26 Jun 2025, 11:16Pastor Dr Jeff Couzins
Windrush: There Is Nothing New Under the Sun
A Day of Remembrance in Preston
On Sunday, 22 June, Preston Seventh-day Adventist church held a special service led by Pastor Jeff Couzins to honour the Windrush generation and their descendants. As many across the UK paused to remember the arrival of the Empire Windrush on 22 June 1948 – and the subsequent scandal that unfolded – Pastor Couzins invited the congregation to reflect on a deeper, often overlooked spiritual parallel.
The Windrush Scandal
The Windrush generation answered Britain’s call to help rebuild its war-ravaged economy. They arrived with skills, optimism, and a commitment to contribute. However, decades later, many of these same individuals – along with their children – were wrongfully labelled as illegal immigrants due to shifts in legislation and poor recordkeeping. It is a dark stain on recent British history, revealing how quickly a society can forget those to whom it owes so much.
A Biblical Mirror: The Goshen Scandal
Almost 3,500 years before Windrush, the Bible records a similar story. In Genesis 47:27, we are told, “So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly.” The Israelites were welcomed during a time of crisis, and through Joseph’s leadership, they helped save Egypt from famine.
Yet in Exodus 1:6-10, we read of a tragic turn:
“And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation… Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.”
What followed was suspicion, fear, and eventually oppression of the very people who had once been embraced.
History Repeats Itself
The parallels are sobering. The Windrush generation, like the children of Israel in Egypt, were welcomed in a time of need, only to be forgotten by a later government that did not “know Joseph.” Their contributions faded from institutional memory, and they were subjected to unjust treatment and exclusion.
The Israelites in Egypt had no paperwork; their presence was granted by relationship, not documentation. Similarly, many who came to the UK during the Windrush era arrived on British passports or were granted leave to remain – but with insufficient records kept, they were later unable to prove their status.
There Is Nothing New Under the Sun
The writer of Ecclesiastes observed long ago:
“That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun… There is no remembrance of former things…” (Ecclesiastes 1:9-11).
The injustice suffered by the Windrush generation is not an isolated moment in time. It reflects a recurring pattern in human nature – the tendency to forget the past, to marginalise the stranger, and to exploit the vulnerable.
Lessons for Today’s Church
As the people of God, we are called to be different. While governments may forget, the Church must remember. While policies may change, the gospel remains constant in its call to justice, mercy, and welcome.
May we be more noble than Pharaoh and more compassionate than any policy. Let our churches be places of belonging, where those who come from afar are not just welcomed, but embraced and uplifted. For what happened to the Israelites, and what happened to the Windrush generation, must not be allowed to happen again on our watch.
Let us be the generation that remembers.
A Day of Remembrance in Preston
On Sunday, 22 June, Preston Seventh-day Adventist church held a special service led by Pastor Jeff Couzins to honour the Windrush generation and their descendants. As many across the UK paused to remember the arrival of the Empire Windrush on 22 June 1948 – and the subsequent scandal that unfolded – Pastor Couzins invited the congregation to reflect on a deeper, often overlooked spiritual parallel.
The Windrush Scandal
The Windrush generation answered Britain’s call to help rebuild its war-ravaged economy. They arrived with skills, optimism, and a commitment to contribute. However, decades later, many of these same individuals – along with their children – were wrongfully labelled as illegal immigrants due to shifts in legislation and poor recordkeeping. It is a dark stain on recent British history, revealing how quickly a society can forget those to whom it owes so much.
A Biblical Mirror: The Goshen Scandal
Almost 3,500 years before Windrush, the Bible records a similar story. In Genesis 47:27, we are told, “So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly.” The Israelites were welcomed during a time of crisis, and through Joseph’s leadership, they helped save Egypt from famine.
Yet in Exodus 1:6-10, we read of a tragic turn:
“And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation… Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.”
What followed was suspicion, fear, and eventually oppression of the very people who had once been embraced.
History Repeats Itself
The parallels are sobering. The Windrush generation, like the children of Israel in Egypt, were welcomed in a time of need, only to be forgotten by a later government that did not “know Joseph.” Their contributions faded from institutional memory, and they were subjected to unjust treatment and exclusion.
The Israelites in Egypt had no paperwork; their presence was granted by relationship, not documentation. Similarly, many who came to the UK during the Windrush era arrived on British passports or were granted leave to remain – but with insufficient records kept, they were later unable to prove their status.
There Is Nothing New Under the Sun
The writer of Ecclesiastes observed long ago:
“That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun… There is no remembrance of former things…” (Ecclesiastes 1:9-11).
The injustice suffered by the Windrush generation is not an isolated moment in time. It reflects a recurring pattern in human nature – the tendency to forget the past, to marginalise the stranger, and to exploit the vulnerable.
Lessons for Today’s Church
As the people of God, we are called to be different. While governments may forget, the Church must remember. While policies may change, the gospel remains constant in its call to justice, mercy, and welcome.
May we be more noble than Pharaoh and more compassionate than any policy. Let our churches be places of belonging, where those who come from afar are not just welcomed, but embraced and uplifted. For what happened to the Israelites, and what happened to the Windrush generation, must not be allowed to happen again on our watch.
Let us be the generation that remembers.
