03/06/2026
A word of reflection from our Rector on the recent events surrounding the murder of Henry Nowak:
On 3rd December 2025 a young man, Henry Nowak, described by his family as “one of the kindest, friendliest, and most inclusive people you could ever hope to meet”, died needlessly and in horrifying circumstances.
Yesterday Henry’s father said, “Henry did not die with dignity, he did not die with the care he deserved.”
Many of us are heartbroken, distressed, and filled with rage by the circumstances around the death of Henry Nowak.
The individual who murdered Henry, and then lied about it on numerous occasions, is being held accountable under our legal system. This process is not yet fully complete, but Henry’s killer is not being “let off”, nor are their actions being allowed to go unpunished.
The person(s) who made grave and devastating errors in judgement as they sought to respond to the scene of Henry’s murder are being investigated, and they will be held to account appropriately. This investigation is not complete, and no judgement has yet been made on what consequences they will face.
There is so much that we do not yet know, and processes around holding people accountable for their actions in relation to Henry’s death are not yet complete.
What we do know is that Henry Nowak’s family and friends are grieving the loss of their loved one.
Any response to Henry’s death should respect their wishes, and should respect their right to have Henry remembered in the way that they want him to be remembered.
Henry’s family are not calling for vengeance. They are not calling for retribution. Henry’s family are actively speaking out against violence, and are calling for unity and peace.
To again use Henry’s father’s words, “We want his story to make our streets safer for everyone.”
I am deeply angry that Henry Nowak died in this way.
I am filled with disgust that his killer lied, and arguably stopped any chance of Henry receiving life saving medical treatment for the injuries that they inflicted upon him.
I am greatly distressed by the apparent failure of the police officers in the scene to correctly respond to the situation.
There is a part of me that wants to “rage” about this… but I want to try and be a person of peace.
There are evils in this world that I am tempted to respond to with violence and force… but that is not helpful. That is not the British way. That is not Christ’s way.
Henry’s family have told us that Henry would NOT have wanted there to be violence in the streets in his name.
Politicians should not be seeking to use Henry’s death to “score points”, nor should anyone be carrying out acts of aggression or violence in Henry’s name.
I pray for Henry’s rest in Christ.
I pray for Henry’s family and friends as they mourn his loss.
I pray for the people who think it is appropriate to use Henry’s death as an excuse to perpetrate violent acts against other human beings, and to bring more violence into a community and nation which is already deeply scared by aggression and hatred.
I pray that those who have been using Henry’s death to stir up civil unrest will cease to use the memory of this young man to further their own political agendas.
I pray for peace on our streets and in our politics.
And I pray for myself, that God will help me to process the feelings that the circumstances of Henry’s tragic death have stirred up within me.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62ek7lk553o?app-referrer=deep-link
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