GiC - United Reformed Church

��ɫ��ҹ Racial Justice Advocates urge Andy Burnham to honour Windrush pledge

Ann-Marie Nye — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 11:47:03 +0000

The United Reformed Church’s (��ɫ��ҹ) Racial Justice Advocates (RJAs) are calling on the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to honour promises made to the Windrush generation.

The RJAs are also backing an open letter signed by 70 public figures supporting the Windrush Justice Community Collective (WJCC) campaign for a radical overhaul of the Windrush Compensation Scheme. The scheme was set up in 2019 to compensate people, mainly Black Britons, who, over decades, were incorrectly stripped of citizenship rights and classed as illegal migrants.

Members of Hillsborough Justice, which represents survivors of the 1989 stadium disaster and relatives affected by it, along with Grenfell United, which represents survivors of the 2017 London tower block fire and bereaved family members, .

calls for victims of the scandal to be provided free, independent legal support; the creation of a new, independent Windrush Redress Authority backed by legislation; a full public inquiry into the scandal and its ongoing impact; and for all victims to be granted citizenship or indefinite leave to remain, with all tests waived and any paid fees returned.

“The government is failing to honour its promise,” said the Revd Zaidie Orr, Convenor of the ��ɫ��ҹ’s RJA network: “This scandal has already caused irreparable harm to thousands of Black Britons and their families. People have died waiting for compensation. It is simply outrageous that the ��ɫ��ҹ Office continues to delay compensation and, in many cases, denies it.”

shows that by January 2026, 11,475 claims had been received by the scheme. Of these, 9,224 had concluded and only a third, 3,148, resulted in a payout, while 56% of the claims, 5,203, received no award. The remainder of the claims were classed as either ineligible or withdrawn. The ��ɫ��ҹ Office attributes this to “applications from people who successfully applied to have their legal status confirmed through the Windrush Scheme but did not suffer any financial detriment, or people who have experienced other detrimental treatment, impacts or losses that are not covered by the Windrush Compensation Scheme”.

Pat Poinen, an RJA based in Darlington, said: “The fact is that many commonwealth migrants came to the UK with British passports.

“Ripping away a person’s identity, citizenship and right to belong causes profound harm. Families have been split apart for decades and, in some cases, individuals have been forced to return to countries which they left as children and no longer have any connection with. People have lost homes and livelihoods.

“Regardless of whether a victim suffered financial detriment, compensation should be paid. There is no monetary value that can be placed on positive mental health or the right to family life. Any compensation can be regarded as a token attempt to right the injustice caused by this scandal, yet the attempts continuously fail.

“I urge as many people as possible to sign the WJCC petition.”

In the report, NAO says: “The ��ɫ��ҹ Office told us the scheme was designed to be accessible without the need for legal representation.”

However, according to the legal reform charity , victims from other compensation schemes — such as several relating to the Post Office Horizon Scandal, the Infected Blood Scheme, and the Lambeth Children’s ��ɫ��ҹ Redress Scheme — have all been eligible for legal representation.

In comparison, up to £1,500 only is offered by the Windrush Compensation Scheme, for probate legal costs only.

: “Lawyers who helped Windrush Scheme claimants suggest the attitude of ��ɫ��ҹ Office caseworkers is designed to put off claimants and limit awards. The ��ɫ��ҹ Office claims the process is simple and that individuals do not need legal help to apply. Yet lawyers describe the scheme as ‘tortuous’ and ‘misery on top of misery’, with a pervasive ‘culture of disbelief’ causing delays and unreasonable refusals.”

The charity also highlights “the complexity of the application process, where rules and guidance extend to over 200 pages” — this before the case even begins. Research by the charity also shows that “one claimant went from being refused any compensation to being awarded £295,000 with legal assistance; another had her award go from £20,000 to £170,000 once she had charitable legal support”.

Karen Campbell, ��ɫ��ҹ Head of Global and Intercultural Church, leads on the issues of racial justice and responses to the legacies of transatlantic slavery, and commented: “We need to ask why the government has denied free, legal assistance to Windrush victims as compared to those of other high-profile scandals.”

She added: “There is only one solution — to truly right the injustice of the scandal itself and the subsequent injustice of denying victims free legal support as with other scandals, the Windrush Compensation Scheme must be taken out of the government’s hands and placed, as called for by the WJCC, into the hands of a new, independent Windrush Redress Authority. I urge members of the ��ɫ��ҹ to back the WJCC’s petition.”

Image: Steve Eason/Flickr

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Sarah Mullally: 100 days since historic installation

Ann-Marie Nye — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 06:30:22 +0000

Why the presence of a Black woman at the Archbishop of Canterbury’s installation still matters.

Friday 3 July marks 100 days since the installation of the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Elisabeth Mullally DBE as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Revd Dr Tessa Henry Robinson, a United Reformed Church (��ɫ��ҹ) minister — who serves as Moderator of the , a , and one of the — was asked what her presence at the installation meant to her at a recent meeting of the ��ɫ��ҹ’s Racial Justice Advocates. Here is Tessa’s powerful response:

My presence at the installation of the Archbishop of Canterbury carried significance on several levels and each of these mattered deeply.

I attended in my capacity as one of the Presidents of Churches Together in England and through my role as Moderator of the Free Churches Group. My presence was ecumenical, public, and representative of a wider Christian witness; one that recognises that moments such as these reach beyond one denomination. They speak into the life of the whole Church and reveal something about where we are, what we are willing to affirm, and what kind of future we are prepared to inhabit together.

Tessa asking Sarah a question during the installation service.

On a personal level, I felt it was important to be there in support of a woman stepping into a role of immense visibility and responsibility at a time when there were already strong voices seeking to diminish that moment.

There were those who opposed her appointment simply because she is a woman. There were those who sought to deny its legitimacy before she had even begun. For me, that was not a small matter because it tells us that the struggle around women’s leadership in the Church remains active, organised, and deeply theological in the ways it frames power, authority, and permission. My showing up was an act of solidarity and a way of saying that when a woman is called into a place of leadership, especially under pressure, she should not enter that space alone.

My attending also held a denominational significance for me. I am a minister and a visible member of the United Reformed Church, a denomination that, by the grace of God and through the courage of those who pressed for change, was among the early churches in this country to ordain women. That history is important! It reminds us that progress in the Church never falls from the sky. It comes through prayer, struggle, courage, support, biblical wrestling, institutional challenge, and the costly persistence of those who reject the idea that the image of God can only be contained within male authority. My presence was also a quiet testimony to a tradition that has sought, however imperfectly, to widen the space for women’s full participation in ministry.

I also attended as the first Black woman to serve as United Reformed Church General Assembly Moderator. That also shaped the meaning of the moment for me. Because whenever a Black woman stands in spaces of ecclesial significance, that woman carries more than the title she bears. She carries memory, struggle, ancestry, and the full force of those who are overlooked, patronised, resisted, or welcomed only on terms set by others. She also carries the knowledge that institutions often find symbolic change easier than structural transformation. She carries the hope that presence can become participation, and participation can become change.

From a sociological perspective, moments like this hold significance because institutions teach through symbols as much as through speech.

Who is seen at the centre matters. Who is trusted with authority matters. Who is blessed, affirmed, robed, seated, heard, and publicly received, matters. These things help shape the moral imagination of a community. They signal to girls and women whether they are truly called or merely tolerated. They tell Black women whether leadership can ever hold their full humanity, their intellect, their spirituality, and their experience without requiring them to shrink. Representation and participation alone do not complete the work; but they do break open the old script and make new possibilities visible.

From a theological perspective, I believe such moments push us toward the God who keeps calling beyond the boundaries people construct. The witness of scripture is full of God raising voices that established systems have discounted. God entrusts testimony to those whom society has treated as secondary. God brings good news through those the gatekeepers did not expect. If we look carefully, we will see that the resurrection itself arrives first through the witness of a woman, and we would also notice that Pentecost disrupts the fantasy that God speaks through one kind of body, one class, one gender, one people.

The Spirit keeps moving ahead of the Church’s comfort, drawing us toward a wider obedience.

That is why my presence at the Installation of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury mattered to me. It was never simply about attending a grand occasion. It was about what kind of Church we are becoming. It was about whether we have the courage to recognise the gifts of women when those gifts are exercised at the highest levels. It was about whether we are willing to confront the misogyny that still circulates in religious language, religious culture, and religious structures. It was about whether the Church can receive leadership from those whose very presence exposes the limits of old assumptions.

For me, being there was an act of witness. It was an act of encouragement. It was an act of solidarity. It was also an act of hope; that is, hope for a generation present, and to come.

Because every time a woman steps into a place where some said she could never stand, the Church is offered a chance to become more truthful. And every time a Black woman stands in such a space, the Church is confronted again with the breadth of God’s calling and the poverty of its own exclusions.

I was glad to be at the installation service; glad to stand with a woman carrying a demanding call; glad to stand as part of ecumenical bodies; glad to stand as a daughter of a denomination that has sought to honour women’s ministry; glad to stand as a Black woman in the Church, bearing witness to the God whose call continues to exceed our boundaries, disturb our certainties, and draw us further into justice.

Images: Church of England.

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��ɫ��ҹ helps shape future of global reparative justice project

Ann-Marie Nye — Wed, 13 May 2026 17:36:58 +0000

Karen Campbell, Head of Global and Intercultural Church for the United Reformed Church, has said The Onesimus Project (TOP), an important Council for World Mission (CWM) initiative has the potential to be “really exciting”.

As a member of the TOP core group, Karen travelled to Antananarivo in Madagascar for a planning meeting, held from 7 to 8 May, to help reflect on the future direction of the programme and its role in strengthening the CWM’s global witness for reparative justice, truth-telling, and healing.

The Onesimus Project grew out of CWM’s Legacies of Slavery Project, initiated in 2017, but broadened the focus to include Modern Day Slavery. The meeting, chaired by the Revd Dr Roderick Hewitt, focused on reparative mission, decolonial theological formation, and transformative ecumenism.

Karen said: “It is important for the ��ɫ��ҹ to have a voice in this forum. We have been part of CWM’s ‘Legacies of Slavery’ journey since its inception, through its transition into ‘The Onesimus Project’, and are now helping to shape its future direction. This matters.”

At the meeting, core group members reaffirmed a shared commitment to deepen prophetic witness, anti-racism advocacy, transformative mission practice, and decolonial theological education ��ɫ��ҹ member churches and communities. Discussions also explored how reparative justice can become more deeply embedded within the life and mission of CWM’s international partnership.

Karen added: “TOP is striving to be much more than a funding stream. It is seeking to initiate and resource a missional movement – impacting what the member churches do, how they do it, and why.

“There have been numerous CWM initiatives which seek to resource the church from within – including the Mission Support Programme which funded our ‘Walking the Way’ focus in recent years, encouraging discipleship within the ��ɫ��ҹ. TOP, however, focuses on ‘Church beyond the walls’ – what can mission look like when we venture outside of our buildings and outside of our comfort zones? This has the potential to be really exciting.”

CWM General Secretary Revd Dr Jooseop Keum joined the meeting online and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to reparative justice and mission “from the margins with the margins”.

He said: “Member churches must move beyond symbolic remembrance toward concrete acts of justice, restoration, and communal healing.”

The ��ɫ��ҹ has already taken steps in this work, including a Statement of Confession and Apology for the role of the ��ɫ��ҹ’s antecedent bodies in transatlantic slavery, their benefit from it, and the denomination’s failure to dismantle the legacies of racism and inequity which persist today; the apology was warmly welcomed by partner churches in Jamaica in 2024, through the Churches’ Reparations Action Forum (CRAF).

The ��ɫ��ҹ is now working with CRAF on the New Free Villages, a transformative project which aims to see historic Churches in Jamaica donate land inherited after slavery and colonisation. UK partners, including the ��ɫ��ҹ, are helping to support the development of housing and infrastructure on that land. The vision is to create sustainable communities, with homes and small plots of land enabling residents to grow food and generate income.

Image: .

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��ɫ��ҹ donates nearly £45,000 to help Jamaica rebuild after Hurricane Melissa

Ann-Marie Nye — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:55:00 +0000

The United Reformed Church (��ɫ��ҹ) has donated £44,610 to help churches in Jamaica rebuild after the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

The funds, raised through a denomination-wide appeal, were presented to the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (UCJCI) during a visit by ��ɫ��ҹ representatives to the Caribbean earlier this month.

Karen Campbell, the ��ɫ��ҹ’s Head of Global and Intercultural Church, and the Revd Dr Kevin Snyman, Head of World Justice, travelled to Jamaica on 15 February with ecumenical colleagues to witness the impact of the storm and strengthen church partnerships.

More than 50 churches were badly damaged when Hurricane Melissa struck, with roofs torn away and eight buildings completely destroyed.

The UCJCI is coordinating repairs while also supporting the wider needs of affected communities.

Rose Wedderburn, General Secretary of the UCJCI, thanked the ��ɫ��ҹ for its support.

“We truly appreciate our partnership with the United Reformed Church and the fact that you have reached out to support us at this time,” she said.

“Please pass our thanks to all the congregations and individuals who have so generously contributed for Jamaica and her people.”

The Rt Revd Dr Colin Cowan, Moderator of the UCJCI, said the disaster had highlighted a significant importance.

“Melissa helped us rediscover what it means to be ‘church in community’,” he said.

Recovery efforts are expected to take years. Church leaders say rebuilding homes and restoring stability for families remains the immediate priority before damaged church buildings can be repaired.

Revd Norbert Stephens, UCJCI Director for Special Projects, said: “Melissa was like nothing we have ever seen before. Recovery is going to be a very long process down a long road, and we need partners to journey with us.”

Karen Campbell said the hurricane had exposed deeper social challenges.

“Hurricane Melissa has affected every sphere of life,” she said. “It has also exposed pre-existing injustices — poverty, food insecurity, unemployment and substandard housing — many of which are rooted in the legacies of slavery and colonialism.”

She added that the support from the ��ɫ��ҹ had come at a critical time as churches begin the long process of rebuilding communities.

Photos by Kevin Snyman.

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Hurricane Melissa: ��ɫ��ҹ members witness devastation in Jamaica

Ann-Marie Nye — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:57:08 +0000

Members of the ��ɫ��ҹ and ecumenical colleagues have teamed up for an epic journey ��ɫ��ҹ Jamaica to review the response to Hurricane Melissa and strengthen church partnerships.

The Revd Dr Kevin Snyman, Head of World Justice for the United Reformed Church (��ɫ��ҹ), and Karen Campbell, ��ɫ��ҹ Head of Global and Intercultural Church, travelled to the Caribbean with David Thomson, CEO of All We Can, and Sandra Lopez, the Methodist Church in Great Britain’s Partnership Co-ordinator for the Caribbean and Americas.

The team is also working with partners on the ground to explore what reparations might look like in light of the churches’ role in the transatlantic slave trade.

Here, Kevin shares his reflections and conversations from the journey so far:

“The roof caved in, knocking me out and pinning my legs. As the waves crashed through the window and broken door, it lifted the roof and woke me up. My car was sucked out into the ocean, and I was pushed around the manse. I prayed to God and he saved me.”
— A Hurricane Melissa survivor

I wasn’t sure what to expect, just under four months after Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica. Yes, the clean-up is well underway. Blue government-issued tarpaulins patch the roofs of many homes, businesses and churches. But the devastation is difficult to describe.

The people are resilient, but the trauma is barely below the surface. Parents are struggling. Some children panic and cry at the first sign of rain.

Everywhere I go, people say the government help has been slow. Many are frustrated by the pace and scale of support.

“I was picking out roof nails from the rubble,” said Carla. “We can’t afford new ones, so we make do with what we find.”

Skilled builders are scarce and in high demand. Help is not evenly spread. While towns and cities have seen more support, many rural communities remain largely unsupported and can do little without sustained assistance.

“I worry about our people in the worst-hit rural areas,” said Methodist Bishop Christine Gooden Benguche. “We are grateful for the help, but so much more is needed.”

My All We Can colleague David Thomson and I met the team from Water Mission. This incredible NGO has set up a water purification system at a spring on an old plantation. Water trucks are constantly arriving to take treated water to the worst hit areas. It is not enough. “Do you have water for me?” was a question we were asked more than once.

The delegation will soon meet colleagues from the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (UCJCI), which is working to repair more than 50 damaged churches while responding to community needs. During the visit, a cheque representing funds raised through the ��ɫ��ҹ’s Jamaica appeal will be presented.

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��ɫ��ҹ’s Jamaica appeal raises more than £40,000

Ann-Marie Nye — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 11:27:05 +0000

An appeal launched by the United Reformed Church to help bring relief to Jamaican communities devasted by Hurricane Melissa has topped more than £42,000.

The hurricane struck the island on 28 October with 185mph winds, ripping the roofs off 120,000 structures and affecting 90,000 families. ��ɫ��ҹs, hospitals and infrastructure were destroyed.

Church communities and family and friends of Jamaica from ��ɫ��ҹ the ��ɫ��ҹ sprang into action, helping to raise vital funds to aid the recovery process. Initially, more than £16,000 was raised which was match funded by the United Reformed Church. A further £10,000 was raised through Commitment for Life, the ��ɫ��ҹ’s world justice programme.

Karen Campbell, the ��ɫ��ҹ’s Head of Global and Intercultural Church, said: “I am delighted by the ��ɫ��ҹ’s response. Our siblings in Jamaica have been facing untold struggles: lack of clean water, lack of shelter, food shortages, power outage, outbreak of disease, the list goes on. The eyes of the world move on so quickly, even while the struggles remain – so it is truly appreciated that ��ɫ��ҹ members and congregations continue to offer their support.

“These funds will bolster the partnerships between local churches and community groups to support the Jamaican people and ensure that relief and rebuilding efforts continue to be as effective as possible. The ��ɫ��ҹ contribution is much needed and will be greatly appreciated. Thank you to all who have contributed.”

The funds raised will be donated to the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (UCJCI) which is taking direct steps to repair more than 50 churches struck by Hurricane Melissa and responding to the needs of their respective communities.

“Of that 50,” said the Revd Dr Gordon Cowans, former Moderator of the (UCJCI), “some eight of the church buildings have been wrecked by a storm that exuded a power like we have never seen before.

“Because of the nature of our church’s ministry and mission, with our concentration on community building and development, we immediately recognise that for every destroyed or severely damaged church building, there is probably, in the surrounding community, another 100 housing units which in some way, shape or form has been damaged.

“Quite frankly the extent of devastation in the third of the island in which this hurricane was focused is at levels unprecedented. The recovery process is set to be long and arduous.”

This short video shows the impact on UCJCI churches:

The UCJCI also reports that many children in affected areas have been unable to return to school and families remain displaced. In terms of practicalities, Dr Cowans reported that the UCJCI is in need of two or three utility-type vehicles to facilitate the continued logistics work and materials to repair homes and buildings, as well as providing necessities to families.

Considering ongoing needs, the ��ɫ��ҹ’s appeal remains open for donations.

If you would like to contribute, donations can be made:

��, or by cheque. Please make cheques payable to the ��ɫ��ҹ Trust and post to Commitment for Life, United Reformed Church House, 86 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9RT, with the reference “CFL Jamaica Appeal” clearly marked.

Direct bank transfers can be made to the ��ɫ��ҹ Trust using the same reference. The details are:

Account name: United Reformed Church Trust
Sort Code: 40-05-03
Number: 01191802

Please let Suzanne Pearson, Commitment for Life Programme Assistant, know when a donation has been made so thanks can be expressed to you or your congregation. You can contact Suzanne by email at commitmentforlife@urc.org.uk.

Alternatively scan this QR code.

Credit: World Central Kitchen/Flickr/

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Northern Synod member appears on new BBC documentary

Ann-Marie Nye — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 14:18:53 +0000

A member of the United Reformed Church has featured on a new BBC documentary about the British Empire.

Empire with David Olusoga comprising, three episodes, is available on BBC iPlayer.

Patricia Poinen, a member of Northgate United Reformed Church in Darlington, who also serves as a Racial Justice Advocate within Northern Synod, features on episode two of the documentary series.

Patricia appeared on the programme to share about her great grandparents who were transported as indentured labourers to the Caribbean.

Patricia’s grandmother came from Azamgarh and grandfather from Ghazipur, in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India and were indentured to Trinidad after the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and under the “Gladstone experiment”.

The indentured system was initiated by John Gladstone, father of British Prime Minister William Gladstone. Gladstone was one of the Britain’s largest and wealthest slave owners. Just before slavery was fully abolished, he knew that he would face a labour shortage crisis and so looked to a new system of indentured labour to provide cheap employment for his plantations in British Guiana, and in Trinidad and other Caribbean countries to replace the freed enslaved people. In 1837, he brought more than 400 Indian workers to his plantations, portraying the working conditions, food and housing as good when they were anything but. The system lasted for around 80-90 years until it was formally abolished in 1917. , between 1834 and 1917, Britain took more than 1 million Indian indentured labourers to 19 British colonies.

The Indian indentured system features on episode two of the BBC’s Empire with David Olusoga which tells the story of the British Empire from its origins under Elizabeth I to the establishment of colonies in America, the Caribbean and India.

Sharing about how her contribution came about, Patricia said: “As the chair of the North East England African & Caribbean Association, I was contacted by the BBC following some research that was undertaken in 2021 with the Discovery Museum in Newcastle to take part in a national community programme along the topic of Indian indentureship, which linked ship building on the Tyne to India and the Caribbean.

“My paternal grandparents travelled from India on 17 October 1900, arriving in Trinidad on 16 January 1901. They travelled on a ship called the Moy.

“They both were at the same place at the same time; my great-grandfather was 17 and my great grandmother, 20. They were assigned to the same sugar plantation estate in south Trinidad. I was born and brought up in that area and my siblings and extended family still live there. My maternal grandmother, their first child was born on 14 February 1903.

Patricia Poinen’s grandparents feature in a permanent display of her ancestors in the Discovery Museum in Newcastle in the Story of the Tyne

“My maternal grandfather was born on the boat from India to Trinidad. His mother, Abhraji was 28 and on the 20 October 1894, she boarded a ship called the Foyle which set out for Trinidad. Along the voyage, Abhraji gave birth to a son called Sarjoo (Sirju Persad). When the Foyle arrived at Trinidad’s immigration depot of Nelson Island on 24 January 1895, mother and son were sick and hospitalised. It was not until 25 May 1895, that they were assigned to the Union Hall estate where Abhraji was indentured. Their General Register number were 99975 and 99976. Incidentally the Foyle was built in Newcastle.

“I am extremely proud of my ancestors. They endured hardship and pain so that I might live in freedom today.

In episode one, the historian explores the origins of the British Empire and how the power of a relative small island – 412 million – of the world’s people by the end of the 19th century. Its central and dominate role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade is also explored. Australian’s colonial history also features in episode two, and the eventual collapse of the empire is explored in episode three.

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Creative solutions to youth violence explored

Ann-Marie Nye — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 07:45:00 +0000

As part of the Standing Together initiative, guests from the Caribbean visited central London on 12 November, meeting with a diverse group of church and community representatives at Lumen ��ɫ��ҹ and the Offices of General Assembly.

During a week-long programme of site visits, online conversations, and in-person gatherings, the Revd Kevin “Nana Moses” Calvert, Minister of Visual & Performing Arts within the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, who is also a theologian and filmmaker, and Dr Joanna Simpson, Educator of Community Social Workers at the University of the West Indies and a passionate advocate for violence reduction, shared rich insights from a Jamaican context to inspire and encourage churches in the UK.

Standing Together is a partnership between the Synergy Network and the ��ɫ��ҹ’s Global & Intercultural Church, focusing on confronting serious youth violence and exploring creative, community-led solutions for positive change.

At Lumen and Church House, visitors were welcomed by members of the ��ɫ��ҹ’s Legacies of Slavery Task Group for open and honest discussions about the role the Church can and should play in supporting young people and addressing youth violence. Participants included those working in ordained ministry, education, medicine, youth work, funeral direction, and youth empowerment. Representatives from the Metropolitan Police also attended a second gathering for church leaders, children’s, youth and family workers, held later on in the evening at High Cross Church in Tottenham.

Karen Campbell, Head of Global and Intercultural Church, said: “We hope that the relationships formed and the learning gained through Standing Together will help shape the ��ɫ��ҹ’s ongoing response to the legacies of transatlantic slavery, in particular, proposals for mentoring young Black men, who remain significantly overrepresented in the UK criminal justice system.”

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“I was the right person to deliver the ��ɫ��ҹ’s slavery apology to Jamaicans”

Ann-Marie Nye — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 15:34:51 +0000

on 12 June, the Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, Moderator of the ��ɫ��ҹ General Assembly, responds to a suggestion that it was absurd for her as a Black British woman to deliver the ��ɫ��ҹ’s apology to Black Jamaicans.

Tessa’s letter comes after Dr Robert Beckford, a theologian and broadcaster, wrote in an article published on 4 June, titled ‘, that “Jamaicans were perturbed by the existential absurdity of seeing [Revd] Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, a Black British woman and the current leader of the denomination – herself a descendant of the Caribbean’s enslaved – delivering its apology to Black Jamaicans”.

Explaining why she was the right person to deliver the ��ɫ��ҹ’s slavery apology, Tessa responded by letter saying:

“Beckford critiques my role as a Black woman delivering the apology, overlooking my extensive background and connection as a Trinbagonian woman of Caribbean descent. Delivering the apology in was a profound act of healing, and not just symbolic. My engagement in Jamaica with stakeholders including local leaders, church leaders, Prof Hilary Beckles and the Churches’ Reparations Action Forum underscores the depth of this commitment.

“It is necessary to clarify my identity and role. The suggestion that a white person might have been more suitable to apologise perpetuates a harmful “white saviour” narrative. As the elected moderator, it was my duty and right to deliver this apology, representing not only the church but also my personal, historical connection to the issue.

“This work is not just institutional but personal. I am a descendant of the enslaved, from a region marked by a legacy of resistance and struggle for justice. This history informs my work and teachings in the UK, making me uniquely positioned to deliver the apology. I invite Beckford and the Guardian to engage more deeply with the ��ɫ��ҹ and other communities for a fuller understanding of the complexities involved in this journey towards reconciliation and justice.”

The ��ɫ��ҹ formally made a confession and apology for the role of its antecedents in transatlantic slavery and its continuing complicity in the legacies of the trade today at its 2022 General Assembly.

In addition to the apology, the Church made a commitment to undertake practical actions to address “the continuing negative impacts of the legacies of transatlantic slavery on black communities in the UK, the Caribbean and Africa”.

In April, members of the ��ɫ��ҹ, including Dr Henry-Robinson, travelled to Jamaica as part of an ecumenical pilgrimage to learn about the legacies of slavery.

Themed around repairing relationships, the trip focused on spiritual reconciliation, as well as meetings with partner churches, the country’s Prime Minister and other prominent politicians.

The apology was delivered by Dr Henry-Robinson during an ecumenical service themed ‘Reparation, A Journey Towards Repentance, Repair and Reconciliation’ at Webster Memorial Church in the parish of St Andrew, an area of around the country’s capital, Kingston.

The apology was accepted by the Hon. Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister for Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, who encouraged other UK churches, along with the UK government, to also apologise.

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Jamaican government Minister accepts ��ɫ��ҹ’s apology for its role in transatlantic slavery

Neil Hunter — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:15:40 +0000

A Jamaican government Minister has accepted the United Reformed Church’s apology for its role in the transatlantic slave trade.

The Hon. Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister for Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, encouraged other UK churches, along with the UK government, to also apologise.

Members of the United Reformed Church travelled to Jamaica earlier this month as part of an ecumenical pilgrimage to learn about the legacies of slavery.

Themed around repairing relationships, the trip focused on spiritual reconciliation, as well as meetings with partner churches, the country’s Prime Minister and other prominent politicians.

Those on the trip included the Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, ��ɫ��ҹ General Assembly Moderator, Karen Campbell, Secretary for Global & Intercultural Ministries, and Tom Hackett, Southern Synod’s Children’s and Youth Development Officer.

It was accepted by the Revd Gary Harriott, Moderator of The United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (UCJCI), a partner of the ��ɫ��ҹ through the Council for World Mission.

Ms Grange encouraged the other churches that sent representatives to Jamaica to witness the historic apology to “signal to your government that the Christian thing to do is to admit culpability by way of an apology and to engage with us to determine the various forms that reparations may take”.

“It is not enough that the enslavers and their descendants should regret the suffering that slavery inflicted on our ancestors,” Ms Grange continued.

“When you have done something wrong, you must take responsibility for it, apologise and try to set things right.”

The ��ɫ��ҹ’s apology was accompanied by a pledge from the UCJCI to give parcels of land it had received from those who profited from slavery to the most vulnerable.

During the service, Dr Henry-Robinson said that the apology is rooted in the Gospel that calls on sinners to repent of what has been done in the past and to be reconciled.

The apology read: “We, the General Assembly of The United Reformed Church, mindful of our own history and that of our antecedent bodies, apologise for our role in transatlantic slavery and the scars that continue to blight our society, our church, and the lives of black people in our midst and around the globe today.

“We have heard the pain of sisters and brothers who have been hurt and are still being hurt by these legacies, including the continuing scourge of racism.”

The in-person apology comes after the ��ɫ��ҹ made a confession and apology for the role of its antecedents in transatlantic slavery and its continuing complicity in the legacies of the trade at its 2022 General Assembly.

In accepting the apology, the Revd Harriott said that the scars of the “barbaric” history of slavery continue to haunt the descendants of the enslaved, noting that much of Jamaica’s policies and economic state are shaped by the legacies of slavery.

“I stand in a posture of thanksgiving to God to receive the apology of our sisters and brothers from The United Reformed Church for the complicity of their forefathers and ‘foremothers’ in the enslavement of other human beings,” Revd Harriott said.

“We stand grateful because this ecumenical service of worship represents a sign of resurrection, a sign of hope,” he said, adding that he rejoices that the church has found the courage to acknowledge its wrongdoings.

“It is our prayer that those who have been dehumanised over centuries and those who continue to experience the impact of enslavement will be equally courageous, inspired by the spirit of God, to share in the journey demanding justice and affirming peace. This is resurrection, this is hope.”

He also invited other members of faith, as well as governments, to offer reparation.

The Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson said: “This pilgrimage to Jamaica has been profoundly eye-opening and represents a significant step towards healing and reconciliation.

“I am deeply moved by the gracious acceptance of the United Reformed Church’s apology by Jamaica’s Minister for Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, which underscores the transformative power of acknowledging historical wrongs and expressing genuine remorse.

“Journeying with our hosts, the Churches Reparation Action Forum, in the way we have been, has made it clear that such acknowledgements are crucial for forging right relationships and paving a way forward.

“Reflecting on our experiences and the warm reception from the Jamaican community, I strongly advocate that other churches also acknowledge their roles in the trafficking and enslavement of Africans.

“It is only with acknowledgement and apology that we can begin to work towards helping to repair the breach and move towards achieving true reconciliation and unity.”

Karen Campbell, the ��ɫ��ҹ’s Secretary for Global and Intercultural Ministries, said: “This pilgrimage has been truly meaningful. It has included great joy and deep lament. We have been welcomed by a people whose lives and land are scarred by a history of brutal enslavement and colonialism, a people who have received us warmly even while knowing that Britain took the lead in that history, and that the Church was hugely complicit in those endeavours.

“If we were in any doubt, in Jamaica, we see why the ��ɫ��ҹ’s engagement with the legacies of transatlantic slavery matters. Our apology matters – to help bring about healing of relationships; and our commitment to acts of repairing justice is essential to contribute to healing the societal scars.

“Our hosts have described us as ‘trailblazers’, thanking us for our courage in confronting our history and seeking a new way forward – and praying that other UK churches might do the same.

“We pray so too – because lament and healing are needed on both sides of the Atlantic; on both sides of our horrific shared history.”

Read the ��ɫ��ҹ’s confession and apology for the role of its antecedents in transatlantic slavery and its continuing complicity in the legacies of the trade today

Karen Campbell and the Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson are available for interview by arrangement, as they are still on the ecumenical pilgrimage.

Please call Andy Jackson or Ann-Marie Nye on 07976 753950.

The post Jamaican government Minister accepts ��ɫ��ҹ’s apology for its role in transatlantic slavery appeared first on United Reformed Church.

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