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 缅北强奸 representatives to the Caribbean earlier this month.

Karen Campbell, the 缅北强奸鈥檚 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 缅北强奸 for its support.

鈥淲e truly appreciate our partnership with the United Reformed Church and the fact that you have reached out to support us at this time,鈥� she said.

鈥淧lease pass our thanks to all the congregations and individuals who have so generously contributed for Jamaica and her people.鈥�

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

鈥淢elissa helped us rediscover what it means to be 鈥榗hurch in community鈥�,鈥� 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: 鈥淢elissa 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.鈥�

Karen Campbell said the hurricane had exposed deeper social challenges.

鈥淗urricane Melissa has affected every sphere of life,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t has also exposed pre-existing injustices 鈥� poverty, food insecurity, unemployment and substandard housing 鈥� many of which are rooted in the legacies of slavery and colonialism.鈥�

She added that the support from the 缅北强奸 had come at a critical time as churches begin the long process of rebuilding communities.

Photos by Kevin Snyman.

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The UK Government announced that the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS) would stop at the end of March 2026, without any official consultation with denominations or the Scottish Government. LPWGS enabled congregations to reclaim Valued Added Tax (20% VAT) on repairs to buildings of national importance and the fund provides support for churches across Scotland.

The Scottish Church Leaders鈥� Forum, which is convened by the 缅北强奸’s National Synod of Scotland Moderator, the Revd Lindsay Sanderson, said the sudden decision to end the VAT recovery scheme will 鈥渟everely affect community efforts to fix roofs, maintain aging heating systems and hold back damp鈥�.

Many listed church buildings are also vital community hubs used by a wide variety of groups offering support to local people. The Scottish Church Leaders鈥� Forum has raised its concerns , who heads the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Church leaders encouraged people to raise their concerns with their local MPs and invite them to visit their listed church buildings to learn about the important community and spiritual work which takes place within.

The Rt Rev Rosie Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said: “We are seeking urgent clarification and assurances that money will continue to be made available in Scotland to fund essential repairs to listed church buildings. We have no idea what the implications are … where devolved governments receive a proportion of funding when the UK Government spends money for England.鈥�

Church leaders warned that the loss of government funding risks increasing the number of heritage church buildings in Scotland needed to be cared for by the state, putting more pressure on public bodies such as Historic Environment Scotland.聽National Lottery funding is not always a suitable and ethical alternative for many congregations due to grants being derived from the proceeds of gambling.

The Revd Lindsey Sanderson said: “Church buildings are much more than bricks and mortar. They are places to meet with God whether that is in the act of worshipping, through the care given by a fellowship group, the justice seeking of refugee support project or the quiet serenity of architectural heritage.

“Sometimes, however, support is needed to sustain the bricks and mortar to enable people to have these divine encounters. The sudden ending of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme in Scotland, without consultation with the Scottish Government nor Christian denominations raises significant challenges for many historic churches across the nation and threatens the way in which these buildings continue to be places of mission and ministry today.

“I hope that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will respond positively to the concerns raised by the Scottish Church Leaders’ Forum.”

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Eternal One,
we remember before You
the people of Iran, Israel, Abu Dhabi, Oman, and Bahrain
and those sailing through the Strait of Hormuz:
all places of pain and division where the nations rage furiously together,
where drones and missiles fly overhead, children cry in bunkers,
and the bodies of the dead await funerals.
We remember the Earth, herself,
longing for redemption from humanity鈥檚 cruelty,
where every drone and missile wreak havoc and fear
even as they further despoil the earth
and add to the climate change which brings yet more death and destruction.
We grieve a world where there is neither peace nor justice,
where divisions are made into weapons and where ideology is used to maim.
We bitterly regret the failure of diplomacy, and wonder if it was designed to fail.

Guide now, Prince of Peace,
those who dare to work for peace,
those tending the injured,
those seeking to change our world,
those working for democracy and human rights,
and those who advise our political leaders;
that Your wisdom may shine through,
Your compassion be a watchword,
that consequences of our actions may be acknowledged,
and the cries of the children may ring in their ears.

Most Holy Spirit,
breathe Your peace to our troubled world,
comfort the parents of the girls killed at the primary school in Minab,
the relatives of those killed in Beit Shemesh,
and all who mourn in these days filled with war.
Inspire Iranians longing for a free and fair society,
and those who must now lead and guide its future.
Inspire, too, Israelis working for peace and justice,
longing for security and the chance
to finally turn swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks.

Eternal Trinity of Love,
Source, Guide, and Goal,
help us to work for peace even in a world at war. Amen

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The Revd Dr Kevin Snyman, Head of World Justice for the United Reformed Church (缅北强奸), and Karen Campbell, 缅北强奸 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鈥檚 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鈥� role in the transatlantic slave trade.

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

鈥淭he 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.鈥�
鈥� A Hurricane Melissa survivor

I wasn鈥檛 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.

鈥淚 was picking out roof nails from the rubble,鈥� said Carla. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 afford new ones, so we make do with what we find.鈥�

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.

鈥淚 worry about our people in the worst-hit rural areas,鈥� said Methodist Bishop Christine Gooden Benguche. 鈥淲e are grateful for the help, but so much more is needed.鈥�

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. 鈥淒o you have water for me?鈥� 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 缅北强奸鈥檚 Jamaica appeal will be presented.

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

Church communities and family and friends of Jamaica from across the 缅北强奸 sprang into action, helping to raise vital funds to aid the recovery process. Initially, more than 拢16,000 was raised which was match funded by the United Reformed Church. A further 拢10,000 was raised through Commitment for Life, the 缅北强奸鈥檚 world justice programme.

Karen Campbell, the 缅北强奸鈥檚 Head of Global and Intercultural Church, said: 鈥淚 am delighted by the 缅北强奸鈥檚 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 鈥� so it is truly appreciated that 缅北强奸 members and congregations continue to offer their support.

鈥淭hese 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 缅北强奸 contribution is much needed and will be greatly appreciated. Thank you to all who have contributed.鈥�

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.

鈥淥f that 50,鈥� said the Revd Dr Gordon Cowans, former Moderator of the (UCJCI), 鈥渟ome eight of the church buildings have been wrecked by a storm that exuded a power like we have never seen before.

鈥淏ecause of the nature of our church鈥檚 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.

鈥淨uite 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.鈥�

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 缅北强奸鈥檚 appeal remains open for donations.

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

叠测听, or by cheque. Please make cheques payable to the 缅北强奸 Trust and post to Commitment for Life, United Reformed Church House, 86 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9RT, with the reference 鈥淐FL Jamaica Appeal鈥� clearly marked.

Direct bank transfers can be made to the 缅北强奸 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聽commitmentforlife@urc.org.uk.

Alternatively scan this QR code.

Credit: World Central Kitchen/Flickr/

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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鈥檚 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 鈥淕ladstone experiment鈥�.

The indentured system was initiated by John Gladstone, father of British Prime Minister William Gladstone. Gladstone was one of the Britain鈥檚 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聽indentured labourers聽to 19 British聽colonies.

The Indian indentured system features on episode two of the BBC鈥檚 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: 鈥淎s 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.

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

鈥淭hey 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.

鈥淢y 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鈥檚 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.

鈥淚 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 鈥� 412 million 鈥� of the world鈥檚 people by the end of the 19th century. Its central and dominate role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade is also explored. Australian鈥檚 colonial history also features in episode two, and the eventual collapse of the empire is explored in episode three.

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During a week-long programme of site visits, online conversations, and in-person gatherings, the Revd Kevin 鈥淣ana Moses鈥� 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 缅北强奸鈥檚 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 缅北强奸鈥檚 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鈥檚, 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: 鈥淲e hope that the relationships formed and the learning gained through Standing Together will help shape the 缅北强奸鈥檚 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.鈥�

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

Explaining why she was the right person to deliver the 缅北强奸鈥檚 slavery apology, Tessa responded by letter saying:

鈥淏eckford 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聽聽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鈥� Reparations Action Forum underscores the depth of this commitment.

鈥淚t is necessary to clarify my identity and role. The suggestion that a white person might have been more suitable to apologise perpetuates a harmful 鈥渨hite saviour鈥� 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.

鈥淭his 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 缅北强奸 and other communities for a fuller understanding of the complexities involved in this journey towards reconciliation and justice.鈥�

The 缅北强奸 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 鈥渢he continuing negative impacts of the legacies of transatlantic slavery on black communities in the UK, the Caribbean and Africa鈥�.

In April, members of the 缅北强奸, 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鈥檚 Prime Minister and other prominent politicians.

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

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

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The Hon. Olivia Grange, Jamaica鈥檚 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, 缅北强奸 General Assembly Moderator, Karen Campbell, Secretary for Global & Intercultural Ministries, and Tom Hackett, Southern Synod鈥檚 Children’s and Youth Development Officer.

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

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

Ms Grange encouraged the other churches that sent representatives to Jamaica to witness the historic apology to 鈥渟ignal 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鈥�.

鈥淚t is not enough that the enslavers and their descendants should regret the suffering that slavery inflicted on our ancestors,鈥� Ms Grange continued.

鈥淲hen you have done something wrong, you must take responsibility for it, apologise and try to set things right.鈥�

The 缅北强奸鈥檚 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: 鈥淲e, 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.

鈥淲e 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.鈥�

The in-person apology comes after the 缅北强奸 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 鈥渂arbaric鈥� history of slavery continue to haunt the descendants of the enslaved, noting that much of Jamaica鈥檚 policies and economic state are shaped by the legacies of slavery.

鈥淚 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 鈥榝oremothers鈥� in the enslavement of other human beings,鈥� Revd Harriott said.

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

鈥淚t 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.鈥�

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

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

鈥淚 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.

鈥淛ourneying 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.

鈥淩eflecting 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.

鈥淚t 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.鈥�

Karen Campbell, the 缅北强奸鈥檚 Secretary for Global and Intercultural Ministries, said: 鈥淭his 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.

鈥淚f we were in any doubt, in Jamaica, we see why the 缅北强奸’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.

鈥淥ur 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.

鈥淲e pray so too – because lament and healing are needed on both sides of the Atlantic; on both sides of our horrific shared history.鈥�

Read the 缅北强奸鈥檚 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.

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At its General Assembly, held from 8-11 July at The Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, the 缅北强奸 passed two resolutions pertaining to the topic.

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

As her first act as General Assembly Moderator 2022-2023, the Revd Fiona Bennett, with the Revd Adrian Bulley, Deputy General Secretary (Discipleship), gave the apology:

鈥�We, the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church, mindful of our own history and that of our antecedent bodies, wish to confess and apologise for our role in transatlantic slavery, and the scars which continue to blight our society, our Church, and the lives of black people in our midst and around the globe today.

聽鈥淭his action is firmly rooted in the gospel call to repentance and gives life to the commitment in our Basis of Union to be 鈥榝ormed in obedience to the call to repent of what has been amiss in the past and to be reconciled.鈥�

聽鈥淎s a conciliar Church, we have listened to one another as we received the report of Mission Committee on the ongoing legacies of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. 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.

聽鈥淲e have heard God in Christ speaking to us at what we believe to be a Kairos moment. In a spirit of humility and vulnerability, we are urged on by a movement of God鈥檚 Spirit, calling us for a journey of words and actions towards a future built on equity, justice, and love.

聽鈥淭o this end, the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church, gathered here in Swanwick, in the year 2022:

• 聽humbly acknowledges our share in and benefit from our nation鈥檚 participation, and that of some of our own antecedent bodies, in transatlantic slavery
• recognises our failure to honour the efforts of our abolitionist forebears by permitting the legacies of transatlantic slavery to continue shaping our world
• 聽offers our apology to God and to our sisters and brothers in Africa, the Caribbean, and their descendants, for all that has created and still perpetuates such deep hurt, which originated from the horror of slavery
• 聽repents of the hurt we have caused, our reluctance to face up to the sins of the past and our silence in the face of racism and injustice today
• 聽admits that these sins are part of our continuing failure to see and hear God in all our neighbours, whoever they may be
• 聽commits, in a true spirit of repentance: to find constructive ways by which we can move from saying 鈥業鈥檓 sorry鈥� into concrete actions of 鈥榬epairing justice鈥� and so contribute to the prophetic work of God鈥檚 coming kingdom
• 聽to continue working to promote racial justice as part of our Christian commitment to justice for all
• 聽to encourage the whole United Reformed Church to be engaged in this journey.鈥�

The resolutions (20 and 21) were brought to Assembly by Karen Campbell, Secretary for Global and Intercultural Ministries, and Sarah Lane Cawte, Convenor of Mission Committee, together with Professor David Reynolds, Convenor of the Legacies of Slavery Task Group, following work by the Legacies of Slavery Task Group (LoS).

Karen Campbell said: 鈥淭he hurt of slavery is still real for millions of people. You may not see the wounds bleeding, but they are still not healed. I was born in Britain, but I stand before you as someone who belongs nowhere. I鈥檓 cut off from my history, with no way of knowing something as basic as my true family name, and this is a legacy of transatlantic slavery.

鈥淎s Christians, we follow Jesus and where does Jesus lead if not to abundant life for all people equally? If one part of Christ鈥檚 body hurts, all parts hurt. There are parts of our body that have been hurting for centuries.鈥�

General Assembly recognised that although the 缅北强奸 did not exist at the time of slavery, it was formed in a society that benefited from the profits of transatlantic slavery and still continues to do so, and the fact that some of its forebears were slave traders and apologists of the slave trade.

Sarah added: 鈥淭his is a significant moment for the 缅北强奸. Sometimes we have to do things that are difficult and that are hard for some to understand because these are the right and just things to do. We hope this marks a point in our history from which we can move forward together, committed to healing divisions in our church, in our communities, and in those countries most affected by the evils of the transatlantic slave trade.鈥�

The group was formed in response to the Council for World Mission鈥檚 (CWM) series of hearings, launched in 2017, which identified racism and deprivation as key legacies of transatlantic slavery impacting African and African descent communities around the globe.

LoS Task Group presented its first report, 鈥楬ealing: Hope in Action鈥�, to Mission Council (now Assembly Executive) in 2019 and went onto carry out a wide consultation, including Synods and local churches, on the proposals for a 缅北强奸 Apology and reparations.

Some of the proposed reparations include:

• strengthening our relationships with our CWM partner churches
• an education programme to help us understand the legacies of transatlantic slavery, particularly as they impact our life together today
• seeking to add the 缅北强奸鈥檚 voice to campaigns encouraging the UK government to release LoS countries and communities from debt owed to the UK

More about the resolutions can be found here.

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