New leader around racial justice appointed for region

Rev. Dr Evie Vernon O’Brien has been appointed as the Racial Justice Director for the Church of England in the West Midlands.

Dr O'Brien will take up her role in July working with six dioceses, Birmingham, Coventry, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield, and Worcester, in what is the first collaborative project of its kind in the Church of England.

She will lead a team of people who will support each diocese to promote racial justice more effectively and examine culture, practices and policies to ensure fundamental principles of equality, diversity and inclusion run through everything the church does, both in worshipping communities and in workplaces.

Rachele Evelyn (Evie) Vernon O’Brien was born in Montego Bay in Jamaica and was ordained as a deaconess in the Church in the Province of the West Indies in 1980.

After working in inner city parishes in Kingston (including Trench Town of Bob Marley fame), she became assistant chaplain at the Kingston Region hospital.

She later worked with the ecumenical Caribbean Conference of Churches, the Association of Development Agencies and the Caribbean Voluntary Counselling and Testing programme.

She went on to teach at the United Theological College of the West Indies, where she facilitated mainstreaming HIV teaching for all theological students.

On moving to the UK, she was appointed Director of the Selly Oak Centre for Mission Studies and then went on to be Theological Adviser at USPG, an Anglican mission agency.

She also worked with CAPS, Catholic AIDS Prevention and Support. She continues to be involved in cross-cultural justice issues and has been a vice-chair of Inclusive Church since July 2023.

She said, “Jesus calls his followers to join him in preaching the good news to the poor, and in bringing liberation to the oppressed.

"I believe that the coming together of these six dioceses to set up a unit to concentrate on racial justice is a powerful manifestation of our commitment to our mission as Jesus’ disciples.”

Since 2021 and the launch of From Lament to Action, conversations developed and networks grew across the West Midlands region about how, together, the church might respond and act to confront racism in churches and in wider society.

These conversations led to a joint bid to the national Church for funds, recognising that by collaborating across the region, the Church of England could develop a team able to effect change.

Commenting on the appointment, Rt Rev. Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Lichfield, said: “I’m very pleased that Evie has been appointed to this important and ground-breaking work, bringing together the work of six dioceses in our efforts toward racial justice.

"I look forward to the strength and support that a dedicated team can bring to amplify the work begun by our enthusiastic Racial Justice and Inclusion Team in this diocese.”