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Hello, stranger!
Oct. 27th, 2024 09:06 pmOur previous Rector, who is now an Archdeacon, came back to us this morning! Only for a visit but it was very good to see them. We've been using the CoE's BHM resources this month and today's service involved a number of stations looking at Black church leaders in different countries, how the Church has been complicit in racism, Jesus talking about loving our enemies (yeah, he really meant it!), Communion and a bit of self-examination. And we had some PoC in the congregation - one regular, one semi-regular and one scoping us out for their child who's just started uni.
We also heard some Gospel Spiritual songs - 'Father let your kingdom come', 'Let my people go' and 'Glory glory', and sang 'Were you there when they crucified my Lord?' and 'He came down that we may have love' - which really don't sound right sung by a majority white congregation :D
I think I've mentioned before that we're pretty certain our church was built on the proceeds of the enslavement economy. It dates from 1829/30 and enslavement was made illegal in 1833. There's an initiative in the Diocese called the Slavery Truth Project that we're going to re-engage with in the New Year. We're one corner of the 'Triangle of Hope' - the others being Kumasi in Ghana and Virginia; of course, this reflects the 'Slave Trade Triangle'.
I can clearly remember being taught about the 'slave trade', as we then referred to it. Today, there's a move towards 'enslavement economy' because 'slave' describes a person and 'trade' sounds legitimate. People are enslaved and economy indicates the monetary basis for the whole thing. Anyway, I was in top juniors, so 10/11 when I first learned about it and it left a deep impression on me. I have spent the majority of my life in this area, which is ethnically diverse but for Reasons I went to junior school in a completely white area. I remember an Indian girl starting because her family had moved into the area and she caused a sensation - and I sort of shrugged my shoulders because people with brown skin were part of my every day.
So, I think of my city as being diverse and welcoming - because I value diversity and welcome. The reality is rather different. And that alone makes me uncomfortable. But to think that so many of the beautiful buildings here, including my church, were built on the blood and sweat of other humans makes me profoundly sad. Should I be angry? Would anger be helpful? I don't know... But whether or not anger should be the answer, what I feel is sadness.
We also heard some Gospel Spiritual songs - 'Father let your kingdom come', 'Let my people go' and 'Glory glory', and sang 'Were you there when they crucified my Lord?' and 'He came down that we may have love' - which really don't sound right sung by a majority white congregation :D
I think I've mentioned before that we're pretty certain our church was built on the proceeds of the enslavement economy. It dates from 1829/30 and enslavement was made illegal in 1833. There's an initiative in the Diocese called the Slavery Truth Project that we're going to re-engage with in the New Year. We're one corner of the 'Triangle of Hope' - the others being Kumasi in Ghana and Virginia; of course, this reflects the 'Slave Trade Triangle'.
I can clearly remember being taught about the 'slave trade', as we then referred to it. Today, there's a move towards 'enslavement economy' because 'slave' describes a person and 'trade' sounds legitimate. People are enslaved and economy indicates the monetary basis for the whole thing. Anyway, I was in top juniors, so 10/11 when I first learned about it and it left a deep impression on me. I have spent the majority of my life in this area, which is ethnically diverse but for Reasons I went to junior school in a completely white area. I remember an Indian girl starting because her family had moved into the area and she caused a sensation - and I sort of shrugged my shoulders because people with brown skin were part of my every day.
So, I think of my city as being diverse and welcoming - because I value diversity and welcome. The reality is rather different. And that alone makes me uncomfortable. But to think that so many of the beautiful buildings here, including my church, were built on the blood and sweat of other humans makes me profoundly sad. Should I be angry? Would anger be helpful? I don't know... But whether or not anger should be the answer, what I feel is sadness.
