Racial Justice and Cultural inclusion at KXC - Our Story
The pursuit for racial justice has been an important part of the KXC story. Our vision has always been to follow the way of Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, ‘to serve God’s purpose to make all things new’. With regard to racism, we believe that the Spirit is at work in our culture, exposing racial injustice and inequality for the purpose of healing and renewal. We have been on a transformative journey as a church in this area.
Timeline
Let's take it back to 2017 - two volunteers who had joined KXC as students a few years prior, graciously highlighted to Pete and Bee the lack of diversity within our church family despite being in the heart of Kings Cross. They lovingly pointed out some of the blindspots and obstacles resulting from white privilege and unconscious bias, that stood in the way of us becoming a fuller and richer expression of God’s kingdom. That conversation led to them forming a small team then named KXV (King’s Cross Vision) that began meeting, praying and contending for greater visibility and equality for people from global majority groups. A new vision for racial justice was agreed with the staff team in 2018.
In 2019, KXV led a gospel themed Seek First night and facilitated the formation of a Gospel Choir which marked a shift in worship at KXC. Since then the church has continued to celebrate different sounds and expressions of worship and had a few years of profound alternative carol nights and gospel inspired Sunday worship.
On 25th May 2020 news of the tragic murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis spread worldwide. Out of this birthed a season of lament and reflection. KXV became the RJC (Racial Justice Core Team) and now included the staff Associate Team at KXC. Pete and Bee wrote a letter to our community setting out the framework for how the church are engaging with racial injustice and sharing the initial vision statement of KXV. You can find it here.
The team produced a series called ‘Conversations on Race’. It included interviews with Pete and various theologians, congregation members, staff and external preachers. You can find more information on the series here.
Since the move to King’s House in 2021, the Racial Justice Core team continued to facilitate and lead events that celebrated different cultures and advise on racial justice in all areas of ministry.
2023 Onwards – Seven:Nine
Going forward, the Racial Justice Core team is now taking on a new form with a new name - Seven:nine. We're sensing a new season of focus. Since reopening our doors post COVID, we've witnessed an increase in people from multiple ethnicities finding home at KXC. It is a massive blessing and we recognise there is more work to be done. We are contending for and pointing towards the image we see in Revelation 7:9 – 'a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb’ – a vision of not just a multi-ethnic church but a multi-cultural one that reflects the heart of God and His kingdom.
“We believe in the ability of our church to grow into a greater reflection of heaven where all are valued, respected and seen. We exist to hold our church family lovingly accountable as we seek to change the prevailing culture of systemic racism that often presents itself as mono-culturism.
Our vision is complete freedom for our church family from that. We want to passionately and intentionally embrace, celebrate and integrate the different ethnicities and cultures in our community, calling people into visibility by bringing out their divine potential. We hope this will lead us forward as a church into greater life, greater freedom and a greater foretaste of the rich diversity that will be present in heaven. We want to encourage KXC’s vision of ‘being a place where people are safe enough to heal and dangerous enough to grow’ and make sure that applies to everyone. We want KXC to be home where people can freely say they unquestionably belong.”
– Seven:Nine vision
Thank you to all who have carried this effort so far. Thank you Pete and Bee for saying yes. Thank you to staff and volunteers who have served in this team and this journey and ayerfully and practically given generously.
Keziah Joseph, Kirsty Rider, Jon Carter, Tommy Ellis, Lamar Henry, Dele Ayodele, Lois Tackie-Oblie, Tanya Follet, Amy Tsang, Dwayne Paisley Marshall, Connie St Louis, Tsebaot Samuel, Naiha Masih, Zulum Elumogo, Solène Bryson, Rachael Owhin, Jess Rodewald, Anna Mason, Richy Spens
And we thank Jesus for the answers to prayer that we have already witnessed. We are excited for where Holy Spirit will lead us through this next season.