Liturgical Resources for Black History Month

These resources, which are designed for use during Black History Month, include Services of the Word, a Eucharistic service, Prayers of Lament and of Commission, and links to further resources for Bible studies, youth work, Messy Church, and music. They are for all churches. The Church has immense formative power within the wider community and such power begins in our worship of God.

Racism is at root an issue of power, the limiting of the capacity of certain people and groups to act whilst privileging and promoting the capacity of others, solely on the grounds of racial characterisation. Our worship and the life of the Church are not free from these dynamics. These resources are an invitation to develop a constant awareness to such dynamics in our worship and the life of the Church, nourished by and borne out of the constant focus of true worship. At the heart of this invitation is an intentional focus on and attention to God and God’s will for all people: life in all its fullness according to the image of God in which all are created.

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These resources have been prepared by the Liturgical Commission in collaboration with colleagues from across the Church of England.

A Collect for Black History Month

Compassionate God,
who sent Jesus Christ
to deliver us from all manner of injustices and inequalities,
create in us new hearts and enlarged visions,
to see the image of God in every person
irrespective of background, race and ethnicity.
May we be generous in our love of others
as we work towards ending misunderstanding, racism and injustice; creating communities of human flourishing,
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.