Bicentenary Celebrations

2014 marked the Bicentenary of the relationship between the Jamaican Baptist Union (JBU), the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) and BMS World Mission (BMS).

This enduring relationship has been forged through years of slavery, colonisation and the arrival of the Windrush from the Caribbean to the UK. Beginning with the first unofficial missionary to Jamaica, the ennobled George Liele, the Jamaican and British Baptists have been in relationship for over 200 hundred years; a narrative worthy of retelling in word and print and celebrated by British and Jamaican Baptists.

The JBU, BUGB and BMS celebrated this milestone in the UK and Jamaica, with bicentenary celebrations being launched at the Baptist Assembly in May 2014. A number of events took place:

2014

19 May - 'Fiddling While Rome Burns - The relevance of Black Theology to Contemporary Britain' (London)

8 Sep - Bicentenary multicultural Action Teams arrive at BMS International Mission Centre (Birmingham)

              Read: An interview with some members of the Action Teams

13 Oct - JBU delegation arrive in UK

15 Oct - The third annual Sam Sharpe Lecture - 'Active resistance - Participating in God's Purpose' (Bristol)

              Read: A report of the 2014 Sam Sharpe lecture, delivered by Delroy Reid-Salmon

18 Oct - 'Legacy: Learning from the Past, Embracing the Future' (Birmingham)

              Read: Learning from the past, embracing the future - a report

19 Oct - Bicentenary Celebration services at Cannon Street Memorial Baptist Church (Birmingham)

              Listen: to the BBC Radio 4 broadcast of the service

              Read: Let no-one be a stranger - reports from the bicentenary services

              Read: Depth of Jamaica/British Baptist relationship highlighted by the BBC

20 Oct - Welcome and Bicentenary Celebration (Sheffield)

21 Oct - Leaders' Discussion: What makes for a healthy and inclusive church? (Sheffield)

               Read: A Yorkshire Regional Minister reflects on the JBU visit

21 Oct - Black and Ethnic Minority Women in Leadership - The Way Ahead (Huddersfield)

21 Oct - Bicentenary Celebration Event(Huddersfield)

23 Oct - Black Theology Symposium - 'Faith across the Atlantic: remapping the theological discourse' (Oxford)

25 Oct - Jamaican and British Baptists Together - Let's Celebrate (London)

27 Oct - JBU delegation return to Jamaica