Acts 2:4: “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
This week it is Pentecost, when we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit on the church for the first time and the preaching of the gospel in tongues people from all nations could understand. It is also our special gift day, and we encourage regular members to bring their response forms to the Planned Giving Review.
This week, we are looking together at The Story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1-9 and the events of Acts 2, where the Holy Spirit comes on the day of Pentecost. Both of these events demonstrate the great power of human unity and God’s response to it, but in very different ways.
In Genesis 11:1-9, the story of the Tower of Babel shows how humans were united, but united through pride and rebellion. They wanted to use their Unity to avoid the covenant God had with them for them to Be Fruitful and multiply and fill the earth (Gen 9:1). God responded by confusing their language and in that way God scattered them all over the world.
In contrast, Acts 2 describes how, on the festival of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon believers, uniting people from many nations and languages. The people speaking all different languages were able to hear each other speaking in their own native language and learn about all the wonderful things God had done. This Spirit-led unity did not erase or avoid diversity; instead, it celebrated it. Pentecost affirms that diversity is a divine blessing, and the Spirit enables genuine community where differences are celebrated rather than divided.
We are engaged in spiritual warfare, as Ephesians 6 reminds us, against forces seeking to sow division. The Spirit’s work at Pentecost restores true diversity, transforming fear and prejudice into harmony rooted in God’s love. This power enables us to stand firm in our faith, be guided by the Spirit, and build an authentic community where we can love ourselves, love God, and love each other.
Let’s embrace the Spirit’s call to unity. Not to be united in things that cause division or ‘othering’ but a unity of openness, diversity, love and faith centered on God. As we pray, worship, and serve together in our differences, we participate in God’s victory over division. Our unity testifies to the world that God’s kingdom is a diverse family, united in Christ’s love.
This week, we are looking together at The Story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1-9 and the events of Acts 2, where the Holy Spirit comes on the day of Pentecost. Both of these events demonstrate the great power of human unity and God’s response to it, but in very different ways.
In Genesis 11:1-9, the story of the Tower of Babel shows how humans were united, but united through pride and rebellion. They wanted to use their Unity to avoid the covenant God had with them for them to Be Fruitful and multiply and fill the earth (Gen 9:1). God responded by confusing their language and in that way God scattered them all over the world.
In contrast, Acts 2 describes how, on the festival of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon believers, uniting people from many nations and languages. The people speaking all different languages were able to hear each other speaking in their own native language and learn about all the wonderful things God had done. This Spirit-led unity did not erase or avoid diversity; instead, it celebrated it. Pentecost affirms that diversity is a divine blessing, and the Spirit enables genuine community where differences are celebrated rather than divided.
We are engaged in spiritual warfare, as Ephesians 6 reminds us, against forces seeking to sow division. The Spirit’s work at Pentecost restores true diversity, transforming fear and prejudice into harmony rooted in God’s love. This power enables us to stand firm in our faith, be guided by the Spirit, and build an authentic community where we can love ourselves, love God, and love each other.
Let’s embrace the Spirit’s call to unity. Not to be united in things that cause division or ‘othering’ but a unity of openness, diversity, love and faith centered on God. As we pray, worship, and serve together in our differences, we participate in God’s victory over division. Our unity testifies to the world that God’s kingdom is a diverse family, united in Christ’s love.
Beth Keenan
Key Notices:
Planned Giving Review and Vision 2030 – This Sunday!!
This Sunday during the collection we would encourage everyone to give in their response forms from the recent planned giving review letters. Even if you cannot increase your giving or start planned giving letting us know helps us to plan better. To start giving to St. George’s using the Parish Giving Scheme, click here.
In addition, if you are interested in helping out with one of the five workstreams, then please do fill in the online form or speak to Paul asap. To show interest in volunteering for one of the Vision 2030 workstreams use this form.
Please remember to act by this Sunday and bring your response slip to the service.
You can access an online version of the flier about the plans here.
Joint Pentecost Service, This Sunday – 8th June, 5:30 for 6pm
Churches Together in Ramsgate invite you to celebrate Pentecost. An evening of worship, prayer, teaching and fellowship. All welcome (including families, children and youth, who will have their own activities from ACTS).
The event will take place at Royal Harbour Academy (CT12 6FA) on Sunday 8th June at 6pm. Please enter from the New Haine Road side and park in the car parks on the left. There will be refreshments available before the start of the service from 5:30pm.
If people can offer or would like a lift, please talk to Paul after the service.
Upcoming Events:
Orchestra for Everywhere – 15th June, 7:30pm, St, George’s
An orchestra of professional musicians from around the world who have chosen to make Britain their home. They come from Syria, Iran, Hongkong, Palestine, Brazil, Africa, France and India, and some of them are refugees who had to leave their country. The orchestra plays music from their own cultures as well as new music that they have created and play together.Find out more and buy tickets…
Next Men’s group event – Lawn Bowls, 6:15pm, 18th June
See one of the fliers at back of church for more details or speak to Trevor Kenney: 07792 828097; trevorkenney1@gmail.com
Women’s Share and Care:
A few dates for your diaries:
18th June at Tina Gilham’s “what are you reading”. Bring a book and enjoy each other’s company over a cuppa and a biscuit. 10.30 to 12.00
4th July at Beth Keenan’s. Fun and games , nibbles and drinks. Bring and share. Evening.
12th July at Beth Patterson’s. Pimms and food in the garden. 6.30 to 8.30. Bring and share food and a garden chair if you have one.
Beth’s Ordination as Priest, 28th June, 2:30pm & 5pm
Beth will be being ordained as Priest at Canterbury Cathedral on Saturday 28th June at 2:30pm. People are welcome to come to the Cathedral to support Beth.
After the service we will have a celebratory Bring & Share BBQ in the church field at St. Luke’s from 5pm. Please use the sign-up sheets at the back of church to indicate: a. whether you will be attending (meat for BBQ will be provided); b whether you will bring food to share; c. whether you can help with the setting up or running of the event.
More information and ticket sales from next week. This will be at St. Luke’s.
Vicarage BBQs
We are planning to hold vicarage BBQs on 5th and 26th July, 5-8pm. We will give out invites to everyone to one of these in the next couple of weeks.
Opportunities to Serve:
Can you help with tours of St. George’s tower and crypt?
Tours of St. George’s crypt and tower are proving very popular. If you can help as part of a team with these tours, then please contact Jemima Brown: regenerationofficer@stgeorgechurchramsgate.uk . The planned tours coming up are 11am to 3:30pm on Saturdays 8th June, 5th and 12th July, 9th August and 13th and 20th September.
Volunteers for the Community Meal
Can you join a superb team of helpers on some or all Tuesday afternoons and evenings to help serve the Community Meal at St. George’s Church Hall to 30 to 50 guests? The meal runs between 5:30-7pm, but volunteers need to be available from 5pm and if possible to help cook or set up earlier on Tuesday afternoon. If you are interested, then please see Tonya and Brenda.
Links to Share:
How to solve the tragedy of Gaza?
In this article, Graham Tomlin revisits the horrors of what Israel is doing to to the Palestinians in Gaza and compares it to the actions of a Roman Emperor to the Jews in that region in the second century. What are the lessons to be learnt?Read more… (5 mins)
What shaped our Western Culture?
In this video, Glen Scrivener looks at an Atheist’s critique of historian Tom Holland’s claim that the Western mind has been profoundly shaped by Christianity. Much food for thought… Watch (1 hour 10 minutes)
Finally, let’s ask God to fill us afresh with his Spirit,
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.
As we go into Summer it’s time to save the dates for our Yard Sales at St George’s on the 2nd Saturdays of every month, 11am til 4pm, throughout the summer on 14th June, 12th July, 9th August (now cancelled) and 13th September Yard Sales will take place in the church yard and stalls can be booked via Jo Mapp on 07724804905 – £12.50 (table supplied) £10 (bring a table)
Matthew 26:53: Jesus said, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels.”
Like Eisha, Jesus is aware that he has an angelic army at his disposal, as he declares in the verse above. Yet, Jesus shows even greater strength and courage. When soldiers arrive to capture him, he allows it, going through with his crucifixion, trusting that God would bring the greatest victory of all, the Resurrection. Will we follow Jesus’ courageous example?
Over the last few weeks, partly because of the 80th anniversary of VE day and the 85th anniversary of Dunkirk, we have been looking at a number of Biblical passages to do with fighting or battles. Today is the last in the series.
It helps, I think, at times to see the Christian life as a battle. It reminds us that as Jesus said, that it is not going to be easy. After all, Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me.” Paul in his letters to his younger co-worker Timothy three times describes the Christian life as ‘fighting the good fight.’ Peter also, tells us that ‘sinful desires’ war against your soul and warns us that the devil prowls around like a devil seeking someone to devour.
But, if the Christian life is a battle, are there things we can learn from the art of war that will help us in the Christian life? Possibly. Certainly, the Old Testament we are told was written to help us as Christians today and it contains a lot of accounts of war and battles. What might they teach us about living the Christian life today?
The Art of War
Let’s consider one aspect of the art of war to start with. Wars are often won by those who control what is seen and not seen. In fact, this was a major factor in World War II. Britain was both able to see what the Germans were up to and able to make the Germans fail to see what the Allies were up to.
In preparation for a possible war, Britain had a new technology – radar – installed along the south and east coast. This important part of preparation for defence was called, ‘Chain-Home’. It meant they could see the Luftwaffe coming and was a crucial factor in the success of the Battle of Britain.
For D-day a lot of effort went into persuading the Germans that the invasion was going to occur at Calais and not Normandy and later than the planned June 1944 date. This was called, ‘Operation Bodyguard’. Indeed, was so convinced by the deception, that he delayed redeploying troops from Calais to Normandy for nearly seven weeks.
Elisha and the Art of War
In our passage, we also discover that Elisha uses this strategy in the war of his day, which was between the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Aram in the ninth century BC. The Kingdom of Aram was based around Damascus, which is today the capital of Syria.
The passage starts by telling us that the King of Aram was fighting against Israel. This was not a major war of conquest, but probably raids to try and loot parts of Israel. But like the RAF in the Battle of Britain, the Israelites seemed to know when and where they were raiding and so were able to defend against the attacks. Israel seemed to be able to see what was about to happen!
The King of Aram’s initial assumption is that one of his own advisors is leaking the information. But he soon discovers the truth. Elisha, the man of God, was telling the King of Israel where and when Aram was going to raid. Israel’s secret weapon was God’s vision.
So, the King of Aram, sends a large army to Dothan, where Elisha is staying. They try to take the man who sees everything by surprise and travel overnight, so that when Elisha’s servant wakes up in the morning he is shocked to discover a massive Aramean army surrounding the small city they are in!
Elisha, the man of God, who sees is not surprised. Instead, he prays that God will shut the eyes of the Aramean army. This was probably not literal blindness, because the army was able to follow him 11 miles South to Samaria, the capital of Israel. But it does stop them seeing who it is that is talking to them, i.e. Elisha the one they are meant to be after, and it does stop them seeing that they are the ones who are being captured by Elisha as he leads them into the centre of Samaria, the heart of Israelite power. Like the Germans on D-Day, they are utterly blindsided as to what is going on. It is not until Elisha prays that their eyes are open again that they realise what has happened.
Elisha with the power of God, has used the art of war to protect Israel from raids and to capture and army that was sent to capture him!
That in itself is a great story, but what are we as embattled Christians meant to learn? Well to see that, we need to listen carefully to Elisha’s 3 speeches.
Open your Eyes to the Power of God – vs. 16
The first speech comes in verse 16. Elisha’s servant is terrified to discover the city surrounded by the Arameans. But Elisha says to him:
“Do not be afraid, for there are more with us,
than there are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16)
He then prays that his servants eyes are open and he sees the army of God, chariots and horsemen of fire!
So often as Christians it feels like we are outnumbered, weak and ineffectual. From a worldly perspective in our society it can feel like we are surrounded by an army of forces that are just threatening to wipe us out as a church. It’s not difficult to portray our latest plans and appeal for finances as another example of a church with no hope.
But we need to pray that God will open our eyes to see that despite how things may seem, there are more with us than there are with them!! In fact, in the Old Testament, God is called, ‘the LORD of Hosts’ which means, ‘the LORD of armies’ nearly 250 times!
When Jesus is being arrested and the disciples are desperately and pathetically trying to save him, Jesus says to them:
“Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels.” (Matthew 26:53)
Over and over again, the Bible emphasises that no matter how powerful the forces raised against us seem to be, God is more powerful. No matter how much the devil seems to have the upper hand, God’s victory is never in doubt.
The most important thing for us as Christians is to open our eyes to this truth. It is only when we do that we will keep turning to prayer like Elisha and see God do amazing things. It is with open eyes to the power of God, that we can gain the strength and courage to fight the good fight.
Closed Eyes are the Judgement of God – vs. 19
The second speech is in verse 19 to the Arameans army that had been sent to capture Elisha. He says to them:
“This is not the way, and this is not the city;
follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.”
(2 Kings 6:19)
Elisha can only get away with this deception that leads the army into a trap, because God has answered his prayers to blind them. Their blindness is judgement for their arrogance in thinking that they can capture the man of God.
Being literally blind does not mean you are being judged by God, but blindness is a common judgement from God in the Bible. On Cyprus, Paul condemns someone who tried to turn the Roman leader against them and the man, Elymas, is struck blind.
Jesus, quoting from Isaiah, says that he speaks in parables so that ‘though seeing, they may not understand.’ Indeed, throughout Jesus ministry there is a growing division between those who are blind to his identity and those who come to see that he is the Messiah. This is perhaps most profoundly true at the resurrection. Jesus does not appear to his enemies, those who had him crucified, but only to his followers. His enemies are left blind to the power of God at work in Jesus. It is part of the judgement for their refusal to believe in him.
This is both a warning and an explanation. It is a warning, that if you hear about Jesus, but dismiss him like the Jewish leaders of the day did, you may lose your chance to see the most amazing truth of God’s salvation. It is also an explanation as to why so many fail to believe – it is part of God’s judgement on them.
And yet, there is always hope. Sometimes feeling the full force of God’s judgement is a journey towards God’s salvation. Paul, when he was called Saul and was persecuting the Christians, was confronted by the resurrected and ascended Jesus and blinded as a result. But he was led in his blindness to Ananias and a chance to see the grace of Christ. Ironically, this happened in Damascus, the capital of Arameans.
And actually, although, the blindness of the Aramean army was a judgement, like Saul, they were led to a place where they were to discover the grace of God.
Open your Eyes to the Grace of God – vs. 22
Elisha’s third speech is to the King of Israel, when the Arameans are surrounded in the capital of Israel, Samaria. The king is asking whether this is the time to kill the Arameans. But Elisha responds by saying:
“Don’t smite!
Did you capture with the sword and your bow
those you want to kill?
Set food and water before them,
so they can eat and drink
and then go back to their master.” (2 Kings 6:22)
The Arameans had been about capturing Elisha so that they might thwart God and carry out their evil plans. Instead, Elisha captures them and shows them the grace of God. Rather than death or imprisonment, they are given a feast and their freedom to return. They are given far more than they deserve. This is grace.
The result? The heart of the Arameans is transformed by the grace of God shown them through Elisha and the King of Israel and the war is brought to an end.
In the same way, when you truly discover the grace of God, that in Jesus Christ, we are given not the judgement we deserve, but the abundance of God’s blessings and the gift of eternal lives, so our hearts are transformed and we discover peace with God.
But, we also are to show the same grace to others. Paul says in Romans, quoting from Deuteronomy and Proverbs:
“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:19-21)
This is easier said than done, but a lot easier when our eyes are opened to the grace of God.
The Art of War
So, how do we fight the good fight as Christians today. Part of the art of the Christian battle is understanding the importance of seeing and not seeing:
Do not be afraid as a Christian, open your eyes to the power of God and pray!
Remember that Closed eyes are the judgement of God on his enemies
But, there is hope that enemies can become friends: open your eyes afresh to the grace of God!
Over the last few weeks we have been doing an ad hoc series called, ‘Fight the good fight!’ We’ve heard various Biblical calls to be strong and courageous and read about a number of different kinds of battles and victories in the Bible. The Christian life is a battle. But how do we find courage and strength to keep fighting when life is tough and the fight seems too difficult?
In this week’s story we come to the Old Testament prophet Elisha. He was Elijah’s apprentice, but ended up doing twice as many miracles as Elijah. Indeed, apart from Moses, Elisha does more miracles than anyone else in the Old Testament. But he also lived in a time of wars and battles. Israel was fighting with the Arameans, who’s capital was Damascus.
At one point an Aramean army turns up to capture Elisha. They’ve surrounded the defenceless city and all seems lost. But, Elisha knows differently. Responding to his servant’s concerns about the sudden appearance of all the enemy horses and chariots, he says, “Those who are with us are more than those against us.” He then asks God to open the servants eyes and he sees an angelic army protecting them!
Jesus parallels Elisha. Elisha follows on from Elijah and Jesus follows on from John the Baptist, whose life was modelled on Elijah. Like Eisha, Jesus is aware that he has an angelic army at his disposal, as he declares in the verse above. Yet, Jesus shows even greater strength and courage. When soldiers arrive to capture him, he allows it, going through with his crucifixion, trusting that God would bring the greatest victory of all, the Resurrection. Will we follow Jesus’ courageous example?
Paul Worledge
New Notices:
Beth’s Ordination as Priest, 28th June, 2:30pm & 5pm
Beth will be being ordained as Priest at Canterbury Cathedral on Saturday 28th June at 2:30pm. People are welcome to come to the Cathedral to support Beth.
After the service we will have a celebratory Bring & Share BBQ in the church field at St. Luke’s from 5pm. Please use the sign-up sheets at the back of church to indicate: a. whether you will be attending (meat for BBQ will be provided); b whether you will bring food to share; c. whether you can help with the setting up or running of the event.
Planned Giving Review and Vision 2030
Last week we launched our annual ‘Planned Giving Review’. This will climax with a Gift Day on Pentecost Sunday, 8th June. We are asking people to consider how much they can give to financially support the church as well as how they might be able to offer practical support and help with Vision 2030.
Please remember to act by next Sunday and bring your response slip to the service.
To start giving to St. George’s using the Parish Giving Scheme, click here.
To show interest in volunteering for one of the Vision 2030 workstreams use this form.
You may also have seen an article online about our long term plans: Thanet News Article
You can access an online version of the flier about the plans here.
Next Men’s group event – Lawn Bowls, 6:15pm, 18th June
See one of the fliers at back of church for more details or speak to Trevor Kenney: 07792 828097; trevorkenney1@gmail.com
Women’s Share and Care:
A few dates for your diaries:
18th June at Tina Gilham’s “what are you reading”. Bring a book and enjoy each other’s company over a cuppa and a biscuit. 10.30 to 12.00
4th July at Beth Keenan’s. Fun and games , nibbles and drinks. Bring and share. Evening.
12th July at Beth Patterson’s. Pimms and food in the garden. 6.30 to 8.30. Bring and share food and a garden chair if you have one.
Can you help with tours of St. George’s tower and crypt?
Tours of St. George’s crypt and tower are proving very popular. If you can help as part of a team with these tours, then please contact Jemima Brown: regenerationofficer@stgeorgechurchramsgate.uk . The planned tours coming up are 11am to 3:30pm on Saturdays 8th June, 5th (?) and 12th July, 9th August and 13th and 20th September.
Volunteers for the Community Meal
Can you join a superb team of helpers on some or all Tuesday afternoons and evenings to help serve the Community Meal at St. George’s Church Hall to 30 to 50 guests? The meal runs between 5:30-7pm, but volunteers need to be available from 5pm and if possible to help cook or set up earlier on Tuesday afternoon. If you are interested, then please see Paul.
Reminders:
Joint Pentecost Service, 8th June, 6pm
Churches Together in Ramsgate invite you to celebrate Pentecost. An evening of worship, prayer, teaching and fellowship. All welcome (including families, children and youth.
The event will take place at Royal Harbour Academy (CT12 6FA) on Sunday 8th June at 6pm.
Links to Share:
Faith in the Fire
Join Joshua Luke Smith as he shares firsthand stories from his journey to Nigeria, revealing the courage, suffering, and unshakable faith of persecuted Christians. Through gripping storytelling, Faith in the Fire brings you closer to the lives of believers facing trials with extraordinary strength. Find out more…
Could Lamorna Ash become a Christian in a year?
This article reviews a book written by a non-Christian trying a number of different avenues to explore the Christian faith. A fascinating read…
Finally, let’s be strong and courageous, knowing that God is with us.
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.
After the death of Moses, God called Joshua to lead his people and spoke words of true beauty over him. The author of creation tells him he will be with him wherever he goes, that he will give him every place he sets his foot and that no one will be able to stand against him all the days of his life. God asks Joshua to keep the book of the law always on his lips and to meditate on his word day and night so he can be careful to do everything written within it which will bring him prosperity and success through leading people in the way of God.
We can read these words with a twinge of jealousy. How much would we all desire God to speak so directly, so clearly and so preciously to us? The reality is, however, that we have a whole book of the greatest love story ever written, written for us and able to be meditated on by us day and night.
As Joshua was given the task to lead and the promise that God would be with him, so to are the disciples in Jesus’ Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) As disciples of Jesus, this commission continues with us today. As Jesus’ disciples, we are called to reach out, nurture faith, baptize, serve, pray, heal, and love, with the promise that He will be with us always.
We are all beloved, commanded and joined together in our great commission to the world and the church. So, as Joshua did, let’s take courage in the growth of the church and meditate on his word day and night, treating it as the true gift it is.
Beth Keenan
New Notices:
Ascension Day Service, 12noon, Thursday 29th May
Ascension day is when we celebrate Jesus leaving earth 40 days after his resurrection and going to sit at God’s right hand to rule. We will be holding a special 12noon Holy Communion service in St. Luke’s after Cafe4All – All are welcome.
Ascension Day also marks the beginning of Thy Kingdom Come ten days of prayer. Why not give one or more of our daily prayer meetings during this period where we will be using the Thy Kingdom Come materials?
Beth’s Ordination as Priest
Beth will be being ordained as Priest at Canterbury Cathedral on Saturday 28th June at 2:30pm. More details to follow…
Reminders:
Planned Giving Review
Last week we launched our annual ‘Planned Giving Review’. This will climax with a Gift Day on Pentecost Sunday, 8th June. We are asking people to consider how much they can give to financially support the church as well as how they might be able to offer practical support and help with Vision 2030.
If you haven’t already, please check the back of the church and take the envelope with your name on it. (We only send letters to those who have indicated they are happy to receive such letters. If there is not an envelope with your name on it and you would like one, then please take one of the nameless ones.)
Joint Pentecost Service, 8th June, 6pm
Churches Together in Ramsgate invite you to celebrate Pentecost. An evening of worship, prayer, teaching and fellowship. All welcome (including families, children and youth.
The event will take place at Royal Harbour Academy (CT12 6FA) on Sunday 8th June at 6pm.
Young Voices Questionnaire
If you are aged 11 to 24 or know someone who is, then do encourage them to fill out the Canterbury Diocese Youth Council questionnairewhich focuses on mental health. These snapshot questionnaires are an opportunity to hear the voices of young people from across our diocese. It closes on 23 May.
Youthscape Launchpad Diocesan Event
6:30-9:00pm on Monday 2nd June at St. Laurence church in Ramsgate. Led by Bp Rose Hudson-Wilkin, with Jen Tobin the Diocesan Lead Officer for Children & Young People’s Work and Launchpad Youth Scape Representatives. This is an intergenerational event for young people 11 years old and upwards and those helping to lead young people’s work. See Tonya Curry if you are interested in going as part of a group from St. Luke’s.
They will be on during the summer to coincide with the Yard Sales and Heritage Open Days and we are also doing a couple of dates in May as well. The dates are Saturdays: 17th May, 24th May, 14th June, 12th July, 9th August, 13th September and 20th September.
Links to Share:
Addressing Abuse in Church
This latest Cambridge Paper, written by David McIlroy, focuses on a challenging and important topic: ‘Abuse within evangelical churches and organisations: Addressing the vulnerabilities’. Read more…
New Worship Song – This is the Day
On a lighter note, here is a video of one of a set of new songs commissioned by the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity. Watch…
Finally, let’s be courageous, knowing that God is with us.
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.
Last year the National Archives in London put on an exhibition called ‘Great Escapes: Remarkable Second World War Captives’. The experience of Dunkirk and the Channel crossings of the Little Ships that are being commemorated over the next couple of weeks in Ramsgate weren’t included in this exhibition. Instead the exhibition featured the stories of prisoners in German prison camps who plotted daring escapes, including the mass escape from Stalag Luft 3 that was made the subject of the film titled ‘The Great Escape’, as well as stories of those who simply managed to survive in captivity. According to the National Archives, this offered ‘glimpses of the courage and ingenuity that is possible in desperately hard times’ and explored the indefatigability of the ‘human spirit’.1
I suppose ‘The Great Escape’ wouldn’t be exactly the right title for an exhibition that did include the story of Dunkirk and the little ships, because no matter how courageous, resourceful and indefatigable the soldiers beaten back to the beaches of northern France were, they wouldn’t have been able to actually swim the English Channel to escape the German onslaught. They could not have escaped unaided. When we hear that phrase, ‘The Great Escape’, I suppose we think naturally of courage, and ingenuity, and the human spirit. Let’s be honest, we probably also think specifically about British courage, resilience, and the English stiff upper lip. That is why we hear the title track to ‘The Great Escape’ film at international football matches, with the England chant right at the end.
And so, when we heard that Bible reading just now, from Exodus chapter 14, I think we’d be right to question whether ‘The Great Escape’ is really the most appropriate title for the sermon today. In fact, there’s not a lot in the Bible, considered as a whole, as far as celebrating courage, ingenuity, and the human spirit is concerned. That would be the message of optimistic humanism, that would be the message of positive thinking, that would be the message of nationalistic chauvinism, even, but it isn’t really the message of Christianity. And in this passage in particular, there’s nothing really to be found in terms of the indefatigable human spirit. Like the troops at Dunkirk, the Israelites were on the run, and were still vulnerable to attack from a fearful enemy. But they were not courageous or resilient, and they did not possess stiff upper lips. Instead, they were terrified, traumatised, and loose-lipped. Rather than effecting a Great Escape, they seem to have suffered from a Great Depression.
I say that the people of Israel were terrified, because in chapter 14, verse 10, it says this in so many words; ‘they were terrified’.
I say they were traumatised because the trigger for their terror, according to verse 10, was that they ‘looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them’. In order to understand this, we have to lay aside the visions Cecil B. DeMille has put in our heads of finely-dressed and glamorous-looking Egyptians, not a scary sight at all, and imagine instead what it must be like to see the approach of a powerful force which is able to kill you, and is determined to kill you.
I say the Israelites were loose-lipped because of what they are reported to have said to Moses in verses 11 and 12 of chapter 14:’Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? … It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!’ Here we are a long way from the derring-do of a Great Escape. Terror, trauma, and talk born of this terror and trauma, combine together to make instead a Great Depression.
Moses tried, as we have read, to bring them out of this condition. In the face of their fear, he appealed to them in verse 13: ‘Do not be afraid’ – just as Abraham and Isaac before them, and Joshua after them, were told ‘Do not be afraid’ (Genesis 15:1, 26:24, Joshua 8:1), and just as the people of God are told right throughout the Old and the New Testaments, ‘Do not be afraid’. In the face of the trauma triggered visually by the sight of the Egyptian army, in verse 13 Moses told them that ‘the Egyptians you see today you will never see again’; instead, he said, ‘you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today’. In place of their loose lips, Moses told them in verse 14, that ‘the LORD would fight for them’ and that they only needed, not to ‘be still’, as our Bible translation misleadingly puts it, but actually to ‘hold their peace’.2
What we learn from this is that the Israelites were in no position to make, and in fact they did not make, any positive contribution to the situation they were in. All they contributed was a Great Depression: they were – understandably – terror-stricken, traumatised, fearing the worst, and complaining. In this way, it is crystal clear “that Israel was not saved because of its faith. Rather, Israel failed to believe right up until the moment of its deliverance”.3 This is not a message of optimistic humanism, or a message of positive thinking, or a message of nationalistic chauvinism, but it is the message of the Bible from cover to cover, and of Christianity as a whole. God helps those who know they cannot help themselves. And it is a message especially fitted to bring comfort to those who find themselves, for any reason, to be in the grip of a Great Depression. An American preacher named Fleming Rutledge once said that even if she “stayed in the pulpit [and preached] all day”, she still wouldn’t be able to get across to her congregation just how many times she had drawn on Exodus chapter 14, verse 14, in her own life. “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to hold your peace”. “In times of disappointment, in times of frustration, in times when I have failed myself, in times when I could see no way forward, I have called upon this verse”4, she said.
So this isn’t really a Great Escape story. The Israelites weren’t able to swim across the Sea of Reeds, any more than the Tommies in northern France could have swum across the English Channel. The Exodus, and Dunkirk as well, are stories not so much of escape as they are stories of Great Deliverance. In the case of Dunkirk, it was the Royal Navy, accompanied by the Little Ships, that came to the rescue. At the Sea of Reeds, Moses told the people of Israel to ‘stand firm’, and they would ‘see the deliverance that the LORD would bring’.
Exactly how that deliverance played out is described in the rest of chapter 14, directly after the passage we have heard read today. In imagining what happened, we’ll be misled again if we simply take the Cecil B. DeMille film as our guide to what took place. It is fairly clear from the text that natural phenomena such as
1. a strong east wind that changed dry land into a boggy marsh, and
2. a mass panic that broke out among the Egyptian horsemen and charioteers,
played key parts in sealing their fate. The temporary parting of the Sea of Reeds that enabled the Israelites, but not the Egyptians, to cross was no less miraculous for being above all a miracle of timing. The Bible is clear that the LORD himself was the author of the rescue.
It is worth thinking a little more about this Great Deliverance, because it lies at the very heart of the entire Old Testament. Some people think of the Old Testament as if it simply lays down a set of laws and commandments, set out by He Who Must Be Obeyed, and punishment is promised to all who fall short. But when we look ahead in the book of Exodus to the Ten Commandments in chapter 20, the first thing we read the LORD saying is not a command at all, but a reminder of this Great Deliverance. Before any commandment is given at all, here we read, ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery’ (Exodus 20:2). I hope you can see how beautiful this is? I hope I am managing to communicate well enough how this utterly transforms the meaning of all the commandments that follow? But let me try.
‘I am your God, and you are my people. I have rescued you, not because of your merits, nor even because of your faith, but by grace despite your lack of merit and of faith. Do not be afraid: I love you, and you are mine forever.’ In this context, keeping the commandments has nothing to do with trying to earn God’s favour. Instead, the commandments begin to answer a completely different question, which is this: What does life look like when it is governed by gratitude, rather than by fear? Or, to put the same question another way, How are we going to conduct ourselves, now that we have been given and have entered into the freedom of the children of God? Or, again we may ask: What constitutes the good life?
It is the Great Deliverance of the Exodus that is at the rock bottom of all of this. The parting of the Reed Sea was just one act in the drama that started with the ten plagues and the Passover, and ended with the Israelites entering into the land of promise. But it was a highlight in the drama. On that day, the LORD in his power made a way out of no way for his people, and he did so out of love for them. Understanding this is the essential first step towards understanding the entire basis of the religion of the Old Testament, and of the Bible as a whole. Once this is understood, none of the commandments need ever again be feared. Rather, they all start to make perfect sense. ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.’
Without the knowledge of the LORD’s power, and assurance of his favour, we like the Israelites can contribute only a Great Depression. But with this knowledge and this assurance, we may rejoice not in any Great Escape of our own, but in a Great Deliverance engineered by the LORD. And arising from this Great Deliverance is a Great Glory for the LORD, the God of Israel.
This glory is first mentioned in verse 4 of chapter 14, just before the passage we have heard read this morning, when the LORD said to Moses, ‘I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD’. And this is repeated in verses 17 and 18, which we did read: “I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go into [the Sea] after [the Israelites]. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
Here, ‘I am the LORD’ is much more than simply “a self-assertion of God’s existence”.5 It is an assertion of the LORD’s power over against that of the so-called gods of other nations, and an affirmation of his covenantal relationship with the people of Israel. To the enemies of the LORD, his glory has a sharp end: the Egyptian horsemen and chariots came to acknowledge the power of the LORD in the same kind of way as the Titanic came to acknowledge the power of the sea, by being submerged. They saw, as they were drowning, that “the salvation of the Israelites and the destruction of their army were indeed from God.”.6 This is why I say that the glory of the LORD in the Exodus had a sharp edge for them.
But the great glory of the LORD in the Exodus is surpassed by a Greater Glory spoken of in the New Testament. It is the glory of the new covenant, whereby both Jews and non-Jews stand justified before God, not on account of their deeds but on account of the wideness of God’s mercy. And “if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation [with its sharp edge], how much more does the ministry of justification [that reversed a potentially bad outcome] abound in glory!”, writes the Apostle Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 3 [verse 9]. So much so that “what was glorious [once] has no glory now in comparison with the greater glory” [2 Corinthians 3:10].
The New Testament tells us that Jesus Christ is the catalyst for that Greater Glory. “The Passover and the Exodus, as the church has always understood from earliest … times, were the forerunners of what was to come in full power at [his] resurrection”, according to Fleming Rutledge. “There is no way out of death. Only God can open that way.”7 And in the resurrection, this is exactly what he has done.
Thanks be to God, not many of us are conscious of having flesh-and-blood enemies who intend our harm and destruction. In this way, we are better off today than our parents, grandparents and great grandparents were in 1940, who faced a bitter opponent across the Channel and knew that as soon as the Battle of France was over, the Battle of Britain would begin. Even so, we know that, for a whole host of reasons, fear and trauma are not that uncommon in life. We have all heard the language of despair that understandably arises from fear and trauma. And ultimately, we do all face a powerful force which is perfectly able and determined to put an end to us. “The last enemy to be destroyed is death” [I Corinthians 15:26].
And so all of us need to know, when we cannot see a way forward, because humanly speaking there is no way forward – we need to know that the LORD will make a way out of no way, and that he “will fight for us”. We need to know that, in raising Jesus from the dead, the LORD has effected a Great Deliverance, and that he done this for our sake, and for his Greater Glory.
Join us for a tour of the 3 Grade 1 Listed Churches in our historic seaside town Saturday 28th June – all day event 11am til 4pm
Bookings are now open for a fascinating architectural heritage tour this Summer 2025. The day will start at St Laurence-in-Thanet, moving on to St George’s Church in the town centre and finishing up on the cliff top at the shrine of St Augustine looking out to sea.
There will be a maximum of 20 places so book early to avoid disappointment. Booking can be accessed via the Ramsgate Society website and the tour costs £15 per person.
Sunday 20th July, 3 to 5pm, at St George’s Church, Ramsgate Tickets – £10 Refreshments and Licenced Bar
Join us for “Circle of Liberty – Choirs in the Round,” an uplifting afternoon of song in the stunning setting of St Georges Church, Ramsgate. Featuring 4 choirs in a powerful celebration of freedom, community, and connection, this unique event supports the life-changing work of Liberty Choir. Founded by MJ Paranzino & Ginny Dougary, Liberty Choir brings music into prisons, building bridges between the inside and outside world through shared singing. Their work helps people rediscover confidence, belonging, and purpose — long after release. Come and be inspired by the joy and harmony of voices united.
In support of : the charity Liberty Choir – The overall aim of Liberty Choirs is to provide for excluded and isolated people (for example, those in secure psychiatric settings or people who are serving custodial sentences) a ‘through the gate’ programme of high-quality singing and social development.
It is designed to help develop skills and self-confidence, open up the world of arts through singing and provide access to new social networks as the participants re-enter the wider community.
All proceeds from ticket sales and licensed bar to the Charity, Liberty Choir. https://libertychoir.org
St. George's Church Ramsgate 