20th September 2023
The secret of Bletchley Park
Through the grace of God we have different gifts. If our gift is preaching, let us preach to the limit of our vision. If it is serving others let us concentrate on our service; if it is teaching let us give all we have to our teaching; and if our gift be the stimulating of the faith of others let us set ourselves to it. Let the man who is called to give, give freely; let the man who wields authority think of his responsibility; and let the man who feels sympathy for his fellows act cheerfully.
Romans 12:6-7 (J.B. Phillips)
Bletchley Park was the secret code-breaking facility set up at the beginning of World War 2. Its objective was to break the codes used by the German forces in their communications. The work started with just a handful of creative people, recruited from Oxford and Cambridge, whose IQs were off the chart and who could think both logically and creatively, as we say, ‘out of the box’.
But as more and more messages came in each day from radio intercept communications for deciphering, an abundance of different talents was needed to fulfil the mission and accomplish the challenge of decoding the enemies’ secrets. Along with the initial mathematicians, Bletchley recruited classicists, experts of ancient papyri, linguists in French, German, Italian and Japanese, historians, crossword writers, chess Grandmasters, telephone engineers, librarians, filing clerks and many other talents and abilities. It also needed despatch riders, mechanics and cooks and all the ancillary workers that are needed to support a growing, dedicated organisation. Some were from military backgrounds, others were civilians. 75% of the staff of Bletchley Park were women. By the end of the war the original hundred recruits had risen to about 9000.
Bletchley Park made use of the myriad of common talents and abilities that God has given to us to achieve their goal. But to take part in Christ’s mission we need more and the Spirit gives us the gift of a great variety of abilities. Paul gives different lists in different letters, but in Romans Paul starts with preaching but then mentions the gift of serving. We might think of preaching as being a really important and impressive gift to have – but serving? It’s the same word used to describe Martha who ‘was cumbered about much serving’ when she gets in a stew over getting a meal ready for Jesus and the disciples (Luke 10:40). It also describes the ministry of relief sent by the church in Antioch to Judea (Acts 6:1).
Christ gifts his Body with a great variety of gifts, not just the ability to preach but to serve, to teach, to encourage, to give, to lead, to show mercy. And that’s just a few of the gifts he lavishes on us. Those at Bletchley Park worked together to save the nation. Christ works to save the world.
Prayer
Saviour, thank you for the abilities and gifts you graciously give us so that we may participate in your saving work. May we work together in harmony, using our gifts for the common good and for your glory. Amen.
Study by Hilary Buck
About the writer:
Hilary Buck is a minister and pastors the Lewes congregation of Grace Communion International.
Local congregation:
Grace Communion in Lewes
The House of Friendship
208 High Street
Lewes
BN7 2NS
Meeting time:
Sunday 11:00 am
Local congregational contact:
Hilary Buck
Email: lewes@gracecom.church
Like us on www.facebook.com/Grace Communion Lewes
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church