A small group of baptists ministers on social media have been challenged by the lack of on what is happening in the United States of America. Baptist Together have put out the a statement and some through-provoking statements.
We recognise that the Baptist Union is also us as individual ministers, so we have tried to put something down to reflect where we are and hope it is shared by our Baptist Together Family.
I (Hayley) have struggled to watch the news and read my social media feeds the past few days.
What is happening in the USA in one way feels so separate from my life and in many ways seems unbelievable.
But it would be wrong of myself and others not to respond because although it seems separate from our lives - it isn’t.
We are all created by God in His image - and as the people of God we need to stand up and clearly declare ‘Black Lives Matter.’
In saying Black Lives Matter we are not saying that other lives don’t matter but recognising that Black Lives are so often treated with a lack of respect and dignity.
You and I just can't sit back and watch it on our news feed.
We are disturbed so greatly to see what is happening: police cars driving into peaceful protests, some police punching and hitting people without cause, the dreadful sight of a policeman killing someone who is black; treating a whole community with aggression and violence.
And we want to say: to our black ministers, pastors and members for whom this week has been especially traumatic: WE ARE SORRY, we should have done more and we should have acted sooner.
It is not enough for us to be disturbed, it’s not enough for us to just pray: we have to do more to fight injustice.
Some of our churches this Sunday would have mentioned it in a our sermons and prayed for the people of America but that is not enough.
We have to learn to become a community of Holy resistance - standing up for what we believe is right, speaking out against injustice wherever we see it and use our places of privilege to give space and a voice to those who are ignored by society.
This is a major problem that we all must address; especially our white ministers, pastors and church members - we must engage actively in dismantling racism systemically and personally.
It is not enough for us to be ‘not racist’ we must be anti-racist which is a place of action.
We as Baptist Churches need to ‘share a hunger for God coming Kingdom’
Written by Revd Hayley Young (Regional Minister: South Wales Baptist Assoication)
Edited by: Revd Dawn Cole-Savidge (Minister Bloomsbury Baptist Church)
Supported by:
Revd Gemma Dunning (Leytonstone United Free Church)
Revd Glen Graham (Minister Cullompton Baptist Church)
Revd Tim Haines (Minister St Helens Baptist Church)
Revd Rich Blake-Lobb (Yiewsley Baptist Church)
Revd Wayne Clarke (Trinity Baptist Church)
Revd Mike Lowe (Communication Manager, Baptist Together)
Revd Peter Spence (Warley Baptist Church)
Revd Caire Blatchford (Cranham Baptist Church)
Revd Simon Woodman (Bloomsbury Baptist Church)
Revd Iain Pope (Totterdown Baptist Church)
Revd Alison Griffiths (Rural Ministries UK)
Revd Michael Shaw (Devonport Baptist Church)
Revd John Goddard (Saffron Walden Baptist Church)
Revd Jonathan Filllis (Dagnall Baptist Church)
Revd Mary Taylor (Regional Minister: Yorkshire Baptist Association)
Revd David Mayne (Shoeburyness & Thorpe Bay Baptist Church)
Revd Alan Brand (RENEW Church)
Revd Heather Marsden(Rushmere Baptist Church)
Revd Andy Glover (HBC and Fresh Streams)
Revd Catriona Gorton (Hillhead Baptist Church)
Revd Jonathan Somerville (Woodford Baptist Church)
Revd Bob McKay (Milton Baptist Church)
Revd Julia Henley (Budleigh Salterton Baptist Church)
Revd Martin Hobgen (Phd Student, Northern Baptist College)
Revd Danielle Leigh (Stafford Baptist Church)
Revd Sean Fountain (Pier Avenue Baptist Church)
Revd Neil Bennett (Ross-On-Wye Baptist Church)
Revd Duncan MacLean (Moderator, Heart of England Baptist Association)
Revd Jonathan Keyworth (New Road Baptist Church)
Revd Mark Janes (New North Road Baptist Church)
Revd Paul Graham (Clare Baptist Church)
Revd Pam Davis (57 West)
Revd Craig Gardiner (Tutor, South Wales Baptist College)
Revd Joanna Williams (Blackley Baptist Church)
Revd Andy Williams (Blackley Baptist Church)
Revd Ruth Gouldbourne (Grove Lane Baptist Church)