A priest from Bristol has been praised by the Archbishop of Canterbury for his service to Chinese-heritage clergy.
The Reverend Mark Yan Ying Sum Nam was awarded the Langton Award for Community Service as part of the 2023 Lambeth Awards.
An award ceremony was held at Lambeth Palace on June 22 for the 33 recipients of the award, their families and colleagues. It was followed by a special service of Evening Prayer.
The award-winners are from a mix of faith traditions. Some are from the Church of England, but some are from the wider Anglican Communion and others from a mix of denominations and faiths. Some have no faith.
The Archbishop said: “We live in a troubled world, where all around us we see conflict, war, discrimination, division, poverty and deep inequality, but our faith in Jesus gives us hope. We see that hope exemplified in the wonderful service of the people we have recognised today.”
“Many of the people who have received awards today have worked unseen and unsung, striving for justice, peace, reconciliation, advances in education, worship and prayer. Not all are followers of Jesus Christ, but, through their endeavours, they have made significant contributions to the mutual respect and maintenance of human dignity, which is so vital to spiritual and social health and the flourishing of mankind. The Lambeth Awards shine a light on their outstanding efforts and dedication.”
Mark was presented his for his outstanding contribution to raising the profile and participation of Chinese-heritage clergy and communities in the Church of England and commitment to serving the overseas Chinese diaspora, in particular those settling in the United Kingdom from Hong Kong.
The Reverend Mark Nam 甄英深 is one of the first British-born Chinese priests in the Church of England. During COVID, Mark founded The Teahouse network bringing together Chinese-heritage clergy. In 2021, The Teahouse was officially launched and warmly received by the Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns (CMEAC) and the Archbishop of York who said: “I am absolutely delighted to see the formal launch of the Teahouse group. What a wonderful development in our journey towards becoming a church that truly reflects and values the great diversity of life in modern Britain.”
The Teahouse has gone on to reflect this diversity by raising the profile and participation of Chinese-heritage clergy in the CofE, highlighting the unique concerns and issues facing the Chinese community in the UK and providing churches and community groups with the resources and training they need to respond.
One of the main issues facing this community is the unprecedented rise in recorded hate crime.
Mark is a core member of Campaign Against Racism Group (CARG) and has worked with government and local authorities to 20 raise awareness and combat hate-crime against those of East and SouthEast Asian heritage.
In addition, Mark has been at the forefront of preparing and equipping churches to welcome the 300,000 Hong Kong British National Overseas (BNO) community, at a local and national level, helping grass-level groups connect with their local authorities across the country.
All of these community contributions and achievements are done above and beyond his normal parochial duties as a parish priest.
