Footwashing - Maundy Thursday, 5th April, 18.00 on The Zong
Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday, is traditionally the day when Christians focus on the betrayal of Jesus Christ by his friends and his own people. It is a time when Christians lament how human beings could betray and execute such a good person as Jesus – and how we continue to betray and harm others. It is a time to seek God’s forgiveness.
On this day Christians also remember how, just before his death, Jesus ate the Jewish Passover meal with his friends. It was traditional that the most menial servant in the house washed the feet of the guests which had got dusty as they walked through the dry unpaved streets to the house. Jesus performed this task – to the embarrassment of his friends. He did it to teach them that the most important person is no better in God’s sight than the most menial person, and his followers should learn humbly to serve one another.
So on the replica slave ship The Zong a group of European, African and Caribbean Christians, old and young, gathered in the hold of the ship where the slaves were shackled tightly together to remember the horrors of the slave trade and to lament before God the involvement of our forebears. They washed each other’s feet as a symbol of recognizing that everyone is equal in the sight of God: in the words of the abolitionists – “we are all human; we are all brothers and sisters”.
Extracts from the service will be available on the Free at Last? DVD available from 13th July.
Farewell Service of Commitment - Held on Easter Monday, 9th April, at All Hallows by the Tower (learn more by clicking here)
On Easter Monday, when the last visitors left The Zong there was be a service of Farewell to the ship and Commitment to work to put right the legacy of the slave trade. Leaders of the white-majority churches and the black-majority churches will lead the service, and the preacher was intended to be the General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, Canon Joel Edwards, however, due unforseen circumstances he was unable to intend. The service was conducted by Dr Clifford Hill and guest speakers: George Verwer, Pastor Agu and Ababtunde Walle. The service was held as thanksgiving for the work of the 18th century abolitionists and for the visit of The Zong, and make commitments to Christian unity, to work to reverse the legacy of the slave trade, and to work for the abolition of slavery in today’s world.
A drama group (Macaulay School) from a south London school and a young people’s dance group took part, with a short skit based upon slavery.