On Sunday 8th February the eight churches in the Blofield and Broadside benefices will come together for a service to commemorate Racial Justice Sunday.
We will hear stories from members of the ministry Team whose mission took them to places like India and Romania of racial injustice towards them as Caucasians in trying to help the local people, showing that racial injustice rears its head in many different forms.
The importance of Racial Justice Sunday is that it makes a space in the church calendar to tell the stories in the way that Jesus did. Using examples that people can connect with and so help them to better understand that there are injustices that we as brothers and sisters in Christ should challenge, because Jesus has asked us to.
Jesus said love your neighbour and then told the story of the Good Samaritan to help us all to better understand how important it is for us to care for one another irrespective of colour, creed or race.
Racial Justice Sunday offers a space for the parish church to re-iterate Jesus’ commandment in their locality and to bring the conversation right where they are placed, potentially to dispel the myth that racial injustice is something happening elsewhere and not in our backyard, so it’s nothing to do with us. But is that the truth?.
The parish church can reach so many people across the nation so is it not incumbent on church to recognise the importance of Racial Justice Sunday and use the time to address this important issue.
In offering us one of the greatest and divine directives to build a world that knows love, peace and joy, Jesus said Love your neighbour.
Thank you to Revd Cheryl Ramballi, Associate Priest of the Blofield and Broadside benefice and member of the Racial Justice Action Group in the Diocese of Norwich, for writing this article.