Richard Reddie, Director of Justice and Inclusion, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland writes…
In these resources we explore what it really means to love our neighbour, especially given the current narratives of hostility, fear, suspicion and hatred of the ‘other’, particularly asylum seekers, refugees and anyone who is not British or Irish ‘enough’.
We discuss how the Bible provides a blueprint for a world where everyone belongs; where everyone is loved, valued and affirmed for who they are, and not what they look like or have to offer. And one in which our identity is ultimately to be found in Christ, as brothers and sisters of one ‘race’: the human race.
I believe that this message is ‘for such a time as this’ (Esther 4:14). It is one that speaks through the ‘flags’, banners, protests and invective, relaying a message of unity and hope. Just as the greatest commandment speaks about loving God and one another, Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross offers us all the hope of being united with God and with one another.
Let us use Racial Justice Sunday (and other Sundays) to stand together in love, rejecting those words, actions and behaviours that go against Christ’s teachings, and embracing those biblical principles that foment unity, cohesion and engagement.
The RJS 2026 resources
The writing group, which compiles these ecumenical resources, has members from the Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Church of Scotland, Moravian and Pentecostal traditions. They include Churches Together in England’s Principal Officer for Pentecostal, Charismatic and Multi-cultural Relations Min Shermara Fletcher-Hoyte.
The resources contain:
- worship materials and prayers
- relevant scripture verses and hymn/worship song ideas
- sermons, homilies and reflections
- ‘take action’ suggestions for congregations