On Saturday 4 October, Southwark hosted its 18th annual Black History Month service themed: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15b). A celebration of identity and belonging – the service drew on inspiration from Jesus’ words in Matthew’s Gospel and explored how cultural and social heritage interacts with our God-given identities.
- View photos from this year’s BHM celebrations on our Flickr stream here.
After opening with the hymn ‘Brother, sister, let me serve you’ the congregation were welcomed by The Bishop of Southwark, The Rt Revd Christopher Chessun who said “It is wonderful to be together in our Cathedral church – the mother Church of the diocese – for our Black History Month celebration and I am immensely grateful to all those who are contributing to the worship and the liturgy and those who are here. Your presence is a great blessing, as indeed in this diocese our great diversity is God’s gift and God’s blessing to us.”
The congregation were then invited to pause for a moment of silence and pray for victims from the Jewish community following the tragic attack in Manchester on Thursday 2 October. Bishop Christopher said, “Pray to God for everyone in this nation, that all will be free and safe from fear… we pray that we all may live in peace”
Prayers written by the Black History Month planning group were said by the congregation. For the service, the group were keen to express the resonance of this year’s theme by incorporating these prayers and other elements into existing liturgies, such as the Gloria and the Caribbean Lord’s Prayer.
In partnership with the Southwark Diocesan Board of Education, there were several contributions from young people from schools across the diocese through music and fellowship.
The first reading from the book of Genesis (1.16-31) was read by pupils from Bishop John Robinson Primary School, Thamesmead, who later led the prayers of intercession.
The Revd Cordella Dawson, Chair of the Black History Month planning group and Vicar at St Philip, Norbury read excerpts from ‘Still I Rise’, world famous words by Maya Angelou – American memoirist, poet and civil rights activist.
Led by the choir from Archbishop Tenison’s School, traditional African American spirituals ‘Steal Away’ and ‘Down by the Riverside’ with children from Bishop John Robinson Primary School were sang during the service.
The Revd Judy Douglas, Curate at St Mary and St John the Divine, Balham read the gospel from the book of Matthew (16. 13-20).
In his sermon, The Venerable Dr Chigor Chike, Archdeacon of Lewisham & Greenwich said, “There is a Nigerian proverb that says that ‘a person who doesn’t know when rain started to beat him or her, would not know when it stops.’ which is a way of saying that looking into the past and understanding it, helps us to make sense of what is in the present.” as he explored the presence of racism in today’s society dating back to the 1400’s and the transatlantic slave trade.
After communion, the congregation participated in an Act of Commitment to Racial Justice, each lighting a candle of hope and during which the worship group from St Paul, Brixton led a time of musical reflection.
The service concluded with the recessional hymn ‘We are marching in the light of God’.
Following the momentum of the service and in the second part of the event, the Area Racial Justice Leads delivered a workshop and using a series of slides, took the audience through a timeline. Each presented key moments in history exploring black contributions to the Church and society focusing on origins and faith, resistance and liberation, black clergy breaking barriers and what Southwark are actively doing across south London and east Surrey – particularly in the space of anti-racism.
Overall, the day was an opportunity to join together in fellowship, worship, give thanks and share learning – all being in God’s multi-ethnic kingdom realised in one place.
If you were unable to join this year’s service, you can watch it back here.
If you attended the service and would like to share your feedback, you can do this here.
