Church member invited to join committee
A POLISH man from Hinckley has joined a group to support ethnic minority Christians.
Jaroslaw Switala from St Mary’s Church was invited to join the executive committee of the Leicester Diocese’ Diocesan Forum for Ethnic Minority Anglicans (DFEMA).
Mr Switala said: “The main role of DFEMA and mine as a part of it is to make our churches and diocese a fairer, equal and more inclusive place for all, regardless of their background.
“I truly believe that what is happening inside the Church of England reflects in our whole society which faces lots of challenges nowadays.
“I understand multiculturalism as a permanent dialogue between people representing different back- grounds, traditions and ideas.
“I feel that I am a part of this and I would like to be involved more because our communities are changing and the Church of England as well.”
The group works to encourage minority ethnic people in their discipleship, to achieve better representation in church leadership and to promote awareness of racism and diversity issues.
The forum’s executive committee meets three times a year.
Pauline Cummins, who serves as a reader at St Mary’s Hinckley, is also on the committee.
Mr Switala said: “People like me are, speaking metaphorically, bridges.
“We represent our minorities inside the church and also we are the voice of the church inside our communities.
“It is a serious responsibility believe.”
The forum has operated in the church district for the last two decades.
Mr Switala said: “I feel appreciated by both my own congregation but also by people working for our diocese.
“It is nice to know that my commitment and work has been noticed.
“I wish to say a big thank you to all the people who supported my nomination.”
In 2017, the Right Reverend Guli Francis-Dehqani took on the role of bishop of Loughborough within the diocese, becoming the first Iranian woman to become a bishop in the Church of England.
I