It was a lively ceremony, filled with singing and celebration. But the topic of this Sunday’s morning service at New Horizons Baptist Church in Halifax was an important one to the community.

The annual ceremony marks the International Day to Eliminate Racial Discrimination, which will be celebrated on March 21st.

New Horizons church invited officials like the Mayor and City Councillors, as well as first responders like firefighters and police officers to join their annual service, hoping to create a dialogue and spark communication and education in the community.

“I am black, and female, and in a traditionally male role as clergy. And you’re going to tell me there’s no discrimination? I got a different story for you,” preached Reverend Rhonda Britton.

For Rev. Britton, the relationship she has with Halifax Regional Police Chief Jean-Michel Blais is an especially important one.

“We still have complaints from the community from time-to-time about the treatment of police officers or something like that, but I’m happy to know when I bring it to his attention, he tries to address it,” says Rev. Britton.

The service comes a week before a highly anticipated police report is due to be released.

The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission began a report on ‘street checks’ in 2017, when data showed that black people in Halifax were three times as likely to be stopped by police as white people.

Chief Blais says he hopes the report will shed some light on the controversial practice around the city.

“We’re looking forward to some very good and solid recommendations that we can put into place,” says Chief Blais. “We have already brought into place many things around our own street check policies and the way we do things, and we’re looking forward to continuing to work with the communities that we serve to be able to enhance that.”

He also hopes the officers in attendance on Sunday will reflect on the lessons preached at the service.

“Compassion and dignity, and being able to respect people for who they are and what they do, as opposed to what they may seem to appear to be,” explained Chief Blais.

For the officers in the crowd, Reverend Britton had an important message.

“See us as people, treat us as people, love us as people.”

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Emily Baron Cadloff.