Belonging Together Ministers' Group

This year celebrates 40 years since what is now known as Belonging Together Ministers' Group was established, supporting fellowship and growth among the Black ministers of the Methodist Church.

The Revd Dr Inderjit Bhogal OBE, a leading theologian and Methodist minister who was there at the beginning, reflects on the origins of the group.

In the 1980s, there was a connexional Committee for Community and Race Relations, and its first Secretary was Mr Ivan Weekes, appointed in 1984. Ivan went on to be Vice President of Conference (1991). It was Ivan who, in conversation with me, convened a meeting of Black Methodist Ministers. A letter dated 2 May 1985 was sent by Ivan to Black Methodist Ministers inviting us to a meeting which took place on 29 May 1985. The meeting was supported by Ivan and was held in his office in Westminster Central Hall. The attendees were: Hewie Andrew, Inderjit Bhogal, Kingsley Halden, Herbert McGhie, Charles Watson, and Robinson Milwood. In attendance also were Ivan and a Student Minister, Wesley Daniel. The agenda of the meeting read: Black Leadership Experience; Stationing of Black Ministers; Black & Asian Contribution to British Methodism; Education of Superintendents and Chairmen; Recommendation to the Authorities. We were few, and we met as people engaged in ministry, under enormous pressures, carrying such burdens that we were in danger of exhaustion, pulled in many directions.

We committed ourselves to meet regularly for mutual encouragement and education to play an effective role in the life of the Methodist Church. And with this, the Black Methodist Ministers Group (BMMG) was founded. Ten years later, on 28 May 1995, at an anniversary service held in Wesley’s Chapel, London, one of the last actions of Ivan in his role was to lead us into being a Black Methodists Group (BMG), embracing lay and ordained black leaders.

The BMG later became Black Methodists for Leadership and Unity (BMLU) in 2000, a title stating key priorities. The group has gone through several changes over the years. SHEBA (Sisters Helping and Empowering Black Achievement) was initiated in 1994 with the aim of offering support and training for black women and young people within and beyond Methodism. BMLU became BTMG, the Belonging Together Ministers Group (2009), within a wider Belonging Together Partnership, aimed at helping the Methodist Church to fulfil mission and ministry through its diverse membership.

The changes in the name reflect the desire of Black Methodists to be as inclusive as possible, to strengthen the work of racial justice. The priority in our work has always been the development of black leadership and black theology, and the achievement of racial justice. We have achieved and contributed much, and we have more to do.

Inderjit Bhogal, 2025