“So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.”

(Hebrews 3:19)

This week, the sections of the email are:

• Opening reflection: Faith
• This Sunday: Livestream link and details
• Key notices: 2025 Annual Report, Changes to Livestream
• Coming Up: Dare to Pray (this Saturday), Men’s Group (this Saturday), Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Churches Together in Ramsgate  United Service, Confirmation Service
• Interesting Blogs: Six Things Younger Generations are looking for…
• Weekly Calendar
• Online Forms: Event application, Submit a notice, maintenance report, access Safeguarding training

Scroll on…

Opening Reflection

What is faith? Does it matter? We often talk about faith in fairly vague terms. To say someone, “has faith” is often a way of saying they are a Christian or at least a member of a religion. But faith as an idea is not a purely religious word. It has a concrete meaning in day to day life. For example, I will only board a plane because I have faith that it will fly me safely to my destination, even though it is hard to imagine or understand how a big lump of metal can fly! We need faith in something or someone before we will rely on it or them.

Israel were travelling with God. They had embraced the religious dimensions of their relationship with God in the setting up of the Tabernacle, which now stood in the middle of the camp. But was their faith strong enough for them to rely on God to do what seemed impossible?

When they reached the edge of Canaan, the land God had promised to give them, they sent in twelve spies. On their return all twelve agreed this was a land that lived up to the hype. What they did not agree on was whether they were able to conquer it. Ten emphasised the impossibility of the challenge, the size and ferocity of the present inhabitants. In contrast, the other two emphasised that God could do what he promised. Ten did not truly rely on God, they did not believe his promises, whilst the other two did. Unfortunately, the people were swayed by the ten and so because of their unbelief they did not enter the promised land. The nation had to wait for the next generation who did have the faith to rely on God in the face of impossible seeming challenges.

So, what kind of faith do you have? Is it a simple interest in religious activity and comfort. Or do you truly rely on God, for your eternal salvation?

Paul Worledge

This Sunday

Grumbles about Plans (Numbers 13-14)

Join us this Sunday for our monthly communion service, when we will be discovering why Israel failed to rely on God and receive his promised blessing. There will be all the normal young people’s groups.

Key Notices:

2025 Annual Report

If you run any group or team in the church, then it would be great if you could submit a short report about what the group or team has been up to in 2025 to be included in our annual report. Please submit reports to me (preferably by email) by the end of January.

Changes to Livestream

From this Sunday we are introducing a more cautious approach to our livestream. This is to avoid sharing images of children or sensitive information.  For the ‘Birthday Slot’, the sound and video will be replaced with a still image and during the childrens’ songs and the distribution of communion, the sound will remain, but the Livestream will only broadcast what is displayed on the main screen. People standing at the lectern or in the music group will still be seen on the Livestream.

Coming Up:

Dare to Pray – This Saturday 17^th, 9:30-10:30am, St. George’s Church

We had a small but important Dare to Pray meeting in December just before the Christmas services, which, as vicar, certainly boosted me for the Christmas period. For our January meeting we are going to be praying for positive developments for our vision in 2026 and discern together what should be our verse of the year. Suggestions in advance for the verse of the year are welcome.

Men’s Group – This Saturday 17^th January

Meeting at 8:30am for breakfast at Wetherspoon’s followed by a tour of Ramsgate tunnels at 10:00am. For more information contact Bruce Stokes or grab a flier.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

This week, Monday to Thursday, 9am to 9:30am, there will be joint prayer meetings for all the Ramsgate churches at the United Church in Harbour Street. Do come along on any day you are available.

Churches Together in Ramsgate United Service – Sun. 25^th Jan., 6pm

Join Christians from all over Ramsgate for this joint service at Royal Harbour School (Upper Site, entrance off the New Haine Road). There will be activities for children organised by ACTS and a choir led by the St. Lawrence and Coastal Community choir director.

Anyone is welcome to join the choir. Just turn up at the venue at 4:30pm for a pre-service rehearsal. There’s no particular dress code and you don’t have to be a trained singer, just someone who enjoys singing.

Confirmation Service – Sat. 28^th Feb., 5pm

Please come and support candidates from St. Luke’s, St. George’s and other local churches being confirmed and baptised at St. Luke’s at the end of February. Bishop Rose will be taking the service.

Interesting Blogs to Share:

Six things the younger generations are looking for…

Reflecting on the research about the Quiet Revival James Lawrence gives 6 things that under 35s are looking for in church in this 2-minute video. Watch now…

Weekly Calendar

Sunday 18^th – Second Sunday of Epiphany

Family Communion (St. Luke’s Church) Num. 13:1-2,21-33 – 11:00am-12:00pm

Confirmation Course (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 5:00-6:30pm

Monday 19^th   

Prayer for Christian Unity (United Church, Hardres Street) – 9:00-9:30am

Confirmation Course (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 7:30-9:00pm

Tuesday 20^th 

Prayer for Christian Unity (United Church, Hardres Street) – 9:00-9:30am

Christ Church Toddlers @ St Luke’s (St. Luke’s Church Hall) – 9:30-11:30am

Wednesday 21^st  

Prayer for Christian Unity (United Church, Hardres Street) – 9:00-9:30am

Thursday 22^nd  

Prayer for Christian Unity (United Church, Hardres Street) – 9:00-9:30am

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

Friday 23^rd 

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

Saturday 24^th

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

Sunday 25^th – Third Sunday of Epiphany

Family Service (St. Luke’s Church) Numbers 17:1-11- 11:00am-12:00pm

CTiR United Service (Royal Harbour Academy, CT12 6FA) – from 6:00pm

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

Finally, let’s learn to really rely on God.

Yours in Christ

Paul Worledge

(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)