“Each of us have to decide for ourselves how we can best love and serve Christ. It calls for honesty, integrity and the freedom to choose what is good, what is better, what is more loving. To choose to see in the other person irrespective of their skin colour or ethnicity, God’s image – and therefore worthy of being treated with respect, dignity, compassion, kindness. – to behave in ways that uplifts others and affirms their God given humanity, rather than ways which damages them. That is the right, moral and just thing to do. The Gospel – our faith – is not about conforming to a code of laws, but is essentially focused on forming and maintaining loving relationships with all people.” Revd Canon Karlene Kerr
On Sunday 20 October 2024, the Choral Evensong at Norwich Cathedral commemorated Black History Month for the first time.
The special service began with a procession of African drumming by the International Music Group, formed and based in Norfolk. The Choral Evensong was then led by the Norwich Cathedral Chamber Choir, singing music and compositions by African heritage composers. Revd Cheryl Ramballi, a member of the Racial Justice Action Group in the Diocese of Norwich and Curate at St Andrew’s Church in Felmingham read the first lesson from Joshua 14, v 6-14.
In the middle of the service, the Power and Beauty Gospel Band sang a medley of three worship songs led by Ike and Linda Nnene.
Following the sung worship, Revd Canon Karlene Kerr, who is the Bishop’s Adviser on ‘From Lament to Action’ and the Racial Justice Officer for the Diocese of Norwich, preached the sermon.
You can read or download the whole of Revd Canon Karlene’s sermon below:
The spoken prayers were read by Colin Tomlin, a member of the Racial Justice Action Group for the Diocese of Norwich, his wife Judy Lynch-Tomlin and Becca Devlin. The Bishop of Lynn, the Rt Revd Dr Jane Steen then closed with a blessing.
Further information available:
- Find out more about Racial Justice in the Diocese of Norwich: Racial Justice – Diocese of Norwich
- View the from ‘Lament to Action’ report for the Church of England: From Lament To Action
- To contact the Racial Justice Officer for the Diocese of Norwich, email karlene.kerr@dioceseofnorwich.org
- If you were unable to get to the service, you can watch the recorded livestream here: Norwich Cathedral – Evensong for Black History Month (youtube.com)
- View the order of service below.
Thanks for contributing and organising the service go to: The Dean of Norwich, the Very Revd Dr Andrew Braddock, the Canon Precentor of Norwich Cathedral, Aidan Platt, the Bishop of Lynn, the Rt Revd Dr Jane Steen, Revd Canon Karlene Kerr, Revd Cheryl Ramballi, Colin Tomlin, Norfolk County Council, the Norwich Cathedral Chamber Choir and the Power and Beauty Gospel Band.
