Church Army Supports Church of England Walk Against Slavery

Church Army has offered its support to the Walk of Witness event which will see thousands of people from across the country unite against slavery on 24th March 2007.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Church of England, will mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade with people walking in solidarity across the country to remember those who were taken into slavery.

Church Army's Chief Executive, Mark Russell, who will be joining in on the day, believes the pilgrim walk is an important process in repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Russell said, "The slave trade is a chapter in our nation's history which shames us, when we were complicit in destroying communities in other parts of what was then the British Empire, and treating people as property, depriving them of dignity and freedom.

"This Walk of Witness is our chance to show our desire to remember and repent of this sin. I encourage every church, every Christian, to come to London on 24 March and take part in this special event. By coming you can show your desire to bring healing and restoration.

"I for one will be there to play my part in helping say sorry for the part our Church played many years ago".

Church Army is promoting the Walk of Witness as a "free choice event". Unlike the Africans who were bought and sold as chattels, the pilgrims on this walk will be doing it by choice.

The Archbishops of York and Canterbury will lead the Walk of Witness through parts of the capital to culminate in a large-scale act of worship. The event, organised by the Church's Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns (CMEAC), forms the main part of the Church's wider awareness campaign, Making our Mark.