love to see you if you can make it! RSVP using this form.

Kent Celebration, Saturday 10^th January 2026, 2-4pm, St. Christopher’s Newington

Please do bring your friends and family along to our celebration of Safe Families and Home for Good in Kent. There will be fun, food and friends – lots for both children and adults to enjoy and all free! Please do pop in, we would love to see you!

RSVP using this form

Interesting Blogs to Share:

What’s the role of the Bible in Mission?

How are people finding faith through Scripture? And how can the Church host honest discussions about the Bible? The Bible Society podcast highlights why church leaders need to be confident to share the Bible’s message. Listen to the Podcast…

Don’t Mix children and AI

This is a short article lambasting allowing children to interact with AI as a fake companion. It also looks to some other articles about AI. From Jon Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation. Read article (10 mins)

Weekly Calendar

Sunday 7^th December – Second Sunday in Advent

Baptism Service (St. Luke’s Church) Matthew 25:14-30, 11:00am-12:00pm

Sunday Club Party (St. Luke’s Hall) – 12:30pm

Christianity Explored Youth (13-18s) (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 5:00-6:30pm

Monday 8^th    

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

Christianity Explored (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 7:30-9:00pm

Tuesday 9^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 11^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

Christianity Explored (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 11:30am-1:00pm

Friday 12^th

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

Saturday 13^th

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

Sunday 14^th – Third Sunday in Advent

Family Service (St. Luke’s Church) Matthew 25:31-46, 11:00am-12:00pm

Christianity Explored Youth (13-18s) (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 5:00-6:30pm

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@churchramsgate.org), so that we can keep records of who has done the training.

Finally, let’s be ready for Jesus’ return.

Yours in Christ

Paul Worledge

(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)