Christians committed to setting all free - 12 Sept 05

Service of Commitment - 6 Sept 05

Christians committed to setting all free

set all free, a Churches Together in England initiative established to commemorate the bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade in 2007, was officially launched at a Service of Commitment at Holy Trinity Church, Clapham, south London on 6 September 2005.

A packed congregation from as far afield as York and Sheffield filled the historic Anglican Church to commission set all free project director, Richard Reddie, and to encourage churches to discuss the issues of past and modern day slavery and continue the struggle to end all slavery.  

Richard Reddie said: ‘Two centuries ago, black and white abolitionists, many of whom were Christian, fought together against the horrors of slavery, and succeeded in passing a British law halting this barbaric trade in 1807. Christians need to follow their example and continue this struggle in Britain and abroad.’

set all free launched its new website setallfree.net at the service to give these issues a more public voice. The website is currently the only Christian online presence in the UK dealing with the slave trade and is the major communications resource informing, educating and empowering Christians to take action on slavery-related issues today.

Holy Trinity Clapham was the base of the Clapham Sect, a group of Christians committed to abolishing the slave trade, and the Church’s current incumbent minister, the Revd David Isherwood, opened the service with a prayer and a Scripture reading. The Exodus verse ‘Let My People Go’ was very much the theme of the hour-long eclectic service, which featured contributions from Kate Davson, a descendant of William Wilberforce, Anti-Slavery International’s Sarah Williams and Kofi Mawuli Klu of Rendezvous of Victory for All. Other contributions included readings from Churches Together in England’s General Secretary, Bill Snelson and the USPG’s Linda Ali.

set all free Chair, Revd Inderjit Bhogal, conducted the prayer of commitment for Richard Reddie before preaching a stirring sermon on freedom, reconciliation and justice. As the service neared its completion, Uzo Kumi of the Catholic Association for Racial Justice invited the congregation to partake in a symbolic act of solidarity with the Africans forced to endure the horrors of the middle passage. The service culminated with a stirring rendition of the Charles Wesley favourite ‘And Can it Be’, after which the congregation made their way home across a darkening Clapham Common.

For further information please contact Richard Reddie at set all free, telephone or email .  Visit setallfree.net

set all free TO COMMEMORATE ANNIVERSARY OF ABOLITION OF SLAVE TRADE ACT

Two centuries ago, black and white abolitionists, many of whom were Christian, fought together against the horrors of slavery, and succeeded in passing a British law halting this barbaric trade. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Churches Together in England have created set all free, a scheme to encourage churches to discuss the issues of past and modern day slavery and continue the struggle to end all slavery.  

set all free will be launched with a special Serviceof Commitment from 6 pm Tuesday 6 September 2005, at Holy Trinity, Clapham, London. A special booklet called ‘Setting the Scene’ to go to with the campaign has been created as a user-friendly and informative guide to help churches catch the vision and get involved in slavery issues today.

Sunday 25 March 2007 will be the 200th anniversary of the passing of a British law to halt the transportation of millions of Africans to the Americas, and set all free has been established to inform and inspire churches and secular organisations to continue the work of the original abolitionists.

Following on the heels of recent BBC2 and C4 documentaries on the slave trade and its connection to Britain’s wealth, the project will provide an opportunity for an honest retelling of the history of Britain’s part in the slave trade and a springboard for greater reconciliation and healing between the various racial groups in the UK today.

‘2007 promises to be an historic year and set all free wants to create a greater awareness of the enormity of Transatlantic slavery and encourage Christians today to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors in tackling its legacies and modern day equivalents,’ explains Richard Reddie, Project Director.

‘Tragically, the legacy of slavery still lives on today in racism, underdevelopment and issues of identity,’ continues Richard. ‘Moreover, there are modern forms of slavery which ensnare millions in sex-trafficking, bonded labour and people trafficking, affecting our own communities as well as those further afield.  set all free is working in partnerships tobring about a change in attitudes and actions.‘

The Service of Commitment is on Tuesday 6 September from 6–7 pm and will be preceded by a buffet at 5 pm.  Holy Trinity Church on Clapham Common was the base of the original abolitionists such as William Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson.

‘Setting the Scene’ booklet is available at £1.50 (discounted price of £1 each for five or more copies) from CTE, , London , tel. or email

For further information or to attend the buffet please contact Richard Reddie at set all free, telephone or email