It was Racial Justice Sunday (RJS) on 8th February 2026. RJS has been celebrated since 1989. Every year RJS resources are produced by the Churches Together in Britain & Ireland (CTBI). This year’s theme is "Love your neighbour". It is taken from The Holy Bible (Galatians 5:14) which states the whole law is summed up in a single commandment "You shall love your neighbour as yourself".
Given the current narratives of hostility, fear, suspicion and hatred of the ‘other’, the CTBI Director of Justice and Inclusion Richard Reddie explains how the Bible provides a blueprint for a world where everyone belongs; where everyone is loved, valued and affirmed for who they are, and not what they look like or have to offer…as brothers and sisters of one ‘race’: the human race. He says, “I believe this message is one that speaks through the ‘flags’, banners, protests and invective, relaying a message of unity and hope. Let us use Racial Justice Sunday (and other Sundays) to stand together in love, rejecting those words, actions and behaviours that go against Christ’s teachings, and embracing those biblical principles that foment unity, cohesion and engagement.”
Locally at St John’s Methodist Church Luton, Mr Fredrick Cole’s Sermon explored racial justice through both a secular lens and a biblical one. In society, racial justice means ensuring all people, regardless of race, have equal access to education, work, healthcare, safety, and dignity. Race should never determine someone’s opportunities. Biblically, racial justice is rooted in The Bible (Genesis 1:27) that says every person is made in God’s image.
Therefore, racism contradicts God’s design. Mr Cole highlighted that Jesus calls us to be ‘salt‘ and ‘light’ – salt prevents decay and light exposes what darkness hides; likewise Christians must confront racial injustice and shine light by telling the truth about history, acknowledging pain, and working toward reconciliation.
Jesus also calls for a “greater righteousness” that examines if we love all our neighbours equally. Do we benefit from unjust systems? Are we willing to pursue justice even when uncomfortable?
Mr Cole encouraged everyone to put Racial Justice into practice by learning the history we may not have been taught, by advocating for fairness in workplaces, schools, and communities and by building genuine relationships across racial lines.
https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/opinion/racial-justice-sunday-calls-to-love-your-neighbour-5508979
Mr Fredrick Cole, the local preacher in the South Bedfordshire Methodist Circuit, led the Racial Justice Sunday Service at St John’s Methodist Church, Luton.
