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February is Black History Month


Sometimes the stories and lessons from the history of any culture take the reader places they may not expect to go. The important question to ask as we learn any history is, “Who is telling the story?” This year the theme for Black History Month is “Ours to Tell”. I encourage you to check out the Canadian Black History stories and events online. There are several websites you can browse that provide stories, pictures, and videos to help us all learn about the history of Black Canadians and their contributions to the fabric of our society.

This is part of our Canadian history which helps us understand not only our past, but also our current identity as a country. Perhaps we are hearing some of these stories for the first time. Perhaps we are hearing some of them for the first time from a different perspective. It is important for us to open our hearts and minds to the story and the storyteller to understand more fully the experiences of life in our multicultural country.

Over the past several weeks we have been listening to the voice of the prophets reminding us what is important in the grand scheme of things. Seeking God through worship and spiritual practices is great, but it means nothing if that is not connected to how we live our lives, how we understand our identity as a faith community, and how we seek justice in all that we do.

Seeking God and seeking justice go hand in hand. This is such a good message for us to hold in our hearts as we enter Black History Month. May we learn from the stories of the past so that we know better how to be with each other in the present—
in every encounter and in all the relationships we tend.

Peace and joy,
Nancy