“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
(1 John 4:10)
This week, the sections of the email are:
- Opening Reflection: Mothering Sunday and Love
- This Sunday: Livestream Link and service information
- Key notices: Annual Parochial Church Meeting, The Great Ramsgate Spring Clean, Confidential Declaration Forms
- Coming Up: Kent’s ‘Speak theire Name” Memorial Quilt, Easter Cracked, Welcome Service for new Archbishop of Canterbury, Romp through the Old Testament
- Interesting Blogs: Story of a Church Plant, Participation and Church Planting
- Weekly Calendar
- Online Forms: Event application, Submit a notice, maintenance report, access Safeguarding training
Scroll on…
Opening Reflection
This weekend is Mothering Sunday, when we celebrate and give thanks for the love of our mothers. The relationship between a mother and her child is perhaps the strongest of all human bonds, forged as it is in nine months of pregnancy, the pain of childbirth itself and the intimate care of a newborn child. It is a relationship marked by a sacrificial gracious love.
A mother’s love is sacrificial, because the care of the child costs her personally. Not only is there a financial burden in bringing up a child, but it also requires a deep investment of emotion and time.
It is also gracious, because the love is given freely, without any expectation of payment in return. Parents give everything for their children, whilst, in their younger years at least, children offer no support or help to the running of the household. A child cannot earn its mother’s love, they receive it freely. That is grace.
Much of this mirrors God’s love for us. Out of love, he sent His Son to die for our sins and out of love he offers us the gift of forgiveness and eternal life freely. Although God is usually referred to as ‘Father’ and fathers do share in the love given to children by their mothers, there are times when God’s love is compared specifically to that of a mother. In Isaiah 49:15 and 66:13, God’s compassion and comfort for Israel is compared to that of a mother’s for her child, whilst in Matthew 23:37, Jesus compares himself with a mother hen, longing to gather her chicks under her wings.
So, let’s give thanks for our mothers and their love, whilst also remembering God’s love for us. As we do so, let’s learn to love others in the same way.
Paul Worledge
This Sunday – 8th March
This Sunday is Mothering Sunday and we will be having an All-Age service to celebrate our mothers. Linked with this, we will be looking at ‘Love’ as another characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit. Sparklers will be running as normal, but the school age children will be joining in with the rest of the service.
Key Notices:
Annual Parochial Church Meeting
This is now set for Sunday 17th May, after the Sunday service. At this meeting there will be chances to ask questions about our annual report and plans for the future as well as the election of members to the PCC, Deanery Synod and Church Warden roles. We really need to expand our team of people taking part in these roles as we develop our plans and ensure the smooth running of the church. So, please pray about whether you could serve the church in this way and play a part in shaping our future.
The Great Ramsgate Spring Clean
Check out the poster at the back of church or this link and join in with one of the 18 picks around Ramsgate to help clean up our town.
Confidential Declaration Forms
If you are serving in a role at church that requires safer recruitment, then at some point you would have had to complete a ‘Confidential Declaration Form.’ It is now required that these are completed every three years and not just when you are first recruited to these roles. So, if you are in one of these roles and have not completed one in the last three years, then please take a blank copy from the back of church and complete it (it only takes a couple of minutes) and hand it to Paul or James.
Coming Up:
Kent’s “Speak their name” Memorial Quilt
This quilt composes of 66 squares, remembering 66 lives lost to suicide. It is presently touring Kent and will be on display in St. George’s church from 18th March to 1st April, with a Connection Event on Saturday 21st March from 2 to 4pm, where you can learn more about the quilt. Find out more…
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 for this interactive workshop run by ACTS.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.
Welcome Service for new Archbishop of Canterbury
The service, led by the Bishop of Dover, will bring together individuals and church groups from across our county highlighting the rich and varied communities which we serve. This will be the main opportunity for the whole Diocese to formally welcome and show our support for our new Diocesan Bishop. Saturday 28th March, 5:30-6:30pm. Canterbury Cathedral. Click here to book a free ticket.
Romp through the Old Testament
An interactive day of exploration, new insights and fun with Rev. Dr. Sue Woan. Free! (donations welcome) Bring your own lunch – drinks provided. Saturday 18th April, 9.30am – 3.00pm. Newington Free Church, St. John’s Avenue, Ramsgate. To book a place contact Robin Plant: robin.plant@protonmail.com.
Interesting Blogs to Share:
Story of a Church Plant
In this article, Lois Tackie-Obie describes her experience of starting a new worshipping community called Well City Church in the church building of St. Michael’s in Stockwell. Read more…
Participation and Church Planting
In this article is an extract from the introduction to a new book on the theology of church planting. Read more…
Weekly Calendar
Sunday 15th March – The Fourth Sunday of Lent
Mothering Sunday (St. Luke’s Church) 1 John 4:7-12 – 11:00am-12:00pm
Confirmation Follow Up (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 5:00-6:30pm
Monday 16th
Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Confirmation Follow Up (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 7:30-9:00pm
Tuesday 17th
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 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 Follow Up (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 11:30am-1:00pm
Friday 20th
Play and Praise (St. Luke’s Hall) – 10:00-11:30am
Saturday 21st
Dare to Pray (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:30am
Speak their Name Connection Event (St George’s Church) 2:00-4:00pm
Sunday 22nd – The Fourth Sunday of Lent
Communion Service (St. Luke’s Church) Phil. 4:2-9 – 11:00am-12:00pm
Confirmation Follow Up (St Luke’s Vicarage) – 5:00-6:30pm
Life Groups
Will you dare to share the Christian life with others? Life groups are a great way to meet together regularly with a small group of other Christians, for mutual support, to share in reading God’s word and to pray for one another.
Please see Paul if you are interested in joining one. There are groups at the following times:
- Monday evenings
- Tuesday afternoons
- Wednesday mornings
- Wednesday evenings
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 keep giving thanks for the love of our mothers.
Yours in Christ
Paul Worledge
(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)
St. Luke's Church Ramsgate 
