“We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty.”
(2 Peter 1:16)
This week, the sections of the email are:
- Opening Reflection: The Transfiguration
- This Sunday: Livestream Link and service information
- Key notices: St. Luke’s 150th, Confirmation Service – Help Needed, New Welcomers
- Coming Up: Ash Wednesday Service, Thanet Churches Together Prayer Gathering, Confirmation Service, Easter Cracked
- Interesting Blogs: Ideas for Lent: Draw near to God, Go Green for Lent,
- Weekly Calendar
- Online Forms: Event application, Submit a notice, maintenance report, access Safeguarding training
Scroll on…
Opening Reflection
Could the Winter Olympics be held in Africa? The obvious response is, of course not, it is too hot. Yet, in Morrocco, in the High Atlas mountains, there is plenty of snow in the winter. So much so, that there are ski resorts there.
On our holiday in Morocco, we could see these mountains, and as all mountains there was something majestic and awesome about them. Mountains, themselves provoke feelings of awe, but in the Bible, true moments of awe often happened at the top of mountains. Most famously, in the Old Testament, Moses went up on to the top of Mount Sinai to meet with God and receive the Ten Commandments, the law for God’s people to live by. Elijah also went to meet with God on the same mountain.
In the New Testament, Jesus takes his three closest disciples up a mountain. Unlike Moses and Elijah, Jesus does not go up the mountain to meet with God, but to reveal his Divinity. At the top, the three disciples become eyewitnesses who see Jesus in his true awe-inspiring glory as he is transfigured before them. Moses and Elijah also appear not now meeting with God, but meeting with Jesus.
This was an unforgettable moment. It helped to underline to the three disciples who Jesus truly was, but also that they should take his teaching seriously. Moses went up the mountain to receive the Law, which the people of God needed to listen to, but the disciples on the mountain hear a voice telling them, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” In the Old Testament, God gave the Law through Moses, now Jesus is shown to be the true law-giver. We need to learn to listen to him and follow his teachings, because of who he is, God come to be with us.
Paul Worledge
This Sunday – 15th February
The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9)
Join us this Sunday as all ages join together for our focus on Jesus’ Transfiguration. Come and glimpse the glory of Jesus.
Key Notices:
St. Luke’s 150th
In preparation for St. Luke’s 150th later this year, we have produced a newsletter about the upcoming celebrations, and also the future plans for our two churches. Copies are available at the back of church.
Confirmation Service – Help Needed
St. Luke’s is hosting a confirmation service on Saturday 28th February 2026 at 5pm. We really need volunteers to help out in the following areas:
- Welcomers, please see James
- Music, please see Fiona
- Audiovisual, please see James
- Catering, we would love to provide refreshments for after the service – please see Paul.
New Welcomers
We have vacancies for our welcoming team on Sundays. If you are friendly who enjoys greeting people with a happy smile, then please have a chat with James about whether you could join this team.
Coming Up:
Ash Wednesday Service
Wednesday 18th February, 11am at St. George’s Church. Join us for this simple and reflective service at the start of the season of Lent.
Thanet Churches Together Prayer Gathering
Sunday 22nd February, 6:30pm, St. James’ Church, Westgate, CT9 5JU
Confirmation Service
Sat. 28th Feb., 5pm, St. Luke’s Church
Please come and support candidates from St. Luke’s, St. George’s and other local churches being confirmed and baptised at the end of February. Bishop Rose will be taking the service.
Easter Cracked
St. Luke’s will be hosting 80 Year 6 pupils from St. Lawrence College and Newlands School on the morning of Tuesday 24th March. If you can volunteer to help host and run the workshop (setting up from 9am and tidying up until about mid-day), then please let Paul know.
There is also going to be a training and resource making session for all the Easter Cracked events across Thanet on Wednesday 25th February, 12pm at St. Peter’s Baptist Church, run by Active Christianity in Thanet Schools.
Interesting Blogs to Share:
This week we offer a couple of potential resources for Lent.
Draw Near to God:
During Lent, reflections are centred around a summary of the Christian Way from Common Worship, which identifies six activities essential to our calling as disciples.
Each week a different contributor explores a different aspect of Christian discipleship – worshipping together, praying, exploring the Bible, sharing communion, offering service and sharing the good news with others.
A parallel 40-day challenge for families and children will also be available – exploring the life-giving habit of generosity in partnership with 40acts.
You can order a booklet or access the material through the EveryDay Faith app.
Go Green
Sign up for ideas to help reduce your Carbon Footprint through lent. Find out more…
Weekly Calendar
Sunday 15th – The Sunday next before Lent
All Age Service (St. Luke’s Church) Matthew 17:1-9 – 11:00am-12:00pm
Confirmation Course (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 5:00-6:30pm
Monday 16th
Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Christianity Explored (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 7:30-9:00pm
Tuesday 17th
Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Wednesday 18th
Ash Wednesday Service (St. George’s Church) – 11:00am-noon
Thursday 19th
Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Cafe4All (St. Luke’s Church), Coffee and Chat for all – 10:00-11:30am
Confirmation Course (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 11:30am-1:00pm
Saturday 21st
Dare to Pray (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:30am
Sunday 22nd – The First Sunday of Lent
All Age Service (St. Luke’s Church) Romans 5:12-19 – 11:00am-12:00pm
Confirmation Course (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 5:00-6:30pm
Churches Together Prayers (St James’ Church, Westgate) 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 set our eyes upon Jesus and his true glory…
Yours in Christ
Paul Worledge
(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)
St. Luke's Church Ramsgate 