The service entitled: From Lament to Action, was an opportunity for people to come together to reflect, mourn and discuss how to turn grief into meaningful action – uniting communities to inspire positive change.
George Floyd was an African American man who was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Floyd uttered the words “I can’t breathe” as he was subjected to police brutality when the officer knelt on his neck. His death sparked Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
Co-celebrants of the service included The Rt Revd Dr Rosemarie Mallett, Bishop of Croydon, The Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, Free Churches Moderator and President for Churches Together in England and Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England.
Bishop Rosemarie said, “Five years ago, George Floyd died painfully and agonisingly in front of the entire world and the whole world was touched. Many promises were made to change and alter systems of racism, racial prejudice and injustice. Five years on, sadly, too few of the promises and finances for programmes pledged have been put in place. However, there are signs of hope and in Southwark, we are busy embedding our Anti-Racism Charter at every level of diocesan and parish life. At the same time, nationally and internationally, there is now a strong backlash against diversity and equity and inclusion policies and programmes.
“It was important for the church – which believes that every person was created in God’s image and that challenging racial injustice is a gospel imperative – to gather on this fifth anniversary to mark, commemorate and lament, and to continue to call for action to redress the systemic racial injustices that George Floyd’s death so tragically demonstrated.”
The programme featured Christ’s Hospital Gospel Choir and organist Wayne Marshall, OBE.
