Church sorry after ‘hostile’ greeting left family offended
Minister reaches out to put things right
A church is looking to have diversity training after a mixed race family say they were made to feel unwelcome.
Ash Duguid, originally from South Africa, said the hostile greeting at Maidstone’s Methodist church in Union Street, left her, her husband Tony and their two children confused and uncomfortable.
The family were asked if they were at the right service first at the door and then again inside, which was embarrassing.
It was suggested they were at the wrong church and might be looking for another in Brewer Street.
In a letter of complaint to the Rev Bonni-Belle Pickard, Mrs Duguid said: “As soon as we entered and sat down, you stopped the session and, via the microphone that you were wearing, questioned us, in front of the whole assembly, as to whether we were in the right church and again, suggested that we were perhaps looking for the Life Church.”
They believe the reception they received from the almost allwhite congregation was because of the colour of their skin. The family stayed for a short while, but when Mrs Duguid saw how upset her children, aged 12 and 10, were they decided to leave.
This week, the family, of The Grove, Bearsted, met the minister to clear the air after the incident on Sunday, October 22.
The minister said: “What was said was interpreted as racially hostile but that was the furthest thing from my mind.
“I still want to believe in my heart that the people who were welcoming had the best intentions.
“Change is something we have been working on for a while here and this has been a wake-up call to think again about how we make people welcome.
“Clearly, when people are offended, that’s not OK, that’s why I have and will continue to apologise.”
Mrs Duguid said: “This is maybe a misunderstanding and people should change their behaviour. This whole thing happened for a good reason, it’s about growing pains and things getting better.”
The church is looking at having ethnicity, diversity and inclusion training. 47 Dumpton Park Drive, CT11 8AD T: 01303 487 124 e: petticoatemporium@ hotmail.com