This event has already occurred

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16    Abraham and Sarah: with the promise comes a change of names

Special thanks to Erin Charles, for her participation in today’s reflection. This week, Erin offers highlights on her learning about the history of Africa, its leaders and how that is helping to shape their future.   

Part of today’s service was filmed in Campbell River, BC (at Erin’s home by Erin) and also in Steveston, BC on the grounds of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery - a Canadian National Historic Site.  As you walk around, there are a series of historical murals by Vancouver based artist, Victoria Oginski.  My reading for Black History Month encourages me to be more attentive to the ‘history behind the history.’

So…for thousands of years the waterways around Steveston were the fishing grounds of the Coast Salish people.  European Settlers began to arrive in the 1860’s.  As they established farms and opened canneries, First Nations camps became ‘a thing of the past.’  The first Japanese arrived in the late 1800’s until their internment in 1941.  (NOTE:  Jonathan and Ruth Navarro, of this congregation, and their son, Jason, starred in the 2008 musical, “Steveston Goes to War.”  Although Steveston has a past that goes back thousands of years, the history most known to us (1860-present) barely scratches the surface of what there is to know.

Ethiopia is the “Cradle of Civilization” – the place where human life began.  From archaeological excavations in Egypt (another African country), infinite treasures are buried deep beneath desert sands.  With each new excavation, we learn more of our history.  At one time, humans believed the world was flat.  Astrology, archaeology and science have taught us that’s not accurate.  With a universe that is ever expanding, the landing of Perseverance on Mars last week, and ongoing archaeological excavations, there are likely to be many more surprises – or corrections – to the history we know.  2020 taught us about a new virus  (and its variants) and new vaccines have already been produced to treat it. 

“From that very first human hand print on the wall of a cave, we are part of something continuous.” Thanks be to God.  Amen.