“As we approach the season of Lent, a time to reflect on our relationship with Jesus, a couple of questions asked in the Church of England Lent resource Draw Near is: what does worship look like for you and how is it different to just singing in church?
At the Blofield and Broadside benefice, the worship on Racial Justice Sunday took on a different shape. Our worship was transformed from just sitting and singing to dancing and marching.
Some were no longer conformed to being ‘Anglican pew sitters’ but transformed to dancers. However, the mystery was revealed as to those without rhythm!
Not sure if we were dancing to the ‘heartbeat of God’, but we gave it our best, trusting the Spirit to lead as we marched to that well known song Siya hamba.
A song used in the 1980’s to call out against regimes of racial injustice, is now recognised internationally as the voice of the people taking a stand.
On Racial Justice Sunday a group of young Muslim drummers from Sudan, Eritrea and Chad shared in fellowship and told their story of racial injustice through music.
That day our worship was transformed as we marched in and for the unity of our broken and divided world, trusting God that ‘freedom is coming’.
The Waterside Scratch Band and the African Drummers from the International Music Group raised the beat, whilst the Caribbean food served after service raised the heat.”
Thanks to Revd Cheryl Ramballi, Associate Priest at the Blofield and Broadside Benefices for writing this article.