Good afternoon. The first item of business is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is the Rev Aaron Moffat-Jackman, the rector of St Saviour’s Scottish Episcopal church, Bridge of Allan, and St Modoc’s Scottish Episcopal church, Doune.
Presiding Officer and members of the Scottish Parliament, good afternoon. It is a privilege for me to be here.
Three years ago, I made the bold decision to leave Manchester and move to Scotland to be nearer to my wife’s family and to continue my vocation as a priest in the Episcopal Church. It has been a deeply fulfilling experience. I love the communities and people that I serve, and Scotland feels like home.
However, it came as a surprise to me when I discovered recently that I am the only Episcopal priest of West Indian origin in the country. My parents are from Jamaica and Trinidad—two countries with close ties to Scotland’s colonial past—and somehow I have found myself here. My family’s history is intertwined with that of the nation I now call home. Things have come full circle.
This black history month, as I reflect on my heritage, I have also been thinking about Scotland’s historical ties to the Caribbean. Although the country has become my home, its colonial past continues to shape my life and the experiences of the many black and brown people who live here. Racism remains a reality in Scotland. It is often driven by ignorance and prejudice, and it prevents us from truly seeing and valuing one another. However, my faith speaks to that. Jesus’s mission, as he proclaimed in Luke’s gospel, was
“to set free those who are oppressed.”
He did that by breaking down societal barriers by reaching out to those whom society saw as outsiders and affirming their inherent dignity. Jesus teaches me to embrace diversity, not to ignore it, and to confront the systems that divide people on the basis of race, status or any other difference. His life challenges me to see every person as being made in God’s image and deserving of love and justice.
As a priest of West Indian heritage, I embody that diversity. I stand as a reminder that the church—and, indeed, Scotland—is enriched by the many cultures and stories that shape us—stories of pain and of pride. I believe that, just as my own journey has come full circle, by embracing diversity and challenging the injustices that persist, we can help to build the inclusive, loving community that Jesus imagined. That is what I feel called to do, and I believe it is an invitation for all of us. Thank you.