Nationally, Black History Month is dedicated to honouring the achievements of black women who are often the forgotten heroines. This year's celebration, Saluting our Sisters, highlights the crucial role that black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change, and building communities. Learn more from the UK Black History Month website.
The Revd Canon Beverley Hunt, The Bishop’s Adviser on UKME/GMH issues, shares her thoughts:
"'Dig deeper, Look closer, Think bigger' is a very apt slogan marking this year’s Black History Month. It reminds us of the importance of pausing to take a deep breath, to survey the landscape around us, reflect on the path taken with its joys, hardships, challenges, and ups and downs before continuing our journey. This week, I came across a diocesan poster celebrating 25 years of women ordained to the priesthood in the Church of England. It contained photos of 80 women priests in the diocese of Guildford. Among the faces peering out from the little squares were two black priests. Now, there are many more clergy and laity of a United Kingdom minority ethnic/Global Majority Heritage (UKME/GMH) background.
"During the four years since these silver jubilee celebrations, the church paused again as it entered a new phase in its mission. This is the sombre recognition that UKME/GMH people were underrepresented in the Church of England and indeed, across the diocese, to ask why, and to address the problem.
"With the imminent publication of the Church of England’s Taskforce Report: ’From Lament to Action’ (FLTA) with its tight timescales and bold recommendations for action, a Racial Justice Focus Group was formed. Its aim was to ‘promote greater racial diversity within the diocese and within is leadership and ensure that people from all races were enabled to fulfil their potential within the Body of Christ.’ The Bishop’s Adviser on UKME/GMH issues was also appointed. Three years on, we are implementing the recommendations of the report and have developed four key documents to support this process.
"I hope you will join us this Black History Month as we:
- seek to serve humanity in the footsteps of Jesus,
- pause to celebrate racial and ethnic diversity in all aspects of ministry in Guildford diocese,
- and demonstrate that our commitment is rooted in Jesus who stood for the poor, the lame, the vulnerable, the blind, the disadvantaged, oppressed and marginalised in all structures of society."
Over Black History Month we’ll be sharing stories from people in our parishes and highlighting resources you may want to make use of.
You can find the resources and stories as they are published on our new webpage for the month under our Awareness Campaigns section.
As a Diocese, we are pursuing diversity and tackling the barriers to racial justice. Growing diversity is part of our Transforming Church Transforming Lives framework. We are working towards taking the appropriate and relevant actions laid out in the key recommendations from the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Taskforce Report: From Lament to Action. Find out more.