“He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation nor will they train for war anymore.”
(Micah 4:3)
This week, the sections of the email are:
- Opening Reflection: War and Peace
- This Sunday: Hope for Peace (Micah 4:1-4)
- Key notices: Special Meeting, Cleaner Retirement, Thanet Prayer Diary
- Coming Up: Churches Together Prayer Breakfast, World War I talk, People’s Emergency Briefing, Gathering in Support of the Persecuted Church, Christmas Baroque
- Blogs to Share: Why I am not a Muslim, Beyond Christian Nationalism
- Weekly Calendar
- Online Forms: Event application, Submit a notice, maintenance report, Safeguarding
Scroll on…
Opening Reflection
This week, Donald Trump’s Republican party suffered badly in the mid-term elections, with votes for Democrats surging across the USA. Why was that? Both J. D. Vance and Donald Trump blamed the war with Iran.
It is a war that has resulted in the death of around 3,500 people, mostly Iranians. Terrible as every death is, this is small compared with other wars. The Iraq war caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands, whilst the war in Ukraine has claimed around half a million lives. This Sunday, when we remember the fallen in our own wars, we are reminded of the terrible grief that war brings. The decision to go to war should never be taken lightly.
Yet it is not the death toll that makes Americans hate the Iran War so much. Rather, it is the economic impact. The war has led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant amount of the world’s oil flowed. This has resulted in rising prices across the world – including America. War is bad not just because people die, but because it destroys prosperity.
Even the fear of war creates a strain on the economy. Our own government is grappling with the need to increase defence spending in the light of increased threats in the world, when there is no money to spare.
How much better if there was no possibility of war? People would not die needlessly, economies would not be damaged and increased resources could be put into improving our world. That is a dream that has existed for centuries and is expressed so powerfully by Isaiah in the verse above. Jesus says, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’ Let’s do our bit to pray and work for peace.
Paul Worledge
This Sunday
This Sunday is Remembrance Sunday and there will be a moment of Remembrance at the start of the service at 11am, so please arrive a few minutes early. It will be a service with all the normal children’s groups running.
Key Notices:
Special Meeting – Wednesday 18th November, St. Luke’s Church
With the creation of the new united parish of St. George, the Martyr and St. Luke’s Ramsgate, we need to have a Special Meeting. The primary aim of this meeting will be to elect members for the new PCC along with two church wardens for each church. If you were on the electoral roll for St. Luke’s or St. George’s before you will be automatically on the electoral roll for the new parish. Nomination forms to be PCC members or Church Wardens will be available at the back of each church.
We will also be reflecting on how well the 2030 vision is progressing and praying for the future.
David and Caroline Perkins, Retirement from Cleaning Role
After nearly twenty-five years of doing the cleaning in our church buildings, David and Caroline are retiring from this role this weekend. We would like to give a thank you gift for their long-term service. If you would like to contribute, please give money to Andrew McMillan of Paul Worledge as soon as possible.
Thanet Prayer Diary
Copies of this for November and December are available at the back of church or here.
Coming Up:
Churches Together Prayer Breakfast
Saturday, 9:00 to 10:00am run by the Ramsgate Pentecostal Church, meeting at Hardres Street Methodist hall.
World War I Talk
An illustrated talk by Margaret Bolton looking at the lives of some of the men who served and the town they left behind. Saturday, 7th November, 3pm, St. George’s Church. Admission £5. Proceeds to the St. George’s restoration fund. Find out more…
People’s Emergency Briefing
St. George’s are hosting a community screening of the ‘People’s Emergency Briefing’. The film will be followed by a discussion led by Climate Resilience Expert Illana Adamson to explore the issues raised for us here in Ramsgate, such as fuel poverty, food security and summer heatwaves. St. George’s Church, Saturday 7th November, 6:15pm. Free to attend. Find out more and book.
Gathering in Support of the Persecuted Church
An invitation to the Churches & Christians of Thanet to gather in support of the Persecuted Church. In partnership with Open Doors. We’ll “be inspired by stories of faith under fire” & we’ll pray. It’s on Sunday 8th November, 4pm – 5.30pm at St George’s Foundation School, Broadstairs.
Christmas Baroque
Tickets are now on sale for this year’s Ramsgate Baroque Christmas Concert, taking place on Thursday 17 December at 7 pm at St George’s Church. Tickets cost £15 and are available through St. George’s website.
Blogs to Share
Why I am not a Muslim
In this article, Andrew Bannister explains why after 30 years of talking to many Muslim friends and thinking deeply about Islam, he is still a Christian. Read more…
Beyond Christian Nationalism
This is an article that gives a brief introduction to a longer report on people’s views about the desired relationship between Christianity and Britishness. Read more…
Weekly Calendar
Sunday 8th November – Remembrance Sunday
Remembrance Sunday (St. Luke’s Church) Micah 4:1-4 – 10:45am-12:00pm
Monday 9th
Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Tuesday 10th
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
Wednesday 11th
Gardening Group (St. Luke’s Church) – 10:30am-12:00pm
Thursday 12th
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 13th
Play & Praise (St. Luke’s Church Hall) – 10:00-11:30am
Saturday 14th
Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am
Sunday 15th – Second Sunday before Advent
Family Service (St. Luke’s Church) Hebrews 10:19-25 – 11:00am-12:00pm
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.
They meet at the following times:
- Monday evening (two groups)
- Tuesday afternoon
- Wednesday morning
- Wednesday evening
- Thursday morning
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.
- Reporting Form. Use this to report maintenance issues, accidents or near misses, anti-social behaviour or safeguarding concerns.
Safeguarding
Our website is now updated with the latest information about Safeguarding and links to the Diocesan form for reporting concerns and accessing training.
Training
If you volunteer in anyway at church the national authorities you should take at least the Basic Module in safeguarding training once every three years. If you hold a role connected with vulnerable adults or children and young people, then you will also need to take the Foundation Module. Once you have completed your training, please forward that certificate to James, our administrator, (office@churchramsgate.org) so that we can keep records of who has done the training.
Finally, let’s keep praying for peace,
Yours in Christ
Paul Worledge
(Vicar, St. Luke’s Ramsgate)
