October is Black History Month (BHM). The focus of BHM is about writing back into history those events and activities that have been overlooked or deliberately ignored in mainstream narratives.
Here we draw together some resources to help you, your church and you community mark Black History Month…
CTE’s Principal Officer for Pentecostal, Charismatic and Multi-cultural Relations, Shermara Fletcher, has authored a comprehensive piece for the Christian Enquiry Agency website about the contribution of Black Majority Churches who have positively shaped the religious, spiritual, cultural, and social landscape of the UK to ensure the flourishing and common good of all.
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland has released Racial Justice Champions: Vol 1 (pdf). This publication consists of 25 women and 25 men of faith (from a variety of ethnicities), who have pioneered racial justice in church and society over the last 25 years. You can join a CTBI webinar on Wednesday 27 October, 7.30-9pm, to hear from a number of these pioneering Christians.
CTBI Director of Justice and Inclusion, Richard Reddie, says: “I have always argued that BHM tells the story of everyone’s history. The history found in this resource speaks of the British churches’ struggles to address racial justice. As such, it is British history. And much like Racial Justice Sunday (RJS), BHM is everyone’s business – it tells of the synergies and efforts of Black, White and Asian Christians in the pursuit of racial justice.”
The Church of England has released a Collect for Black History Month 2021 and a series of liturgical resources
The Baptist Union of Great Britain have put together a new BHM racial justice resource for those working with children and young people.
The Methodist Church is focusing on stories of black leadership throughout BHM. The President of the Methodist Conference, Rev Sonia Hicks, has written a prayer for BHM. Listen to Rev Sonia reading it:
The Wesleyan Holiness Church offers speakers for school assemblies and classes about BHM. And they have just released Black Tudors, the latest video in their Black History series.
The Student Christian Movement (a CTE Body in Association) is celebrating the contributions of black people, past, present and future, across the UK and globe in a series of events and #ProudToBe videos on Facebook.
Many intermediate bodies (county and city church groups working together) have special events during Black History Month. For example, churches across Birmingham, coordinated by Time4Change, are holding a Racial Reconciliation gathering on the afternoon of Sunday 17 October at St Andrew’s, the home of Birmingham City Football Club. Co-facilitators of Time4Change, Bishop David Urquhart (The Church of England Diocese of Birmingham) and Pastor Calvin Young (Mount Zion Christian Centre, Aston) are leading the call to Birmingham’s Christian congregations to gather together at the momentous service for ‘Racial Reconciliation, Repentance and Restoration’ across the city’s Churches – and across the whole city. Here’s their intro video:
If we haven’t included your favourite Christian Black History Month resources for Christians please send us the details and we can add them to this page.
Photo credit: Kevin Snyman