"Say to daughter Zion, "See, your king comes to you gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Matthew 21:3

This Sunday is 'Palm Sunday', when we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. It is an event that on the face of it sounds uninteresting and unimportant, but for the crowds in Jerusalem at the time it was the big news of the day. Those travelling as pilgrims alongside him, saw it as Jesus going public that he was indeed the long hoped for Messiah, God's promised king. However, the people of Jerusalem themselves were shaken. "Who is this?" they asked, wondering whether Jesus might threaten the peace and stability of a city under Roman occupation.

The big news of today in contrast is about the coronavirus and its effects. People wonder how present effects might change our world. As Christians, however, the events that followed Jesus's arrival in Jerusalem have transformed and continue to effect the world in more profound and fundamental ways than even our present crisis will. 

Why not stop focussing on the bad news about 'Coronavirus' and consider instead the good news of what happened to Jesus 2,000 years ago? Especially in the week leading up to Easter. If nothing else it will give you a more healthy perspective for today!

Please read on for our plans to help you focus on the Easter story in the coming week.

Last Sunday: If you missed last weeks talk on What is God teaching us? (Exodus 16), then you can listen or watch here.

We are not allowed to have our normal Easter service this year, but it is important - perhaps more important than ever - that in the midst of the bad news about Coronavirus, we focus on the good news of what Jesus achieved that first Easter. So, here is what I hope we can do at St. Luke's.

Firstly, for families:  why not ask the children to draw a picture related to Easter. It could be to do with any part of the Easter Story: the last supper, Jesus praying in the Garden, Jesus being arrested, on trial, mocked by the guards, on the cross or the empty tomb and resurrection. If children could do the drawings during the week and if you could send a photo or scan of the pictures to me by next Thursday (9th), then we can put them on our website alongside a simple re-telling of the story for them to look through and include some of them in our Easter Day Service.

Secondly, for adults: I plan to do a series of talks, with questions to reflect on through the week leading up to Easter. There will be six talks in total and they will take us through Matthew's description of Jesus in the lead up to the cross. I will publish each one on the YouTube channel at 6am each morning and on the church website. You can watch them one a day or watch a compilation at the traditional time on Good Friday (12-3pm).

The plan is:

•  Monday: Peter - Matthew 26:31-56, 69-75
  
•  Tuesday: Caiaphas - Matthew 26:57-68
  
•  Wednesday: Judas - Matthew 27:1-10
  
•  Thursday: Pilate  - Matthew 27:11-26
  
•  Friday: The Centurion - Matthew 27:27-54
  
•  Saturday: Joseph of Arimathea - Matthew 27:55-66
  

Be assured I will do my best to check that people are happy for the requests to be shared before including them.

•  For Trevor, Hazel and family after the death of Vera Kenney and for the funeral this Thursday.
  
•  For Joy Smithers presently in hospital and infected with Covid-19, but not seriously ill and now stable. Thanks too that the wound on the leg is healing.
  
•  For Gordon Warren who will be starting Chemo-therapy this week.
  
•  For Bernard (Venna's brother) who was seriously ill with Covid-19 in hospital. Give thanks he now seems to be through the worst.
  
•  For all NHS staff  and paramedics for safety at this concerning and uncertain time.
  
• For those whose businesses and jobs have been adversely effected by the present crisis.
  
• For those parents and carers looking after children at home during these restrictive times.
  

A prayer published by the Diocese:

God of compassion,
be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation.
In their loneliness, be their consolation;
in their anxiety, be their hope;
in their darkness, be their light;
through him who suffered alone on the cross,
but reigns with you in glory,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Sunday Online: The viewing figures for last Sunday's service were similar to the previous week, which was very positive. Thank you for everyone's support for these, both by watching and contributing. Do continue to watch us: https://www.stlukesramsgate.org/ or on our YouTube channel

Volunteers to sing: I am aiming to have as many different people contributing to the online services over the weeks as possible. However, there seems to be a limited number of people to help with singing the songs. If you are up to leading the singing for one of our hymns or children's songs and I have not already asked you, then please do let me know. I can provide both words and 'backing track'.

Donations to Ramsgate Food Bank:  If you would like to donate financially to the work of the Food Bank then please donate here.

Annual Meeting: It will not surprise you to know that the Church Annual Meeting has had to be postponed. These normally have to take place before the end of April, although this year the law changed to make it the end of May. However, the time limit has now been extended to the end of October. We will set the date for the new meeting once it is clear when meetings are allowed to continue. In the meantime, all present PCC members and Church Wardens remain in post.

Pam Elmes sent in a great suggestion for people in this time when you may be looking for things to do during lockdown or looking for things for your children to do: Bible quizzes! Below is a site with lots of them. Why not test your own Bible Knowledge? Who knows, you might learn something?

See you online on Sunday!

Yours in Christ,

Paul.