The Church of England’s online weekly service will hear a call for action to build a fairer world ahead of a minute’s silence to lament the racism experienced by the Windrush generation and other black and UK minority ethnic people.
Father Andrew Moughtin-Mumby, Rector of St Peter’s Church in Walworth, south east London, will lead the service in which his sermon will describe racism as one of three pandemics faced by the world, alongside the climate crisis and COVID-19.
In the sermon, he will say that racism experienced by people from the Windrush generation in parish churches in the years after they first arrived in Britain is a "stain on the soul" of the Church of England.
“There is still racism in the Church today, and it is a very serious disease and a sin which I believe each one of us is called to work hard and work urgently to end,” he will say.
He will add that the lament over the "awful" Windrush scandal – should lead to action.
“Our lament and sadness friends, should make us want to make a difference; to build a better, fairer Church and world,” he will say.
The service will be available from 9am on Sunday on the Church’s website, Facebook page and on YouTube.
It is being broadcast ahead of Monday’s Windrush Day, marking the 72nd anniversary of the arrival of The Empire Windrush, to the Tilbury Docks in east London.
The former troop carrier was carrying Jamaican and other British Commonwealth citizens from the West Indies to help rebuild Britain after the Second World War.
Who is my neighbour?
The Diocese of Chester has this week announced plans to host an event in response to and in recognition of the huge impact that the death of George Floyd has had on the world.
The event, called Who is your neighbour? is a series of conversations with members of the black and minority ethnic communities in the Diocese of Chester.
Anyone affected by racism is invited to "engage in the conversations and to reflect together about what we can do to" to tackle issues of race and equality across our diocese.
The event will be chaired by the Revd Canon Lameck Lutete, Vicar of Tattenhall, Cheshire, who in a recorded video shared across the diocese this week, reflected on the death of George Floyd in the US.
He says: "As Christians, we are committed to playing our part in seeing racism eradicated and the restoration of justice for all. For so long the oppressed voice has been crying, 'I can't breathe, take your knee off my neck.'
"But the perpetrators of injustice have been silent.
"Finally, God spoke through George and the words went into flames of unquenchable fire. His final utterings have shaken the world and transformed it forever."
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