Words of Light and Hope from Helena Crockford LLM
Words of Light and Hope – Epiphany 9th February 2025, Helena Crockford LLM
Racial Justice Sunday (RJS) – ‘Coat of Many Colours’
This year marks the 30 th RJS, set up following the racist murder of the black teenager Stephen Lawrence. (The following words come from https://ctbi.org.uk) Both the…Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament are replete with references to diversity, in this world and the Kingdom to come. One only has to reflect on verses that speak of a ‘house of prayer for all nations’ (Isaiah 56:7), the events of Pentecost (Acts 2) or the ‘multitude … from every nation’ (Revelation 7:9-17), which all include words meaning ‘every tribe and nation’, to see that ethnic diversity is part of God’s divine plan… despite this amazing reality, inequality still exists in the church and is still a factor that blights the experiences of too many people of Global Majority heritage or Black and Brown backgrounds.
God of all people, You are the one who brought us into being, Knitting and weaving us together and forming us before we were even born. You know us, each and every one – Your dear children, blessed to be bearers of Your image and likeness.
God of all nations, You stitch and sew this intricate image of You Like a garment of many colours, stitched, sewn and hemmed; Each tone and hue painted with the tender care of You, the Artist, Our Maker and Creator – clothing us all in Your love and mercy.
May Your dream for all Your dear children come true; May Your hope for all the earth to be renewed and reconciled be made real; May Your Kingdom come on this earth in this time, and be established for ever.
We call on You, O God, That on this Racial Justice Sunday You would bring together our hopes and fears, Our prayers and our praise, And unite them, as we draw closer in communion with You and each other, For Your glory. Amen
Holy Spirit, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Guide us towards our best selves, that in the days to come We may know Your presence, guiding us To do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen
