Diversity Sunday
On 18 August we celebrated Diversity Sunday during morning worship.
Following the sermon we joined in this Affirmation of Unity in Diversity:
We affirm our common humanity with all human beings and our commitment to
truly value each person regardless of how different they are from us.
We celebrate our unity in our diversity
We acknowledge that there is a longing for a spirituality which is person-centred,
humane, truth-seeking, open to doubt and questioning, and in tune with our un-
derstanding of the natural world.
We celebrate our unity in our diversity
We hope for a spirituality which supports human growth and development, en-
courages love of others, particularly those who are looked down on by society,
and champions social justice. We believe that this should be the core of our faith
and lives.
We celebrate our unity in our diversity
We acknowledge with gratitude that there are many people of all faiths, and of
none, who have a strong commitment to seeking the truth, to loving others, and
promoting social justice and human rights.
We celebrate our unity in our diversity
We believe that the lack of love and social justice in the world is at the root of
most of the evil in the world. Those whose being has not been able to flourish in a
spirit of love can become bitter, and engage in oppressive and sometimes deeply
cruel acts. This makes unconditional selfless love and acceptance crucial to the
healing of these deep wounds.
We celebrate our unity in our diversity
We believe that no faith has an exclusive claim on truth. We recognise that we
have much to learn from the ideas, actions and writings of other faiths. Dialogue
with those of other faiths can be a rich and valuable experience for those of all
faiths and of none.
We celebrate our unity in our diversity
We recognise that we need to be constantly open to new insights, knowledge and
ideas and to embrace scientific progress where it improves our understanding of
the world and our ability to protect and preserve it, but oppose it when it increases
the ability to kill or damage living things or the planet.
We celebrate our unity in our diversity
We celebrate the opportunity to be able to meet, discuss and share with others
from diverse backgrounds. We acknowledge that we are all richer and more fully
human as a result.
We celebrate our unity in our diversity
St Margaret’s News
4
August 2019