Community
Racial Justice Sunday 9 February 2025
“these I will bring to my holy mountain
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Isaiah 56:7
Introduction
This year is an important one for racial justice on these shores as it marks the 30th anniversary of RJS.
RJS was established by the Methodist Church in 1995 following the tragic racist murder of Black teenager
Stephen Lawrence in southeast London in April 1993.
A few years later, the Churches’ Commission for Racial Justice (CCRJ),
a Churches Together in Britain and Ireland programme, agreed to mainstream
the special Sunday so that all the churches could engage with it.
This year’s theme has the title ‘Coat of Many Colours’, reflecting the increasing
diversity that exists in the churches in Britain and Ireland. Both the Old Testament,
or the Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament are replete with references to diversity,
in this world and the Kingdom to come.
One only has to reflect on verses that speak of a ‘house of prayer for all nations’
(Isaiah 56:7),
the events of Pentecost (Acts 2) or the ‘multitude … from every nation’ (Revelation 7:9-17),
which all include words meaning ‘every tribe and nation’,
to see that ethnic diversity is part of God’s divine plan.
There is little doubt that British churches, especially in the larger cities,
are a microcosm of the world in a congregation, which is indeed a blessing
that must be celebrated. Equally, the fact that the diversity of believers has breathed some much-needed spiritual life into our churches reveals that this is a movement of God for which He must be praised.
Yet, despite this amazing reality, inequality still exists in the church and is still a factor that blights the experiences of too many people of Global Majority heritage or Black and Brown backgrounds. This leaves people not feeling as if they belong in the house of the Lord, or not being given the opportunity to use their God-given talents
to further the Lord’s Kingdom.
God is doing a ‘new thing’ (Isaiah 43:19) among those Christians who now call these shores home.
We must address the importance of inclusion and the need for all Christians
to engage in the righteous work for racial justice.
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.” Isaiah 1:17
Let us pray:
God of all people, you are the one who brought us into being,
knitting and weaving us together and forming us before we were even born.
You know us, each and every one – your dear children,
blessed to be bearers of your image and likeness.
God of all nations, you stitch and sew this intricate image of You –
like a garment of many colours, stitched, sewn and hemmed;
each tone and hue painted with the tender care of you, the Artist,
our Maker and Creator – clothing us all in your love and mercy.
May your dream for all your dear children come true;
may your hope for all the earth to be renewed and reconciled be made real;
may your Kingdom come on this earth in this time, and be established for ever.
We call on You, O God, that on this Racial Justice Sunday
You would bring together our hopes and fears, our prayers and our praise,
and unite them, as we draw closer in communion with you and each other,
For Your glory. Amen
God, you have told us what is good.
you have made clear what you require of us.
We pray that you remind us of our shared responsibility
to work with you to build a better world for all.
As we seek to do what is just,
help us to recognise injustice,
to notice those who are oppressed or alienated.
As we sow love throughout this world,
in your mercy, guide us to the ones who feel unloved.
May we bring your light and love
into places where fear and hatred have cast their shadow.
May we walk in humility and solidarity with all around us.
Help us not to trespass or misstep
on the journey towards equality and justice for all. Amen (Based on Micah 6)
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
