Have Your Say – come along to the St George’s workshops and drop in sessions
Thanet District Council are holding a number of consultation meetings about the Ramsgate Plan for Neighbourhoods programme, which involves spending a £20million grant from the government to improve the town over the next 10 years.
You can read more about this and see a full list of meetings and how to book to attend on this website. St. George’s will be hosting some of these meetings and there will be refreshments available. See below for the session which start on Saturday 18th October:
Time and date
Group
Location
Saturday 18th(12 – 3pm)
Community Soup (Open drop-in session)
St George’s Church
Tuesday 21st (4 – 7pm)
Community Meal (Closed – meal volunteers and attendees only)
How do you see yourself? What labels would you give to yourself?
The BBC show ‘Who do you think you are?’ answers the question by looking at people’s ancestry. Who they are descended from. It sees our identity as being linked with our parents and their parents and so on. Our identity, it claims is rooted in our family relationships.
So, are we defined by our genealogy? People today, often prefer to see themselves as self-defined. But there is no escaping our family relationships. In fact the New Testament has two genealogies for Jesus’ human family.
The genealogy of Jesus in Luke, goes back to Adam and finishes:
“… the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.”
There is a sense in which Adam is seen as the son of God. This also connects with the idea in Genesis 1, that we are created in the image of God. The same word is used to describe how Adam’s son, Seth is connected to Adam:
“When Adam had lived one hundred thirty years, he became the father of a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth.” (Genesis 5:3)
In other words, the image is passed on from one generation to the next. We are all in the image of God, because we are all descended from Adam. We are also all children of God, because we are descended from Adam.
As Christians, this is doubly true, because through Jesus we are re-adopted into God’s family. Indeed, Jesus taught us to pray to God, as ‘Our Father…’ explicitly affirming that we are his children.
But do you see yourself first and foremost as a child of God? Do you think God sees you in that way? Do you think of God as your Father? If so, what kind of Father do you think he is? What kind of Father does Jesus say he is?
To answer that question Jesus tells a story. It is one of his most famous parables and is normally called the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
Context and Key
Jesus introduces the three key characters right at the start of the Parable: “There was a man who had two sons.”
The first part of the story focuses on the younger son, who runs away with his share of money, squanders it all and becomes destitute before finally returning home to see if he can get any help from his father.
The second part then focusses on the father’s reaction to his younger son’s homecoming, which is to welcome him with open arms and throw a huge part to celebrate his return.
The third part of the story then focuses on the older son, who is refusing to join the party and is angry that his father has welcomed his younger brother with such enthusiasm when he had acted so badly.
As we have seen with parables like this, it is important to understand the key. In this case, who does the father, the younger son and the older son represent?
The context helps us here. This story comes in the context of Jesus welcoming tax-collectors and sinners to hear him, whilst the Pharisees are grumbling that Jesus is welcoming such people.
It is clear then, that the younger son represents the sinners and tax-collectors. In fact, the tax-collectors were despised because they had betrayed their own nation of Jews and sided with the non-Jewish or gentile Romans in order to make money. The younger son, grabs the money from his father and runs off with it to a gentile land, a fact underlined by the fact that he ends up feeding pigs, that Jews would never own.
It is also clear that the older son represents the Pharisees. Both the Pharisees and the older son are grumbling that people who have behaved wickedly are being welcomed enthusiastically.
And so, the father in the story most naturally represents God. Jesus, who teaches us to call God, ‘our Father,’ is using this story to teach both the sinners and tax-collectors what kind of Father, this God is. But he is also challenging them to consider how they understand their relationship to God. So let’s look at each in turn.
The Younger Son
At the start of the story, the younger son does not care about his family or his dad. He doesn’t want the family relationships. He just wants the family money. In a move that would have been universally condemned, he asks his father for a share in his inheritance before the father has died or even close to death. And when the father rather surprisingly agrees to the request, rather than farming the land and flocks alongside his father, he sells off the estate and runs away to a foreign land to live it up. In doing so he shows utter contempt to his father and utter contempt to the family’s inheritance.
But life without God, often does not live up to its promise. So, for the younger son. His money soon runs out, and he is left destitute.
The he comes to a realisation. He has nowhere else to turn. So, he hatches a plan. He would go back, acknowledge his wickedness and plead to be treated like a hired man. Notice, that the son, does not plan to return and dare to ask to be treated as a son, but simply as a hired servant. Someone paid by his dad, who could maybe then earn enough money to eventually pay his dad back. That’s the best kind of relationship he thinks he can hope for.
Imagine you were the son, heading home. Wouldn’t you be fearing the utter deserved rejection and judgement of the father? What would you be expecting.
The Father
The story, then switches to the perspective of the Father. Will he reject and judge the son, as he deserves? Will he accept his plan to become a hired hand and pay back the money he took?
The answer to both those questions is, “No!” He neither rejects his son, or takes him back as a hired hand. Rather, he reinstates him as his son.
The father runs to greet him as soon as he sees him. Then before the son even has a chance to offer to be a hired servant, he calls to his servants to bring out a robe for him to wear, a ring to put on his finger, and sandals on his feet. All symbols to show that he is to be treated as a son.
Then he throws an enormous feast, which involved slaughtering the fattened calf. This would have involved the whole village being invited to celebrate together the return of his son.
Why does he do this? He tells us: “For this son of mine, was dead and is alive again, he was lost, but now he is found.” (Luke 15:23)
Notice, the emphasis on the relationship: “this son of mine.” Here is the utter joy of restoration and reconciliation, when a parent is reunited with a child.
For nearly twenty years, the story of the loss of Madeleine McCann has been in the news. Her parents still desperately hoping that she might somehow be found alive again. Imagine the ecstatic joy they would have if their daughter did turn up and they were reconciled once more.
That Jesus says, is what it is like for God, when people repent when they return to him. This is the kind of father, Jesus means when he talks about God as ‘our Father.’
But this is not easy for everyone to understand.
The Older Son
Let’s turn to the older son. Remember he represents the Pharisees who are grumbling about Jesus welcoming back the sinners.
Many people instinctively feel sorry for the older son or relate to him. After all, the son who has treated his dad and family so badly is being welcomed back with a lavish celebration. Isn’t his father condoning wrong behaviour? Surely, it’s no wonder the older son becomes angry.
But the problem is that the older son, has stopped seeing his brother and dad as family members. He only sees right and wrong, crime and lack of punishment.
Notice how the older son speaks to his dad, when he comes out to plead with him to come and join the celebration. First of all, although the younger son begins his speech to his dad, with, ‘Father’, and the father begins his speech to the older son a bit later, with the words, ‘My son’, the older son, does not address his father at all.
Then look at how he describes his relationship to his dad. “All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.” He sees himself not as a son, but as a slave. That’s one step below the ‘hired hand’ that his younger brother had hoped to become, a dogsbody that is not even paid to work for his dad. He may not have squandered his dad’s money, or been disloyal to the family business, on the surface he looked like a good son, but the inner reality was, that he saw himself as a slave and his relationship with his dad not as a father to a son, but as a boss to an employee.
Finally, look at how he describes his brother to his dad, “This son of yours.” He recognises the family relationship of the dad to the younger son, but distances himself from them.
The older son, in his desire to be seen as the more righteous one, has lost touch with the heart of God. In so doing he denies his own status as his Father’s son and instead just sits in judgement on his brother and his father. He has forgotten who he is.
Who do you think you are?
Jesus tells this story, to show what he means when he calls God, “Our Father.” God is like the Father in this story. But he also tells it to help us ask who we think we are in relation to God.
So, who do you think you are in relation to God?
Maybe you relate to the younger son as one who has always rejected God as in any way important to you, but now you are realising this is no way to live. Now you are wondering whether there may be a way for God to help you, if only you could show you can work for him.
The good news is, that God still sees you as his child. Return to him and he will be absolutely delighted and fully reinstate you as his son or daughter in his family. No need to pay him back, the welcome is full and instant. Just start living as one of the family.
Or maybe you relate to the older son. You struggle with grace. You think life is about right and wrong. You see God as a taskmaster and not as a father. You cannot bring yourself to accept God’s gracious welcome to sinners.
If so, read again what the father says at the end of the story:
“But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'” (Luke 15:32)
Hear once more the father’s invitation to come and join the party, to return to the heart of the family, in tune with God’s love and compassion and welcoming sinners back as your brothers and sisters in Christ.
From the Wider Church: Thanet Winter Shelter, Safe Families
Interesting Blogs: Some blogs discussing the appointment of the new Archbishop of Canterbury
Weekly Calendar – 9th to 23rd October (Two Weeks)
Online Forms: Event application, Submit a notice, maintenance report, access Safeguarding training
Scroll on…
Opening Reflection
This week Madeleine McCann was in the news again. She disappeared at the age of 3, over 18 years ago. If she is still alive, she would now be 22 years old. If her parents saw her again, she would be an adult, not the toddler they lost.
This week, we heard about the trial of Julia Wandelt, who is accused of stalking Madeleine’s parents, and claiming to be Madeleine. Her parents do not believe she is their child, even though they hold out hope that she is still alive. Indeed, Kate McCann her mum, is quoted as saying, “I want Madeleine back and to call me mum.” The love of a parent for a child is powerful and strong.
Nonetheless, parents and adult children can often become estranged. For example, if you were a father, would you still want to have anything to do with a child that has shown you complete disrespect, threatened the family business and wasted everything you have given them on a lifestyle you disapprove of? That is one of the questions posed by the story Jesus tells in Luke 15.
In Jesus’ story, however, the father is a character that is meant to show us what God is like. Jesus teaches us to pray, ‘Our Father’ when we speak to God. This story shows us what Jesus means when he calls God, ‘Father’.
So, how does the father, that represents God respond, when the son who has treated him and his family so badly returns. Does he act to preserve his honour or out of love for his son? Jesus’ powerfully describes a father who not only welcomes but goes all out to celebrate his son’s return and reinstates him back in the family. This is what God does for us if we return to him. You may feel that you are too far gone for God, but God just wants you back and to call him, ‘Dad’.
Paul Worledge
Key Notices:
Dare to Pray, Saturday 18th October, 9:30-10:30am
Join us to hear about and pray about the developing plans for our churches.
Myriad – Planting New Worshipping Communities
Last week we welcomed Shiela Porter to speak at our services about Myriad. A key part of our vision for 2030, Dare to Share, Dare to Grow, is to start new worshipping communities, small congregations aiming to reach and connect with those not already attending church. There are different ways we could do this, but one possibility is for ordinary church members to form small teams and develop their own worshipping community with people they know. Could this be you? If so, Myriad could help. Check out more about them on their website and their guide, Am I Called?If this is something for you, then do talk to Paul by the start of November.
Harvest Update
Our plate collection for Christian Aid last Sunday was £138.
Thanet Winter Shelter
Some of you will remember that in 2016 the churches in Thanet under the leadership of Ramsgate Salvation Army provided a winter shelter for rough sleepers. This was eventually taken over by the council with government funding. However, there is now a need for the churches to step up again and plans are in place to set up a winter shelter for rough sleepers at St. Laurence Church Hall from 6th October. Volunteers are urgently needed. If you want to offer some kind of support please go to the Volunteer Portal to sign up: https://portal.thanetsheltersupport.org
Coming Up:
Samaritan’s Purse Coffee Morning, This Saturday 11th October
There will be a Coffee morning to promote and raise funds for the Samaritans Purse shoe box appeal. There will be coffee, tea and cake and books and gifts for sale. St Lukes Church Hall, 11th October at 10am – 12. All welcome.
Flamenco – St. George’s, Friday 17th October, 7:30-9:00pm
Performing artists include Rebeca Ortega, an elegant and accomplished dancer based in Seville, maestro gutarrista Ramon Ruiz from Granada who trained in Seville, and Natalia Marin, renowned puro flamenco singer from Seville. Tickets, £20 on door or through EventBrite.
Light Party – Friday 31st October, 4:30-6:00pm
Our alternative to Halloween. A party event for all ages. This annual event is great fun and a good way to provide a positive alternative to the darkness that is the focus of Halloween celebrations. Do come and encourage both church and non-church friends to come. Everyone welcome and all is free.
If you would like to volunteer with running an activity or providing food, then please speak to Tonya or sign one of the lists at the back of church.
Christianity Explored – Starting – November
We are planning to run a trial version of the soon to be published new Christianity Explored in November and early December. This course is for you:
if you are interested in Christianity or new to faith
are looking to be baptised or confirmed
have questions about faith or want a refresher of the basics
Filling in this form will help us to plan at what time of the week it is best to run the course or courses. It expresses and interest not a commitment to attend.
From the Wider Church:
Thanet Winter Shelter
Some of you will remember that in 2016 the churches in Thanet under the leadership of Ramsgate Salvation Army provided a winter shelter for rough sleepers. This was eventually taken over by the council with government funding. However, there is now a need for the churches to step up again. On Monday 6th October, a winter shelter for rough sleepers at St. Laurence Church Hall was started. Numbers attending are small at present, but expected to grow. Volunteers are urgently needed. If you want to offer some kind of support please go to the Volunteer Portal to sign up: https://portal.thanetsheltersupport.org
Safe Families and Home for Good
You can read the latest from Safe Families and Home for Goodhere.
Interesting Blogs to Share:
The Archbishop Designate’s message for Canterbury Diocese
Michael Bird, who is an Australian Anglican, who often collaborates with NT Wright gives a helpful summary of the new Archbishop’s background and the challenges she faces. Read more (5 mins)
The challenges faced by the new Archbishop
Ian Paul writing from within the Church of England, who was not a fan of Justin Welby (it shows in the article) gives his take on the appointment of the new Archbishop. Read more (15 minutes)
The one thing the new Archbishop can offer the world
Graham Tomlin in reflecting on an argument between Madonna (the singer) and the Pope (the head of the Roman Catholic church), offers advice for the new Archbishop of Canterbury. Read more (5mins)
Weekly Calendar
Sunday 12th October – Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity
Eucharist – (St George’s, 9:30am), Reading: Luke 15:11-31
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@churchramsgate.org), so that we can keep records of who has done the training.
Finally, let’s rejoice that we have such a wonderfully gracious heavenly Father.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)
Jesus tells a parable to challenge the Pharisees of his day, who were themselves lovers of money. In the story, there are two characters, a rich man and a homeless man who sleeps at this gate, called, Lazarus. The rich man has clearly lived a life that is all about gaining all you can and spending all you can. He did nothing to help Lazarus, he did not take seriously the teaching of the Bible to be generous, he was nothing like Christ. Jesus is blunt. The rich man ends up in hell. Let’s not make the same mistake. Rather than, ‘Gain all you can to spend all you can,’ let’s be those who, ‘Gain all we can, to give all we can.’
Today we have heard from Shiela about setting up new worshipping communities, with the support of Myriad. The point of these communities is to create a space where people who might struggle to be welcomed in a larger more formal setting might find a welcome in a smaller more informal community that will help them to find a welcome from Jesus Christ. It’s all about welcome.
Not that more traditional services or larger congregations are not welcoming. Indeed, unless we are good at welcoming new people, our existing worshipping communities will decline and die off. Church has to be about welcoming new people if it is to flourish.
Homelessness Sunday and Thanet Winter Shelter
You may also know that today has been labelled, Homelessness Sunday. I hope you have also read the church email or notice sheet and see that the church in Thanet is setting up a Thanet Winter Shelter again this year. What’s the point? To provide a welcome to a warm place for those living rough who have no-one to welcome them. It’s all about welcome.
An Odd Parable
The Parable we are looking at today is about welcome and lack of welcome. But it is also a rather odd when you compare it with many of the other parables we have been looking at.
A Parable with Little Symbolism
Firstly, whereas most parables contain a lot of symbolism that require you to work out a key to discover their meaning, this parable contains almost no symbolism. The rich man is simply a rich man, Lazarus is simply a homeless man, and Abraham plays his traditional role in Jewish thinking of the time as host at the great heavenly banquet.
The only important interpretation to make is to see that the Rich Man is meant to represent the Pharisees, whom Jesus is arguing with and who only a few verses earlier, had sneered at Jesus, when Jesus was talking about the dangers of money becoming your master. Luke says this was because they were lovers of money.
The Only Parable with Names
Secondly, this is the only parable where one of the key characters is given an actual name. Lazarus, the homeless man, who sleeps at the rich man’s gate is given a name by Jesus, whereas the rich man remains nameless. But this is just one of the contrasts between the two that are expressed in the first half of the parable.
In this life, the rich man lives in a house with a gate, whilst Lazarus sleeps in the road by the gate. In this life, the rich man has top of the range clothes, whereas Lazarus is covered in sores. In this life, the rich man gets to feast every day, but Lazarus has nothing to eat, but his sores are licked by dogs. The rich man has everything, Lazarus has nothing. He is never welcomed to the daily feasting of the rich man but is left shut out at the gate.
But that is all reversed when they die. The fact Lazarus is named, perhaps hints that his name is written in the book of life, the guest list for the great heavenly banquet. Lazarus gets a fantastic welcome into heaven: the angel escort and a seat with Abraham. In contrast the rich man is simply buried and left in the agony of hell.
The Only Parable featuring an OT hero
Thirdly, this is the only parable to feature an Old Testament hero. The second half of the parable is a conversation between the rich man in Hades and Abraham in heaven. In a way it is a conversation between two rich men, because Abraham was renowned as being wealthy. The Parable is not saying the rich are shut out of heaven.
The contrast is how they use their wealth. Abraham was also renowned for welcoming strangers, whilst the rich man had never done anything to welcome Lazarus into his home.
So, now Abraham welcomes Lazarus into the eternal feast in heaven, but points out to the rich man, that he has had his good life, now it is Lazarus’s term.
It’s too late for the rich man, because he didn’t listen to the teaching of the Old Testament. It will be too late for his brothers too, because if you don’t listen to God’s word, then even a miracle or a resurrection will not convince you. If life is all about eat drink and be merry, then you will never be ready for what happens after you die.
The Only Parable to describe Life after Death
And that is the final area where this parable is odd. It is the only parable to describe in any detail life after death. How literally we are to take the description is unclear, but the key points seem to be that after death it is too late to change. If you don’t sort things out now, you will be left on the wrong side of the uncrossable chasm. You need to take seriously the need to be welcomed into God’s home now, before it is too late.
What are we to learn?
So, what are we to learn from this most explicit of parables.
So, what are we to learn from this most explicit of parables?
Firstly, it is a warning: God rejects the careless. If you live your life for yourself not caring about the needs of others or the teaching of God, like the rich man, then the eternal consequences are disastrous and irreversible. What should concern us most in this life is being welcomed into God’s eternal home in the next. It is all about welcome.
And if being welcomed into God’s eternal home is what matters most, then we will want to be welcoming people in this life. That includes providing a home for the homeless like Lazarus and it includes finding ways to welcome new people into the church as Jesus was doing in chapter 15, with the tax-collectors and sinners.
But, the Pharisees, grumbled when Jesus welcomed sinners and tax-collectors, and sneered when he talked about being generous with their money, which welcoming others necessitates. They may have been religious and identified with God, but this did not show in their sense of compassion or generosity. God is a God of welcome, you can’t expect to be welcomed by him, if you refuse to welcome others like him. This parable is fundamentally a warning to the Pharisees that they need to change their heart attitude.
So, will you heed Jesus’ warning. Will you take seriously the need to seek a welcome into God’s eternal home. Or will you spend eternity locked out as Jesus warned back in chapter 13:
“There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.” (Luke 13:28)
Secondly, it is an assurance. God welcomes the helpless like Lazarus. We do not reach heaven because of success in this life, but when we seek to trust and follow Jesus.
Indeed, like Lazarus, you may have nothing in this life and be completely helpless. But helplessness is what is needed. It is when we accept our helplessness that we turn to God for help. When that happens, we can be confident of being taken by angels to a wonderful welcome at God’s eternal banquet.
This is the only parable, where one of the characters is given a name. Yet, it turns out that the name Lazarus has a meaning. It means, “God helps!” And when we are relying on God’s help, we find the deepest assurance.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
Coming Up: The Birth of St. George’s, Samaritan’s Purse Coffee Morning, Flamenco, Light Party, Christianity Explored
Interesting Blogs: Hea Woo at Spring Harvest, Quiet Revival Podcast
Weekly Calendar
Online Forms: Event application, Submit a notice, maintenance report, access Safeguarding training
Scroll on…
Opening Reflection
When it comes to the issue of money, we live in a society where the mantra seems to be: “Gain all you can to spend all you can!” Many of the heroes of modern society are those who through skill (e.g. footballers), talent (e.g. pop stars) or ingenuity (e.g. entrepeneurs) have had enormous success and amassed incredible wealth.
Jesus is different. He had everything, but became poor for our sakes. As the Son of God, he had access to what ever he wanted, but by becoming human to live the life of a villager in 1st century Israel and ultimately die a gruesome and humiliating death on the cross he became poor in every sense. Why did he do it? So we might become rich. He died so that we might join him in God’s eternal and luxurious home. Isn’t this the kind of hero you want to worship?
But, if we worship such a hero, then we are called to imitate him. Following his example we will be willing to give up our wealth to help others become rich. To live in the opposite way is to deny the fundamental story of the one we claim to worship. Yet, many people today still love money more than God.
Jesus tells a parable to challenge the Pharisees of his day, who were themselves lovers of money. In the story, there are two characters, a rich man and a homeless man who sleeps at this gate, called, Lazarus. The rich man has clearly lived a life that is all about gaining all you can and spending all you can. He did nothing to help Lazarus, he did not take seriously the teaching of the Bible to be generous, he was nothing like Christ. Jesus is blunt. The rich man ends up in hell. Let’s not make the same mistake. Rather than, ‘Gain all you can to spend all you can,’ let’s be those who, ‘Gain all we can, to give all we can.’
Paul Worledge
Key Notices:
Churches Together in Ramsgate Prayer Breakfast
The Ramsgate Churches Together Prayer breakfast has been cancelled for this Saturday. So we will hold a normal Daily Prayer. 9:30-10:00am at St. George’s this Saturday.
Thanet Winter Shelter
Some of you will remember that in 2016 the churches in Thanet under the leadership of Ramsgate Salvation Army provided a winter shelter for rough sleepers. This was eventually taken over by the council with government funding. However, there is now a need for the churches to step up again and plans are in place to set up a winter shelter for rough sleepers at St. Laurence Church Hall from 6th October. Volunteers are urgently needed. If you want to offer some kind of support please go to the Volunteer Portal to sign up: https://portal.thanetsheltersupport.org
Myriad – Visiting Speaker
Part of our Vision 2030 is to create new Worshipping Communities. One way that could happen is through the support of Myriad, which trains small teams of lay people to start small new worshipping communities.
This week we welcome Shiela Porter to our services, who will be giving a talk about this exciting work and how we might be involved.
Harvest Collection
Thank you to all those who generously donated food and money at our harvest service last week. The food has now been transferred to the Salvation Army food bank.
We haven’t yet a total for the collection for Christian Aid, but it is not too late to give. We will also be having a special collection, which will go towards Christian Aid. Either put the money in an envelope labelled, ‘Mercy Ships’ in the collection or give by bank transfer: St Georges Parochial Church Council/ 30-99-50 / 48005763 / Ref.: ‘Harvest2025’ .
Coming Up:
The Birth of St. George’s – Saturday 4th October, 3pm
A great chance to learn more about both the history of the town or church. An illustrated talk by Margaret Bolton looking at how Ramsgate developed up to the Regency period and what prompted people to build a church. Why did they call it St George’s? Where did the money come from? Why was it designed to look as it did? Who worked on the project? How has it changed since?
Tickets are £5 on the door or in advance from the website. All proceeds to the St. George’s Restoration Fund. Fliers available at the back of church.
Samaritan’s Purse Coffee Morning, Saturday 11th October
There will be a Coffee morning to promote and raise funds for the Samaritans Purse shoe box appeal. There will be coffee, tea and cake and books and gifts for sale. St Lukes Church Hall, 11th October at 10am – 12. All welcome.
Flamenco – St. George’s, Friday 17th October, 7:30-9:00pm
Performing artists include Rebeca Ortega, an elegant and accomplished dancer based in Seville, maestro gutarrista Ramon Ruiz from Granada who trained in Seville, and Natalia Marin, renowned puro flamenco singer from Seville. Tickets, £20 on door or through EventBrite.
Light Party – Friday 31st October, 4:30-6:00pm
Our alternative to Halloween. A party event for all ages. This annual event is great fun and a good way to provide a positive alternative to the darkness that is the focus of Halloween celebrations. Do come and encourage both church and non-church friends to come. Everyone welcome and all is free.
If you would like to volunteer with running an activity or providing food, then please speak to Tonya or sign one of the lists at the back of church.
Christianity Explored – Starting – November
We are planning to run a trial version of the soon to be published new Christianity Explored in November and early December. This course is for you:
if you are interested in Christianity or new to faith
are looking to be baptised or confirmed
have questions about faith or want a refresher of the basics
Filling in this form will help us to plan at what time of the week it is best to run the course or courses. It expresses and interest not a commitment to attend.
Interesting Blogs to Share:
Hea Woo at Spring Harvest
Chrissie Retallick shares hearing from Hea Woo a Christian from North Korea at this year’s Spring Harvest. Read More…
The New Quiet Revival Podcast
What do you think of the Quiet Revival? It’s been discussed across the media. People who have no idea what goes on inside a church know that the Church is expanding.
But is it true? If you’ve seen it in your own church, you’ll have a good idea, but if you haven’t then you might be wondering if we can trust the data. Dr Rhiannon McAleer, Bible Society’s Director of Research and co-author of The Quiet Revival report, says the results were a shock.
In the first episode of the new podcast<https://biblesociety.cmail19.com/t/r-l-tkykvjt-kumldyhm-j/> exploring the revival, Rhiannon explains why we can trust the report’s findings. With Dr Andrew Ollerton, author of The Bible Course, Rhiannon discusses the opportunities and challenges that the Quiet Revival presents to churches.
Weekly Calendar
Sunday 5th October – Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity
Eucharist – (St George’s, 9:30am), Reading: Luke 16:19-31
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@churchramsgate.org), so that we can keep records of who has done the training.
On Friday 17th October Performing artists include Rebeca Ortega, an elegant and accomplished dancer based in Seville, maestro gutarrista Ramon Ruiz from Granada who trained in Seville, and Natalia Marin, renowned puro flamenco singer from Seville.
A great chance to learn more about both the history of Ramsgate and St. George’s church.
An illustrated talk by Margaret Bolton looking at how Ramsgate developed up to the Regency period and what prompted people to build a church. Why did they call it St George’s? Where did the money come from? Why was it designed to look as it did? Who worked on the project? How has it changed since? A great chance to learn more about both the history of the town or church.
Tickets are £5 on the door or in advance from the website. All proceeds to the St. George’s Restoration Fund. Fliers available at the back of church.
“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;” – Psalm 24:1
Let us remember the ultimate source of our food. The verse above reminds us that everything in the earth belongs to God, he is the creator and source of all things. Ultimately, he is the one who provides the food we enjoy, so it is only right that we stop to thank him!
After months of work, ploughing, planting, watering and fertilising, they finally see the fruits of their hard labour and can give thanks to God for his good provision.
The harvest only comes… if you sow the seeds.
So let’s sow some seeds.
Give out conkers.
Yet, from one seed, many other seeds come:
One seed potato can grow up to 10 other potatoes.
One seed of wheat can produce over 100 grains at harvest.
One apple seed can grow into a mature apple tree, which can yield up to 800 apples annually.
In each tiny seed is the power to grow an amazing plant and produce many more seeds.
Horse Chestnuts are a kind of seed. One seed has the power to grow into an enormous tree as tall as this church…
Each seed has the potential to become an amazing plant and produce many more seeds. But not every seed ends up producing other seeds…
Context:
Jesus has been going from town to town, preaching God’s word. Now, Luke tells us people were coming from lots of different towns to hear Jesus. He was becoming very popular, a kind of celebrity, that people wanted to see and hear.
But when a big crowd of people came, Jesus told them a parable, that is a story with a deeper meaning.
Many of you would have heard this story many times before, but imagine you were in the crowd and just heard the story about the sower and the seeds. What would you have made of it? How would you have reacted?
So, let’s consider the story and consider what it means.
The harvest only comes… if you sow the seeds.
Let’s sow some seeds.
Throw out 1st screwed up seed…
The Seed is the Word of God – vs. 11
Let’s look at the seed…
Jesus says, the seeds in the story are ‘the word of God’.
Just as a seed has incredible potential to produce even more seeds and to grow into amazing plants, so when we share the word of God in the world, we know it has incredible potential to change people and transform the world. In fact as the word of God has spread down the centuries it has transformed the world and today the church, the people who believe the word of God, spreads across all the continents and peoples of the world and has helped to change the world into a more caring and peaceful place.
The seed has power to grow something amazing, but not every seed does. The word of God has power to grow something amazing, but it depends where the seed lands.
—-
The harvest only comes… if you sow the seeds.
Let’s sow some seeds.
Throw out 2nd screwed up seed…
The Seed that fell on the Path – vs. 12
Let’s look at the seed.
The first seed in Jesus’ story fell on the path and was trodden under foot or eaten by birds.
Did this seed bear fruit? No!
Jesus says this stands for those people who hear the word of God, but the devil takes it away before it can grow.
Remember the devil is the father of lies. Many people reject the Christian message because they believe Satan’s lies. Lies like:
“Science has shown that God does not exist.”
“Religion is a made up idea to control people.”
“Jesus is just a made up story.”
“Suffering shows that there cannot be a God of love.”
Because people believe these lies without questioning them, they dismiss the word of God, without even considering it. Sadly, their hearts are not ready to receive the word.
—-
The harvest only comes… if you sow the seeds.
Let’s sow some seeds.
Throw out 3rd screwed up seed…
The Seed that fell on the Rock – vs. 13
Let’s look at the seed.
The seed that fell on the rock begins to grow, but because the rock is dry, it cannot get enough water and so it shrivels up and dies.
Did this seed bear fruit? No!
Jesus says that this stands for people who hear God’s word and are excited about it to start with. They seem to be enthusiastic new Christians. But, it does not last. When it becomes difficult to be a Christian, perhaps because:
their friends take the mickey out of them or
because life becomes difficult, or
Christian friends let them down,
they give up on following Jesus. Sadly, their hearts are not ready to hold on to God’s word for it to bear fruit.
—-
The harvest only comes… if you sow the seeds.
Let’s sow some seeds.
Throw out 4th screwed up seed…
The Seed that fell among the Weeds – vs. 14
Let’s look at the seed.
The seed that fell among weeds, begins to grow, but unfortunately the weeds choke it, so it does not grow properly.
Did this seed bear fruit? No!
Jesus says this stands for people who hear God’s word and start believing, but the worries of life and its riches and pleasures take over from God’s word, so that they do not mature in faith. There are many things in today’s world that are weeds to faith.
There is an obsession with money or wealth, resulting either in constant worry about having enough or obsession in gaining more. As Jesus says, you cannot serve both God and money, if you try, the danger is that money will become your real master and God will be choked out of any meaningful role in your life.
There is also the distractions of pleasure. In our world, these are multiplied, through the distractions of our phones, social media, YouTube and so on, that eat up our time and choke out time spent in reading God’s word, praying or meeting with other Christians.
—-
The seed has the power to produce amazing amounts of fruit, but not every seed does. So far, Jesus’ parable points to those for whom the word of God fails to have the desired effect. But is it all doom and gloom? Let’s try one more seed.
The harvest only comes… if you sow the seeds.
Let’s sow some seeds.
Throw out 5th screwed up seed…
The Seed that fell on Good Soil – vs. 15
Let’s look at the seed.
The seed that fell on good soil.
Did this seed bear fruit? Yes!
Whereas the other seeds failed, this seed produces 100 more seeds. There was a harvest, because someone sowed the seed. The seed’s potential to transform and increase was fulfilled the word of God does have power to transform, when it finds a heart ready to truly listen to God’s word and persevere with it through their lives.
—
What does this say to the disciples?
For the disciples and those of us who want to spread God’s word, this parable acts as a reality check. The word of God has power to transform, but not everyone who hears it will be transformed.
We will face lots of disappointment over people who show no interest or show an interest, but do not persevere with God’s word or are too distracted by other things to hold on to it.
But, we shouldn’t be surprised by this and we shouldn’t give up. Because sometimes when we share God’s word it will make a profound impact on someone who will persevere and not be distracted.
What does this say to the crowds?
At the start I asked you to consider what it would be like to hear the parable without any explanation for the first time.
I think it would have felt a bit odd. You might have wondered why Jesus was giving a lesson on farming. It would have been hard to see the point that Jesus was making. You would hear Jesus, but not understand him.
But, for Jesus that was part of the point of the Parable. He told his disciples in verse 10, that he spoke in parables, so that people may hear, but not understand.
If you just heard what Jesus said and were not keen to understand, you would probably just shrug your shoulders and walk off. That showed that your heart was not ready to receive the word of God, you were not the good soil.
But if you heard the parable and wanted to understand what would you do? You would ask Jesus what it meant. Or ask someone else who had found out what it meant. This is what the disciples did. They asked Jesus and he explained it to them, because in asking they showed they wanted to understand. They had hearts ready to receive God’s word and ultimately bear fruit!
The parable is a challenge to the crowds to consider how they are listening to him. They are a challenge to us today about how we are listening to God’s word:
Are we listening, but just dismissing his words without thinking?
Are we listening, but not willing to persevere with God’s word when things become tough?
Are we listening, but too distracted by other issues in life to take it seriously?
Or are we really listening? Eager to understand more and to share the word of God with others too?
Coming Up: The Birth of St. George’s, Men’s Night, Male Voice Choir – Cancelled
From the Wider Church: Baby loss support service, ACTS quiz evening
Interesting Blogs: The lies being fed to us; There’s going to be less clergy
Weekly Calendar
Online Forms
Scroll on…
Opening Reflection
Harvest is a time to give thanks. We take for granted the food that is so readily available in our shops or that is delivered to our door, but it is good to take a moment to reflect on all that goes into ensuring that we can have food on our table.
There is a long chain of people involved in ensuring food sits on the shelves. There are those who work in the shops, the people who transport the food, the people who work to prepare, cook and package the food ready for the supermarket and of course at the start of the chain, the farmers who grow the ingredients from which the food is made. We ought to take a moment to acknowledge and be thankful for all those involved in this chain which is essential to our survival and wellbeing.
Additionally, in a world that is becoming increasingly nationalistic, it is important to acknowledge the international nature of our food sources. Although, much of what we eat is grown in this country, there is much that is not. Chocolate, coffee, tea, most spices and a lot of our fruit all have to be sourced from abroad. We rely on the global nature of our world more than we often like to admit. So, this harvest let’s give thanks for all those around the world who enable us to enjoy the food we do.
Finally, let us remember the ultimate source of our food. The verse above reminds us that everything in the earth belongs to God, he is the creator and source of all things. Ultimately, he is the one who provides the food we enjoy, so it is only right that we stop to thank him, too! So, this Sunday, join us for our Harvest service, so that we can give thanks together!
Paul Worledge
Key Notices:
Harvest Service – Sunday 28th September
Our Harvest Service, next week, will be an All Age service starting at 10:00am. We are hoping that this will be an opportunity for both the 9:30am congregation and Sunday School families to join together in a short service of thanksgiving. There will be a simple Holy Communion in the choir stalls before this service at 9:30am.
We will also be having a special collection, which will go towards Christian Aid. If you aren’t able to attend the service or prefer to give by bank transfer, then please donate using: St Georges Parochial Church Council/ 30-99-50 / 48005763 / Ref.: ‘Harvest2025’ .
We will be collecting non-perishable food items at the service, which will be donated to the local Salvation Army Food Bank. Please bring some non-perishable food to offer at the service.
Myriad Taster Event
Part of our Vision 2030 is to create new worshipping communities. One way that could happen is through the support of Myriad, which trains small teams of lay people to start small new worshipping communities. If you are interested in finding more about this, then there will be an online taster event for Myriad in Canterbury on either Thursday 25th September or Tuesday 30th September from 7:30-8:30pm. Please see Paul if you are interested. Why not also sign up to help develop this part of our vision on the New Worshipping Communities workstream. Go to form.
Coming Up:
The Birth of St. George’s – Saturday 4th October, 3pm
A great chance to learn more about both the history of the town or church. An illustrated talk by Margaret Bolton looking at how Ramsgate developed up to the Regency period and what prompted people to build a church. Why did they call it St George’s? Where did the money come from? Why was it designed to look as it did? Who worked on the project? How has it changed since?
Tickets are £5 on the door or in advance from the website. All proceeds to the St. George’s Restoration Fund. Fliers available at the back of church.
Men’s Night – Thursday 9th October
Sadly, due to weather the Petanque evening was cancelled. The next event is the Pool Challenge at the Frames Snooker Club on Thursday, 9 October.
Thanet Male Voice Choir – Saturday 11th October, 7:30pm
‘This concert has been cancelled due to lack of ticket sales.
From the Wider Church:
Baby Loss Support Service
Canterbury Cathedral 11am, 4/10/25
This service is for anyone who has either personally lost a baby at any stage of pregnancy, at birth, or in early years, or who has been affected by family members’ or friends’ loss. Whether the loss was recent or 80 years ago, everyone is welcome to attend. We have also extended the services, and gladly welcome anyone who is grieving the fact that they haven’t had children. This may be due to circumstance, infertility, or for other reasons – but all are welcome. Babies and children are also invited to come with their families, as the Saying Goodbye service is truly a family event for all. Find out more…
ACTS Fundraiser Quiz Evening
Friday 3rd October, 6:30 for 7pm start at St. Philips Church Palm Bay
£5 per person, you need to book a ticket. For more information see poster.
Interesting Blogs to Share:
The lies being fed to us…
In this 20 minor video, Glen Scrivener gives a powerful analysis of how the internet is leading us into rage. What is the antidote? Church. Watch the video…
There’s going to be less clergy
In this article by Ian Paul, he reflects on the implications of the latest figures on the age of clergy. At present 47.5% of paid clergy are 55 or over. That means an optimistic projection of a national drop from around 7,000 to 5,000 in the next 10 years. So what are the implications? Read the article…
Weekly Calendar
Sunday 28th September – Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity
HarvestShort Communion – (St George’s, 9:30am)
All Age Harvest Service – (St George’s, 10am), Reading: Luke 8:1-15
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.
Finally, let’s keep thanking God for all his goodness to us.
“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Luke 16:13
Money is a part of life, but it does not need to be master of our life. Christians, of course, want to serve God. We are called to follow his good commandments. But do we allow Money to be another master in our life?
Ultimately, we need to choose who we serve. Will we serve the hard taskmaster of Money, or the loving and gracious God, who made us and gives to us freely? The choice is yours.
Angela Rayner is out of the government. Earlier in the summer she was accused of underpaying stamp duty on an £800,000 seafront flat in Hove. What followed were denials and excuses over a number of weeks. But the pressure mounted, and the enquiries became more thorough and ultimately it was shown she had not taken enough care to make sure she paid the full amount of Stamp Duty and so she lost her place in Cabinet and as Deputy Prime Minister.
It seemed her desire for money had ended her political career. Money can be an awful master, and the court of public opinion very unforgiving.
The Story of the Sacked Manager
In Luke 16, Jesus tells his disciples a story. Like most of the stories Jesus told, this was a parable. A story seemingly rooted in ordinary everyday life but intended to teach deeper spiritual truths about God and how we relate to him. Stories that at first glance look run of the mill, but on deeper reflection often contain many surprises.
Most of the stories are straightforward and their meanings not too difficult to grasp. However, the story we are looking at today, about a manager who is sacked by a rich landowner, is probably one of the most difficult to understand!
Let’s begin by trying to make sense of the story, and the surprises that we need to take note of.
The Rich Landowner and His Manager
The two main characters are a rich man and his manager. The rich man was probably a wealthy landowner. He would have owned many fields and vineyards. Rather than farming the land he owned himself, he rented the land out to others for a fee, probably a share of the expected crops. So, later we see that some of those renting owed him a certain amount of wheat for a field they would have rented to grow wheat, whilst another person owed a certain amount of olive oil, probably in exchange for renting an olive grove from the man.
The manager, would have been responsible for handling all the accounting, collecting the rent and finding new renters for the fields and so on, a bit like a modern estate agent today. He would have been an able person and probably paid well for his work.
The rich man hears that the manager has been wasting his possessions. It is not clear whether this is down to incompetence or corruption, but it is likely to be corruption. The word for ‘wasting’ is the same word used for the son in the previous story in Luke’s gospel who takes his inheritance and wastes it on wild living in a foreign land. The manager has probably been fiddling the books taking some money for himself and funding a wild lifestyle. But, like Angela Rayner, he has been found out.
Surprise 1: No Excuses
This is where we have the first surprise in the story. In most ancient stories like this, the expectation would be that the person accused would make all kinds of excuses and try and talk his way out of his predicament. Indeed, that is how Angela Rayner behaved, when she was first accused of not paying the full stamp duty.
But this manager does not do that. He says nothing to the master in response to the accusations. His silence betrays his guilt. All he can do is face up to the response of the manager. But that is where we have surprise number 2.
Surprise 2: No Jail
At this point, you would expect the landowner, irate that the manager had basically stolen from him, arrange for him to be locked up, possibly hoping that he may be paid back for what had been taken from him.
But the rich man does not do that. Rather, he simply says, ‘You cannot be my manager any longer.’ In other words, the master bears the costs of the managers wickedness, but he cannot continue to allow him to be his manager, if that is how he will abuse his trust. In the end, this is a fair but surprisingly generous judgement to pass on the manager.
The Cunning Plan:
The manager responds by speaking to himself and coming up with a cunning plan. In the preceding story, the son who ran away and wasted his inheritance also speaks with himself and comes up with a plan. In his case it is to go home to his father and hope he finds a welcome.
The manager’s plan is also designed to ensure a welcome. He knows that his situation is desperate. He needed a job, or he would starve. He wasn’t strong enough for manual labour and he didn’t want to resort to the humiliation of begging, so he has to find a way to ensure he will be welcomed into people’s homes.
The details of the plan become clear in the next couple of verses. Aware that he needs to act quickly before it becomes known that he is no longer the manager, he calls in the master’s debtors, those who owed rent on the fields or vineyards when the harvest came in. They still think he is the manager for the landowner, someone who had the authority to set the rental value. Such values could be renegotiated, if say, it looked like there was going to be a bad harvest. But, now the manager is offering them a special deal. Perhaps he is saying to them, look because your such a great guy, I have persuaded my master to reduce you’re rent. Here, take your bill and change it to half its amount!
Notice, that in verse 6, he tells the renters to change the bills quickly, he wants to do it before news of his sacking gets out, so that the change in contract remains valid, and those whose bills are changed will return the favour by welcoming him into their homes in the future.
Surprise 3: The Manager is Praised!
But then the landlord finds out what is happening. How is he going to respond to even more of his money being lost? This time you would expect him to be furious and to want the man thrown into jail.
But that is not what happens. In fact, what happens is he praises the manager for being so shrewd or clever. He knew he was in trouble, and he came up with a very clever way to survive. Perhaps such a clever manager is worth keeping after all. Indeed, although he had lost the landowner more money, at least he had made him look good and generous among those who rent his fields.
The Key to the Story:
So, that is the story, but what is the point that Jesus is making. What spiritual truths does it teach us about God and what it means to be his.
First of all, Jesus is not teaching us to fiddle the books, if we are accountants. At the end of verse 8, he says that the manager in the story is an example of someone of this world, not a person of the light. We are not meant to fiddle the books. Nonetheless, the implication is that we are meant to learn from his shrewdness.
So, what are we to learn? To help us with that, it is worth considering who each of the characters in the story are meant to represent.
The Landowner is clearly the person in charge or the owner in the story, the one with authority. In all of Jesus’ parables, such figures represent God. In the stories Jesus tells, it is where these characters act in surprising ways, that we are shown the teaching points about God.
So, although it is not the main point of the story, it does shows us something of the mercy and generosity of God. The first surprise was that the manager was not jailed. The landowner showed great mercy and generosity towards him, whilst not wanting to allow the defrauding to continue. In the same way, the God of the Bible, is not a harsh judge. He is merciful and generous. Indeed, he sent Jesus to pay the price for our sin, to ransom us from the consequences of our wickedness. God cannot allow us to continue in wickedness forever, but he wants to offer us a way out from the consequences of our sin.
The last surprise also shows that he is concerned for his reputation. The manager commends the manager, who has made him look generous to those who rent the fields from him. We pray in the Lord’s prayer, ‘Hallowed be your name’, we should know that what matters is that God is glorified as a generous and merciful God before all people.
But the main character in the story is The Manager. Who does he represent? This is trickier. But Luke makes it clear in verse 1, that this story is addressed to the disciples and in verse 9, Jesus tells the disciples to behave like the manager.
So, in what sense is this dishonest manager a symbol of a disciple? In the story, the manager is someone who understands that his previous life has left him in a terrible situation. He does not make excuses to his boss, neither does he pretend to himself that everything is OK, he accepts that his situation before his boss is desperate.
In the same way as disciples of Jesus, we know that we cannot argue our way into God’s good books. We can’t come to God with excuses and expect him to let us into his eternal home. We have wasted the life, gifts, talents and resources God has entrusted to us on our own wants and desires. We have failed to give to God the full stamp duty he deserves. Like the manager, we deserve to be punished, but like the manager, we know by faith, that we are living in a moment of God’s mercy, that by the generosity of the cross, we do not have to face the punishment we deserve. That is what it is to be a disciple of Jesus.
So, as those who find that for the moment, we still have the gifts, the talents and resources that God has entrusted to us, how are we to use them now? The manager used them to secure his future, to ensure he would be welcomed into the houses of others in the future. In the same way, Jesus says, in verse 9:
“I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:9)
In other words, Jesus is saying, that shrewd disciples will not hang on to their wealth, which is ultimately God’s wealth, to feed their own selfish desires, but they will use it to make friends in this life, who will welcome them into heaven. In other words, they will invest it into the work of the church, to help ensure that others can learn of the generosity of God. Such people will then be with you in eternity, literally eternally grateful to you for the part you played in helping them find faith in Jesus.
So what?
Perhaps you are not yet a disciple of Jesus? If not have you come to understand how merciful and generous the God of Jesus Christ is. That you cannot make excuses to him, but need to trust in his mercy and generosity and live in the light of that? Will you become a disciple of Jesus?
Are you already a disciple of Jesus? Then do you see what difference that should make to how you use your wealth? Are you investing for your eternal home or wasting your wealth on the here and now?
St. George's Church Ramsgate 
