St Laurence in Thanet
Parish News 21/20
Quote of the Week
“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession…. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer ‘The Cost of Discipleship’)
Potential new Licensed Lay Reader in training
I am delighted to share with you that one of the members of the Parish Amanda Champs hopes to begin training as a Licensed Lay Reader this autumn. I have asked her to share her journey so far:
“To introduce myself my name is Amanda Champs and I am 57 years old. I currently work as a housing manager for the elderly in Sittingbourne. I was born and brought up in Thanet and lived there until March 2019. I was baptised in 1962 and attended church with my family. I was confirmed in September 2019 by Bishop Trevor, a truly wonderful experience. Following a serious illness in 2015, I recovered well and really started to think about my life. In 2017 I began to realise that God was calling me but at that stage I wasn’t sure, I thought no not me, I love God but surely this can’t be happening. In August 2018 I did a pilgrimage and that gave me time to really think my calling through. I met with Andrew in March 2019, then I met several times with the vocations officer and Director of Ordinands. I have also done the Explore More course and a residential course ‘Is God calling you?’. Since my last meeting with the Diocesan Director of Ordinands in October 2019 I still needed more time to think, I realise that my calling is now to Lay ministry. I feel that I can really serve God in this way and I am excited to be on this journey."
Amanda has the support of the PCC and myself. Please pray for her as she sits the formal on-line interview this Wednesday.
Congratulation
Many congratulations to PCC Secretary Zoe and her husband Malcolm on 50 years of marriage.
New LED lighting
Thanks to the generosity of Server Robbie Gooding we now have LED light bulbs in St Laurence Church. Not only will they improve the overall church lighting, they are also energy efficient and therefore we will save money.
Summer Leave
Jane and I will be taking our first holiday since lockdown from 11th – 29th August and to be quite honest I am feeling absolutely exhausted We usually holiday in France but like may others this year we will be enjoying a ‘staycation here in Ramsgate.
If you do happen to see us out and about do say hello but can I politely request that you don’t engage me in any work-related conversation. Likewise, I will not be responding to emails whilst on leave. In my absence please direct any queries to our parochial churchwardens Sue and Sharon or Reverend Pete.
See you at St Laurence on Sunday morning.
With my love and prayers,
Andrew
Rev I Andrew Jacobson
Priest in Charge
