“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

(Psalm 103:2)

This week we begin our series, “Spirituality for dark times.” Although, we are starting the series in January, when the days are still relatively short and the skies often gloomy, ‘dark times’ is meant to refer to times of difficulty or struggle that many of us are or may face. Certainly, a glance at the news suggests much to be depressed about: economic stagnation, crumbling public services, Los Angeles fires that point to the wider climate crisis, wars in Europe and the Middle East and an increasingly uncertain international order with the political rise of people like Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

In addition, many people may well have their own individual darkness. This could be due to personal circumstances causing grief, stress or anxiety or simply problems with one’s mental health. Either can feel very real.

So, how do we deal with these “dark times”? As Christians we have a distinctive perspective. We believe in a God who is both in charge of the universe in ways beyond our comprehension and yet incredibly is also totally committed to us at a deeply personal level. He is both transcendent and immanent. He created and loves the whole universe, but he also made and cares about me. And you. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, but also for my sins. Nothing can separate us from his love.

We know all this as Christians, but how can we make those great truths become effectively planted in our hearts? What turns them from mere facts into spiritual preservation of the soul? How can belief about God, be turned into a living and sustaining relationship with Him? This is the role of Christian spirituality. For us spirituality is not just a set of practices to make us feel better, but a way of renewing and deepening our faith in the God of Jesus Christ, that reorients our souls from darkness to light.

Paul Worledge

Christmas Tree Festival

The Christmas Tree festival raised over £800. Thank you to all who worked so hard to helps set it up, man the church and clear away.

Thanks too to Maxine from Ramsgate Town Council, who arranged for the trees to be taken to a local farm. The goats eat the fresh needles, play with the trees and the trunk is then used to make fencing. Check out the website post for photos…

It’s a Love Story, Concert 15^th February, 7:30pm

Love Story will be another gala fundraiser night at St George’s church, featuring Coastal Choir and guests with the St George’s Community Meal and Speak Up sharing the proceeds. Tickets £8 from Beth Paterson, Brenda Clarke or online through St. George’s website.

Happy New Year from Claire Coleman

I just wanted to send a new year message to properly thank you all for all the kind gifts, cards, wishes; for all those who were able to attend my licensing and those who have supported me in prayer. It’s been a whirlwind starting, moving and then advent and Christmas. I am so thankful to you all for the time I served in Ramsgate – thank you all for the part you played in my ministry. 

Men’s Group – Bowling, Wednesday 22^nd January, 6:15pm

The Men’s group January event will be bowling at Bugsy’s in Margate. There will be lifts available from Ramsgate at 5:45pm. The cost is £10. If you have not already signed up to go and would like to, then please contact Bruce Stokes on 07708 682464, or bruce.stokes@btinternet.com.

Local Church First Aid Course

As churches we are meant to have First Aiders at most of our meetings. Elim Oasis Church in Broadstairs are running a course on Saturday 8^th February. Taking part in the course will give you a qualified First Aid at Work certificate. Refreshments and lunch are included. If you are interested in taking part in First Aid training, then please see Paul by Sunday 12^th January. There are also Thanet District Council run courses available on 19^th and 20^th February. Please see Paul if you are interested in these instead.

Crowdfunder

St. George’s have produced a Crowdfunder to help keep the hall financially viable for community use after a challenging year. This is aimed at people in the wider community. If you are able to share the fundraiser on social media then please do so using this link.

Thanet Prayer Diary

The prayer diary for January and February can be downloaded using this link.

Any notices for the rest of January?

If you have any notices to share with the church for the next couple of weeks, then please submit them using this online form before next Thursday (16th January). Next week’s email and notice sheet will be the last for a few weeks because of staff sickness and holidays.

Links to Share:

Faith Sharing – What’s your style?

When we think about sharing our faith, maybe we only think of one way of doing it. This can be problematic if we are uncomfortable with that way. And yet, faith sharing can happen in a number of different ways. This helpful short article considers some of the tensions in the different attitudes have between the way they share their faith with others and also suggests six different faith sharing styles. Which best reflects the way you share your faith? Read more…

What do ‘experts’ recommend when it comes to finding happiness?

As we think about ‘spirituality for dark times’ it is worth asking what experts from the non-religious world recommend as the secret to happiness. This article summarises some of the top tips. Read more…

Finally, let’s pray we can increasingly share the joy of being a disciple of Christ in 2025.

Yours in Christ

Paul Worledge

(Priest in Charge, St. George’s Ramsgate)

Weekly Calendar

Sunday 12^th – Baptism of Christ

Eucharist (St George’s, 9:30am) – Reading: Psalm 103

Sunday School (St George’s, 10:30am)

Monday 13^th     

Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am

Craft Group (St. George’s Hall, Soup Kitchen) – 2:00-3:30pm

Study Group (South Eastern Road) – 7:15-9:30pm

Tuesday 14^th               

Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am

Coffee Morning (St. George’s Hall) – 11:00am-12:00pm

Study Group (Lyndhurst Road) – 2:30-4:00pm

Community Meal (St. George’s Hall) – 5:30-7:00pm

Wednesday 15^th           

Study Group (Langdale Avenue) – 10:00-12:00 noon

Community Soup (St. George’s Church) – 12:00-2:00pm

Depression & Anxiety Self-Help Group (Perry Room) – 6:00-7:30pm

Study Group (South Eastern Road) – 7:30-9:30pm

Thursday 16^th           

Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am

Saturday 18^th         

Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am

Community Soup (St. George’s Church) – 12:00-2:00pm

Sunday 19^th – The Second Sunday of Epiphany

Eucharist (St George’s, 9:30am) – Reading: Psalm 143

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. George’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. There are now videos for all the sermons over the summer.

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@stlukesramsgate.org), so that we can keep records of who has done the training.

“When the wise men saw the star, they were overjoyed.”

(Matthew 2:10)

Matthew’s gospel is often considered the most Jewish of the four gospels. Certainly, the book starts with a long genealogy of Jesus beginning with Abraham, the Father of the Jews, emphasising David, the most important king of the Jews and highlighting the exile to Babylon, the most traumatic moment in Jewish history. Then in the first two chapters, Matthew explicitly quotes four times from the Jewish scriptures.

Yet, these first two chapters also show that Jesus comes not just for the Jews, but to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). This is clear even in the genealogy, which mentions four women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Uriah’s wife. All but the last of these were foreign women, whilst the last of these had been married to Uriah, also a foreigner, before David effectively stole her as his wife. Their inclusion in the genealogy shows that already, God is including people from all nations in his plan and as part of his people.

Then there are the Magi or Wise Men. Here are a group of foreigners, who come to worship Jesus as the newborn king. When they arrive in Jerusalem, the Jewish people are disturbed by the idea of a new king, who could potentially upset the status quo. King Herod the de facto ruler of the Jews does all he can to have the baby killed. The Jews are not happy about Jesus’ arrival, but the Magi are ‘overjoyed’ when they find Jesus. These foreigners worship him and present him with expensive gifts, demonstrating discipleship of Jesus before he has even grown up.

Matthew’s gospel does emphasise, Jesus’ Jewish credentials. His coming is rooted in the work of God through Israel, its kings and prophets. But it also presents us with a bigger more universal vision for the Kingdom of God. As we start a New Year, let’s pray that God extends our vision of who God may be calling to share with us and the Magi the joy of being a disciple of Christ.

Paul Worledge

It’s a Love Story, Concert 15^th February, 7:30pm

Love Story will be another gala fundraiser night at St George’s church, featuring Coastal Choir and guests with the St George’s Community Meal and Speak Up sharing the proceeds. Tickets £8 from Beth Paterson, Brenda Clarke or online through St. George’s website.

Men’s Group – Bowling, Wednesday 22^nd January, 6:15pm

The Men’s group January event will be bowling at Bugsy’s in Margate. There will be lifts available from Ramsgate at 5:45pm. The cost is £10. If you have not already signed up to go and would like to, then please contact Bruce Stokes on 07708 682464, or bruce.stokes@btinternet.com.

The group plans to meet monthly. The February date is yet to be confirmed, but other dates planned are:

• Magic Night with Colin Hoult, Tuesday 20^th March
• Circular Walk to Pegwell Bay, Wednesday 10^th April

Local Church First Aid Course

As churches we are meant to have First Aiders at most of our meetings. Elim Oasis Church in Broadstairs are running a course on Saturday 8^th February. Taking part in the course will give you a qualified First Aid at Work certificate. Refreshments and lunch are included. If you are interested in taking part in First Aid training, then please see Paul by Sunday 12^th January.

Links to Share:

A review of 2024 and possible Bible reading schemes for 2025:

Review of 2024 – Is Christianity in the West turning a corner?

In this thoughtful article, Graham Tomlin reviews the events of 2024 that suggest both a possible re-emergence of Christian faith in the West, but questions whether the church is in a state ready to capitalise on it. Read more.

Bible Reading Plans

Getting to grips with the Bible by reading themes, large chunks or the whole Bible can really help us connect with God and live for him. This page gives a selection of 30 different Bible Reading plans from the Bible Project. Why not try one out in the New Year? Find out more…

Finally, let’s pray we can increasingly share the joy of being a disciple of Christ in 2025.

Yours in Christ

Paul Worledge

(Priest in Charge, St. George’s Ramsgate)

Weekly Calendar

Sunday 5^th January– Second Sunday of Christmas

Eucharist (St George’s, 9:30am) – Reading: Mt. 2:1-12 & Eph 3:1-12

Monday 6^th     

Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am

Craft Group (St. George’s Hall, Soup Kitchen) – 2:00-3:30pm

Study Group (South Eastern Road) – 7:15-9:30pm

Tuesday 7^th               

Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am

Coffee Morning (St. George’s Hall) – 11:00am-12:00pm

Study Group (Lyndhurst Road) – 2:30-4:00pm

Wednesday 8^th           

Study Group (Langdale Avenue) – 10:00-12:00 noon

Community Soup (St. George’s Church) – 12:00-2:00pm

Study Group (South Eastern Road) – 7:30-9:30pm

Thursday 9^th           

Prayer Meeting (St. Luke’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am

Saturday 11^th         

Prayer Meeting (St. George’s Church) – 9:30-10:00am

Community Soup (St. George’s Church) – 12:00-2:00pm

Sunday 12^th – Baptism of Christ

Eucharist (St George’s, 9:30am) – Reading: Psalm 103

Sunday School (St George’s, 10:30am)

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. George’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. There are now videos for all the sermons over the summer.

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@stlukesramsgate.org), so that we can keep records of who has done the training. of who has done the training.