(Photo: St Augustine's, Slade Green)
Bishop Jonathan Gibbs and Bishop Simon Burton Jones are encouraging churches across the Diocese of Rochester to mark Racial Justice Sunday in February.
"Racial Justice Sunday (February 8, 2026) is an opportunity for churches to reflect on the importance of racial justice, to give thanks for the diversity of the human race and the Church, and to re-commit themselves to working shoulder to shoulder for a fairer world.
"As bishops we encourage all parishes to mark this day in prayer, worship, teaching and fellowship; not to see this as a once a year event but as the platform for deeper conversation and spiritual reflection round racism, which is both evil and idolatrous in the way it diminishes people and the God in whose image we are all made.
"Cultures of fear and division should be met with faith and hope.
"As Martin Luther King said: ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that’. And we are in the business of love."
(Bishop Jonathan Gibbs, Bishop of Rochester and Bishop Simon Burton-Jones, Bishop of Tonbridge)
Resources to help mark Racial Justice Sunday
To help, the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) Racial Justice Sunday 2026 resource offers a rich range of materials to support churches, schools, and communities in engaging with racial justice as a core part of Christian discipleship.
The resource is intentionally wide-ranging and designed to be used flexibly. Churches and schools are encouraged to engage with elements that feel manageable and appropriate for their context, rather than using everything.
What the resource includes:
- Worship and liturgical material – prayers, readings, and reflections suitable for use in services
- Biblical and theological reflections – exploring racial justice through scripture and faith
- Lived experience reflections – centring voices and stories that deepen understanding
- Discussion and reflection questions – suitable for PCCs, staff teams, study groups, or personal reflection
- Practical actions and prompts – encouraging small, meaningful steps towards greater inclusion and belonging
- Materials for different contexts – adaptable for churches, schools, and community settings
How it can be used
- Select one prayer, reading, or reflection for use in worship
- Use a short section to prompt discussion in a PCC or staff meeting
- Encourage personal or group reflection using selected questions
- Use the resource as a starting point for conversation, rather than a complete programme
- Identify one practical action that can be embedded locally
Access the CTBI Racial Justice Sunday 2026 resource
(Photo: Zara Rawlinson, Racial Justice Officer for the Diocese of Rochester)
Zara Rawlinson, Racial Justice Officer for the Diocese of Rochester, says that Racial Justice Sunday and the CTBI resources, can be the starting point for ongoing reflection:
"Racial Justice Sunday provides an important moment for focus, but the resource also encourages reflection on how this work can continue beyond marked days, becoming part of everyday church life, culture, and practice.
"I am here to help those in parishes wishing to embed the resource locally, alongside wider diocesan work to develop further tools and guidance to help sustain this work over time."
If you would like to contact Zara please email: zara.rawlinson@rochester.anglican.org. You can aslo visit the dedicated Racial Justice page on the diocesan website.