| This Sunday 20th September 2020 Online: YouTube (from 6am Sunday) In-Person: Sunday 9:30am and 11:00am On Zoom : Sunday 11:30am or 12:30pm Jesus said: "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:20) There has been a lot of discussion about the 'Rule of Six' in the last couple of weeks. Only six people are allowed to gather socially. Of course there are many exceptions to this and church services on Sunday are one of them! The verse quoted above, however, reminds us of the rule of two or three. Firstly, even the smallest of Christian gatherings have the presence of Jesus with them. In that way they have a power and authority beyond even the largest of non-Christian gatherings! Secondly, the verse reminds us that Christianity is not a private or individual affair. Jesus comes with us in community and we cannot just go it alone, we need to continue to connect and engage with other Christians and preferably others outside our household. That is a real challenge at present, but with all the restrictions on meeting with others let's seek God's help to keep connected with at least a few other Christians in whatever way we can - whether by phone, meeting one to one, on Zoom or in in-person church services. This week we will be having Holy Communion at our two in-person church services for the first time since Lockdown. Only the bread is allowed to be distributed at this time, but hopefully it will be an encouragement. Please read on... We want to know what you think God is doing / saying at present... Information about our Annual Meeting... Ideas for teaching children at home... We want to know what you think God is doing / saying at present... Canterbury Diocese is engaging in a conversation over the next few weeks to discern what we think God is doing at present, what we can learn from it and how we might need to respond as a church. There are three questions for us to think, pray about and respond to: What are we noticing of God's movement at this difficult time? What are we learning as we reflect on how God seems to be moving? What might we let go of or allow to die so that we may enter a new future with God? Please reflect and pray on these questions over the next few days. Do not worry too much about understanding the questions - it's not a school test, but a prompt to reflect on what is going on at the moment in a Christian way. We are hoping that people might offer an initial response by Monday (September 21st). You can use this form to submit your answers. You may also like to ask any children what they think and do a separate submission for them. It will be really interesting to hear the responses and hopefully I can offer a summary of responses next week. Prayer Requests: Be assured I will do my best to check that people are happy for the requests to be shared before including them. Please pray for: Students starting or going back to university: Tobi Lekan going to Surrey to study Chemical Engineering, Jonah Worledge to Southampton to study Astronautical and Aeronautical Engineering, Emily Harley starting to study Special Educational needs and Inclusivity at Christ Church, Canterbury, Ross Worledge is going to work for a year in Birmingham before his final year and Greg McMillan is returning to Loughborough University for his third year of a four year Product Design Engineering course. Beth Patterson and family after the death of her mum. The funeral is this Thursday. Hazel Kenney's family after the death of her dad on Saturday morning. Lizzie (a friend of Willow Whybrow and Barbara Kail) recently diagnosed with cancer and having an operation soon. June Warren and family after the death of Gordon Warren. Those struggling with deteriorating joints, especially those who are having to wait longer than normal because of the present crisis. Joy Smithers to be able to accept her situation. Although she is now at home she can't move around without help. Boiler Refurbishment: Thanks be to God that this was completed this week! You can see the before and after pictures above. If you would like to donate to the cost of this project, which will help welcome people into a warm church by donating to this project then please use our online donation page and state clearly that the money is for the church heating. We still need £3,500 to cover the costs. Annual Meeting, 7:30pm 1st October: We are hoping to run this both in church and on Zoom simultaneously if the legislation at the time allows. It will be a great opportunity to gather together, give thanks for what God has been doing amongst us, reflect on our response so far to Covid-19 and think about how we are going to move through and beyond the Pandemic. This is an important moment for the church so it would be good to have a really positive engagement from as many as possible as a way of showing that we care what happens to our church family of St. Luke's. We will also be electing various members on to the PCC, an important body of people chosen to care for the direction, finances and buildings of our church family: 2 Church Wardens (who are elected for one year at a time. In this case it will be six months, as our next Annual Meeting will be in April! Sadly, Andrew McMillan who has been Church Warden for six years is not allowed to stand this year as six years is the limit!) 6 spaces on the PCC are up for election due to a combination of 4 vacancies and 2 people who have been on for three years who will need to be re-elected to remain on the PCC. 2 Deanery Synod representatives. These are elected for a three year term and all Deanery Synod representatives need to be re-elected this year for the next three years. Their role is to represent St. Luke's in the wider Church of England and they vote for others to represent our area on Diocesan and General (i.e. national) Synods. Do please contact me if you are interested in standing for any of these roles. You can access role descriptions and an online nomination form here . You can also read the Annual Report for 2019 here . Last Week's Talk - Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:10-14) is available online as a video, podcast or transcript. Ideas for teaching children at home... Faith in Kids - Provides great resources for use at home with your children. This page shows 8 videos of Bible teaching, each a few minutes long with linked activity ideas and sheets attached. Why not think about using this at home with your children - especially while we work at seeing when we can restart Sunday Club at church? If you are interested in helping to restart our children and youth work, then please fill in this online form . Do keep in touch and connected with one another. Remember where two or three are gathered in Jesus' name.... Yours in Christ, Paul Worledge Vicar, St. Luke's Ramsgate www.stlukesramsgate.org |
This Sunday
20th September 2020
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Jesus said: "For where two or three come together in my name,
there am I with them."
(Matthew 18:20)
| |
There has been a lot of discussion about the 'Rule of Six' in the last couple of weeks. Only six people are allowed to gather socially. Of course there are many exceptions to this and church services on Sunday are one of them!
The verse quoted above, however, reminds us of the rule of two or three. Firstly, even the smallest of Christian gatherings have the presence of Jesus with them. In that way they have a power and authority beyond even the largest of non-Christian gatherings!
Secondly, the verse reminds us that Christianity is not a private or individual affair. Jesus comes with us in community and we cannot just go it alone, we need to continue to connect and engage with other Christians and preferably others outside our household. That is a real challenge at present, but with all the restrictions on meeting with others let's seek God's help to keep connected with at least a few other Christians in whatever way we can - whether by phone, meeting one to one, on Zoom or in in-person church services.
This week we will be having Holy Communion at our two in-person church services for the first time since Lockdown. Only the bread is allowed to be distributed at this time, but hopefully it will be an encouragement.
Please read on...
- We want to know what you think God is doing / saying at present...
- Information about our Annual Meeting...
- Ideas for teaching children at home...
| |
We want to know what you think God is doing / saying at present... Canterbury Diocese is engaging in a conversation over the next few weeks to discern what we think God is doing at present, what we can learn from it and how we might need to respond as a church.
There are three questions for us to think, pray about and respond to:
- What are we noticing of God's movement at this difficult time?
- What are we learning as we reflect on how God seems to be moving?
- What might we let go of or allow to die so that we may enter a new future with God?
Please reflect and pray on these questions over the next few days. Do not worry too much about understanding the questions - it's not a school test, but a prompt to reflect on what is going on at the moment in a Christian way.
We are hoping that people might offer an initial response by Monday (September 21st). You can use this form to submit your answers. You may also like to ask any children what they think and do a separate submission for them. It will be really interesting to hear the responses and hopefully I can offer a summary of responses next week.
Prayer Requests:
Be assured I will do my best to check that people are happy for the requests to be shared before including them. Please pray for:
- Students starting or going back to university: Tobi Lekan going to Surrey to study Chemical Engineering, Jonah Worledge to Southampton to study Astronautical and Aeronautical Engineering, Emily Harley starting to study Special Educational needs and Inclusivity at Christ Church, Canterbury, Ross Worledge is going to work for a year in Birmingham before his final year and Greg McMillan is returning to Loughborough University for his third year of a four year Product Design Engineering course.
- Beth Patterson and family after the death of her mum. The funeral is this Thursday.
- Hazel Kenney's family after the death of her dad on Saturday morning.
- Lizzie (a friend of Willow Whybrow and Barbara Kail) recently diagnosed with cancer and having an operation soon.
- June Warren and family after the death of Gordon Warren.
- Those struggling with deteriorating joints, especially those who are having to wait longer than normal because of the present crisis.
- Joy Smithers to be able to accept her situation. Although she is now at home she can't move around without help.
| |
Boiler Refurbishment: Thanks be to God that this was completed this week! You can see the before and after pictures above. If you would like to donate to the cost of this project, which will help welcome people into a warm church by donating to this project then please use our online donation page and state clearly that the money is for the church heating. We still need £3,500 to cover the costs.
Annual Meeting, 7:30pm 1st October: We are hoping to run this both in church and on Zoom simultaneously if the legislation at the time allows. It will be a great opportunity to gather together, give thanks for what God has been doing amongst us, reflect on our response so far to Covid-19 and think about how we are going to move through and beyond the Pandemic. This is an important moment for the church so it would be good to have a really positive engagement from as many as possible as a way of showing that we care what happens to our church family of St. Luke's.
We will also be electing various members on to the PCC, an important body of people chosen to care for the direction, finances and buildings of our church family:
- 2 Church Wardens (who are elected for one year at a time. In this case it will be six months, as our next Annual Meeting will be in April! Sadly, Andrew McMillan who has been Church Warden for six years is not allowed to stand this year as six years is the limit!)
- 6 spaces on the PCC are up for election due to a combination of 4 vacancies and 2 people who have been on for three years who will need to be re-elected to remain on the PCC.
- 2 Deanery Synod representatives. These are elected for a three year term and all Deanery Synod representatives need to be re-elected this year for the next three years. Their role is to represent St. Luke's in the wider Church of England and they vote for others to represent our area on Diocesan and General (i.e. national) Synods.
Do please contact me if you are interested in standing for any of these roles. You can access role descriptions and an online nomination form here.
You can also read the Annual Report for 2019 here.
| |
Last Week's Talk - Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:10-14) is available online as a video, podcast or transcript.
Ideas for teaching children at home...
Faith in Kids - Provides great resources for use at home with your children. This page shows 8 videos of Bible teaching, each a few minutes long with linked activity ideas and sheets attached. Why not think about using this at home with your children - especially while we work at seeing when we can restart Sunday Club at church?
If you are interested in helping to restart our children and youth work, then please fill in this online form.
| |
Do keep in touch and connected with one another. Remember where two or three are gathered in Jesus' name....
Yours in Christ,
Paul Worledge
Vicar, St. Luke's Ramsgate
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