I smile as I watch first generation aunties worship to modern classics by Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin in thick West African accents with as much conviction as they would sing 'Covenant Keeping God' by Sonnie Badu. We are an emerging church so as we approach our first birthday I cant help but wonder...what will we emerge into?

Will the fresh influx of tattooed hipsters or the established African Caribbean communities emerge as the prevailing group?

Diversity by its very nature is a delicate ecosystem; a balance of various different elements that synergise and complement each other. When I think of heaven I imagine it to be filled with racial diversity. But that is Gods perfect kingdom. Here in the fallen world geographical locations predetermine who will be in each church just as it was 2000 years ago when God scattered his people across the earth and confounded their language at the Tower of Babel. Ethnic differences or similarities didnt stop the Church from emerging then and it wont stop it now!

Church is a beautiful thing regardless of the colour of the congregation. As long as all are welcome and were all singing from the same hymn sheet.

As Black History Month draws to a close lets remember that we humans are a single family and we have a common origin.

Author: Donna Morgan