Promoting unity in the nation: Synod members share their stories

In an informal session of Synod, members heard stories and reflections from clergy and laity before breaking into small groups to discuss how the current climate is affecting them and to share pieces of Scripture that is guiding them.

Opening the session the Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, who chairs the Church of England’s Bishops’ Working Group for Promoting Unity in our Nation, described the need to bring communities and the nation together as an “urgent” challenge.

“Friends, I don’t think we should be in any doubt – our democracy is under threat today,” he said.

“If a very large number of people think our country is ‘broken’ and ‘divided’, it doesn’t matter whether we agree with them or not - the very fact that so many people think it, means that we should not be surprised if many start looking for increasingly radical solutions to ‘fix’ our nation. 

“And if those solutions don’t immediately work, the temptation will be to look for even more radical solutions – and history gives us plenty of examples of where that can lead.”

He chose a passage from Jeremiah speaking of seeking the welfare of the city where he lived to question the idea that Christians should not be concerned about politics.

“Our heavenly citizenship doesn't pull us out of life in our nation,” he said. 

“It enables us wholeheartedly to serve our neighbours and seek their welfare.

“My welfare depends on your welfare and on the welfare of my neighbours in Leicester - whether they trace their family history to this country, or the Punjab or Uganda or Romania or Ireland. 

“Our calling is to seek the welfare of all who call this great nation their home.”

The Bishop of Croydon, Rosemarie Mallett, encouraged members to share stories which have shaped them.

She said “One of the stories that has shaped me is that of my father who came here in the 1950s, and when he tried to go to his local church, he was directed away, I wrote ‘gently’ I'm not sure about that, I wasn't there. 

“But he was directed away from the church and encouraged to find somewhere that they considered would be more appropriate to his culture. 

“I have to say, he stayed away from the church, apart from high days and holidays, in market family events.”

Members heard from Pete Adams, a lay member from the Diocese of St Albans, describing his experiences working to defuse community tensions in Luton amid pressure from the far right.

Addressing Synod in a video, the Bishop of Southampton, Rhiannon King, explained how clergy and congregations in the city responded to the recent violence over the murder of Henry Nowak, helping with the clean-up, sharing information and supporting people from all communities.

“Clearly all of this has exposed afresh the fact that there are very many vulnerable and frightened people in our society, of all backgrounds, who feel unsafe or unheard or unloved or all three. 

“So now the real work continues of listening to those who think differently, who feel neglected, who want change but perhaps don’t know how to go about it constructively.” 

She added: “So thanks for listening and if I may could I ask you to spare a prayer for Southampton, that God would use for good what others intended for evil and by God’s mercy we may be able to play a small part in the listening, the loving and the healing that is now needed here and more widely.”

One story came from the Bishop of Kirkstall, Arun Arora, who has been part of a group of clergy who have been visiting counter-demonstrations against those protesting outside a hotel being used to house asylum seekers, some of whom attend local churches. 

He explained that one week they arrived with cupcakes baked by local congregations for those in the hotel but were declined on security grounds. So, instead, they shared the cakes with both groups outside including protesters across the road some of whom had been verbally abusing them just before. 

“We listened to them, heard them, spoke with them and offered prayer,” he explained.

“Because, my friends, our call is not only to show mercy, it goes beyond that. Our call is to love our enemies, indeed it is wherever possible to live in peace so that we have no enemies. To stand alongside those on both sides of the road, clear of God’s equal love for all and that the love of Christ compels us to show it to all.”