“I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you.”

(Luke 2:10-11)

This week, the sections of the email are:

This email covers the next three weeks. The next email will be out for Sunday 11^th Janaury

• Opening reflection: Joy
• This Christmas: Details and livestream links for our main Christmas services and Sundays 4^th and 11^th January.
• Key notices: Collections for Tearfund, Pre-service prayer and prayer ministry, Request for mince pies.
• Coming Up: Christmas Tree Festival, Cafe4 All Christmas, Christmas Baroque, Dare to Pray, Back after Christmas, Join Up Confirmation course, Churches Together in Ramsgate  United Service
• Interesting Blogs: Grumpy Owl, Joy in the Bible, Christmas Karma
• Weekly Calendar
• Online Forms: Event application, Submit a notice, maintenance report, access Safeguarding training

Scroll on…

Opening Reflection

The theme for this year’s Christmas Publicity is ‘Joy!’ My hope and prayer for all of you reading this, is that you have a truly joyful Christmas. After all, everyone, Christian or not, believes that Christmas is a time to be happy.

Yet, joy can so easily slip away from us. The joy of giving becomes the stress of shopping; the joy of gathering slips into irritation with others and the joy of feasting dissolves into the pain of indigestion.

When our focus is on trying to make Christmas a happy time, then the pressure to be of ‘good cheer’ becomes just another cause of stress and anxiety. But when we embrace the Christian truths of the Christmas story, then we discover something that takes us above and beyond our day to day struggles and brings lasting joy to our souls.

When Jesus was born, shepherds were going about their day to day business. They no doubt had worries about the health of their family, the state of their flocks and how to pay their taxes. But suddenly an angel appeared to them with a message of good news of great joy. A Saviour was born. God was coming to help them and give them a reason for hope that would put all their other worries into perspective.

Life can be far more than worrying about possessions and politics, it can be a journey with God. A journey of transformation, hope and deep joy that lifts us beyond our immediate anxieties. The Christmas story is not meant to be a cute part of our Christmas festivities. When fully grasped it gives us joy for all of life.

Paul Worledge

This Christmas

Tree of Love Service – Saturday 20^th December, 6:30-7:30pm – Not Livestreamed

Formerly known as the ‘Service of Remembrance’. In partnership with Pilgrims Hospices. A chance to remember and give thanks for the lives of loved ones whom we will be missing this Christmas.

Family Carol Service – Sunday 21^st December, 11am

Join us for carols and Christmas readings and reflections, ideal for all the family.

Crib Service – Christmas Eve, 4:00pm – Not Livestreamed

Join in recreating the Christmas Story for young children.

Traditional Carol Service – Christmas Eve, 6:30pm

9 lessons and Carols by candlelight, not suitable for young children.

All Age Service and Communion – Christmas Day, 11am

An informal Christmas Day celebration for all ages.

Sunday 28^th December – Saved from Oppression (Matthew 2:13-23)

Join us for an All Age service as we discover what happened to Jesus’ family and the wise men after they delivered their gifts.

Sunday 4^th January – Setting out with God (Numbers 10:11-36)

Join us for our first Sunday service of the year, as we begin a series on Israel’s journey through the wilderness. All our normal children’s groups will be running this week.

Key Notices:

Collections for Tearfund

At the two Christmas Carol Service at St. Luke’s there will be collections for the work of Tearfund. Tearfund works with local churches and organisations in more than 50 countries to tackle the complex challenges of poverty. Find our more…

Pre-Service Prayer and Prayer Ministry

We are happy to announce that we will be having pre-service prayer this Sunday 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.

Request for Mince Pies

As is traditional we love to serve mince pies at our Christmas services. We will need some for the service on Saturday 20^th onwards. If you can donate a box or two, then please bring some at the start of one of the services or drop off at Café 4 All.

Coming Up:

Christmas Tree Festival at St. George’s, 2-5pm

Running from Friday 12^th December to Sunday 21^st. Come and view the beautiful Christmas Tree festival inside St. George’s church

Christmas Baroque at St. George’s – Tonight , 7pm

Tickets £15 on the door.

Dare to Pray – This Saturday 20^th, 9:30-10:30am

There are lots of events happening over Christmas and it is a great opportunity to welcome more people into our churches to hear the good news about Jesus. But we need to pray for God to work. So please join us at our monthly Dare to Pray meeting at St. George’s church this Saturday.

Back after Christmas

• Daily Prayer restarts on Monday 5^th January
• Cafe4All will then be closed for two weeks and re-open on 8^th January.
• Play and Praise restarts on 9^th January
• Community Meal restarts on 13^th January

Join Up Confirmation Courses

We will be hosting a Confirmation Service at St. Luke’s on 28^th February 2025. Paul will be running a course called, Join Up, from 8^th and 12^th January, which is both a follow up to Christianity Explored and a preparation for Confirmation. If you have not been baptised or confirmed or are just interested in taking part in the course, then please talk to Paul.

Churches Together in Ramsgate United Service

After the success of the united service at Pentecost last May, we are planning another united service at the Royal Harbour School, for Sunday January 28^th at 6pm. This will be more traditional in style and there will be a joint choir for the event. If anyone would like to be part of the choir, please let Paul know.

Interesting Blogs to Share:

The Grumpy Old Owl and the Joy of Christmas

Check out this video for children from the Church of England, exploring the Nativity. Watch Video…

Joy in the Bible

This is a fast paced look at the theme of joy running through the whole Bible. All done in under 5 minutes! Watch the Video…

Christmas Karma

In this article by Graham Tomlin, we discover why the title to one of the latest Christmas movies, does not make sense. Read more (5 mins.)

Christmas Calendar

Sunday 21^st December – Fourth Sunday in Advent

Family Carol Service (St. Luke’s Church) Matt. 1:18-24 – 11:00am-12:00pm

Carol Service (St. George’s Church) – 5:30-6:30pm

Wednesday 24^th

Crib Service (St. Luke’s Church) – 4:00-5:00pm

Traditional Carol Service (St. Luke’s Church) – 6:30-7:30pm

Midnight Service (St. George’s Church) – 11:30pm

Thursday 25^th

Family Communion Service (St. Luke’s Church) – 11:00am-12:00pm

Sunday 28^th – First Sunday of Christmas

Family Service (St. Luke’s Church) Matt. 2:13-23 – 11:00am-12:00pm

Sunday 4^th January – Second Sunday of Christmas

Family Service (St. Luke’s Church) Num. 10:11-36 – 11:00am-12:00pm

Monday 5^th

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

Tuesday 6^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 8^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

Friday 9^th

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

Saturday 10^th

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

Sunday 11^th – First Sunday of Epiphany

Family Service (St. Luke’s Church) Num. 11:4-6,16-34 – 11:00am-12:00pm

Confirmation Course (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, have a really joyful Christmas.

Yours in Christ

Paul Worledge

(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)