The Canadian Black History Month “honours the legacy and contributions of Black people in Canada and their communities” and the 2025 theme is “black legacy and leadership: celebrating Canadian history and uplifting future generations”.

On this Black History Sunday I’ll present two great examples of black legacy and leadership.

You can see their pictures on the front cover of your Guides to worship:

Elijah McCoy and Ali Tote.

The first man from the 19th century, representing the past and history,

And the second, representing the present and the future generations.

I think it’s valuable (even in a small way) to recognize and honourtwo black men today, whom you perhaps were not familiar with, but should be.

We can learn so much from people with different backgrounds.

—

(Wikipedia)

Elijah McCoy was born in 1844 in Colchester Ontario, near Point Pelee.

His parents had fled enslavement in Kentucky via the Underground Railroad.

McCoy was a Canadian-American engineer of African-American descent who invented lubrication systems for locomotive steam engines.

He went to school in Canada in the segregated school system of the time, 

and then went on to study mechanical engineering 

at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

He then moved to Ypsilanti Michigan in the outskirts of Detroit,

Where his father George had a tobacco and cigar business.

Elijah McCoy’s claim to fame was his invention of 

 “an automatic lubricator for oiling the steam engines of locomotives and ships”, patenting in 1872.

In 1899 his system was in use on almost all North American railroads.

He continued to invent until late in life 

obtaining as many as 57 patents most related to lubrication

but also a folding ironing board and a lawn sprinkler.

McCoy was instrumental in transforming the railroad system, by speeding up the trains, as they required fewer stops and less maintenance.

The US Trade and Trademark Office satellite office in Detroit is named after him.

You may know the expression “the Real McCoy”: 

meaning the “real thing”.

This expression has been attributed to Elijah McCoy.

The theory is that railroad engineers didn’t want an inferior copy 

of the lubricator and would request by name 

the “Real McCoy System”, 

meaning they wanted the patented, original version.

Now I’d like to present someone I’ve actually met, 

Bishop Ali Tote.

I met him in 2015 at the ELCIC Mission Conference in Winnipeg, 

and found him to be very inspiring, intelligent and thoughtful, 

with a great sense of humour.

Rev. Dr. Ali is a trailblazer as the first Black Bishop of the ELCIC 

serving in the Saskatchewan Synod, 

and also the first Black Bishop in Saskatchewan.

He was born in Cameroon, a country with a strong Lutheran presence: 

the Cameroon Lutheran Church has 250,000 members in over 1,000 congregations which is about 2 1/2 times the size of the  ELCIC.

Tote has a doctorate in Epi-demiology 

(the study of distribution and transmission of disease) and was ordained to ministry in 2007. His vision is for the 

“Work of the Spirit of wild inclusion of a God who draws every person in, inviting us into a community of gathering and grace.”

He says that as “servants of God” our preoccupation should be our neighbour and

to live and be in community, to address the needs of the marginalized.

—-

The week before his ordination last October, he had an interview with Radio-Canada,

From which I gleaned some information.

Besides his previous work as Assistant to the National Bishop and also to the previous Saskatchewan Bishop,

Tote helped with 

Prairie Harm Reduction

Saskatchewan’s first Safe Consumption Site and Addiction treatment center.(https://prairiehr.ca/)

He also was engaged with the

Black Faculty and Staff Caucus of the University of Saskatchewan 

(https://blackcaucus.usask.ca/)

Which works to create community where Black faculty and staff are supported, respected, recognized, and valued… and where diversity and equity are prioritized.

He felt it was his duty as a more senior academic

to help and mentor younger black grad students and professors, 

and to help improve systems at the university.

He mentioned how as a Person of Colour 

it was important to see how he could help research and support research by marginalized groups,

And he spoke of how his unique voice and perspective

Could work to help conditions from up and coming black academics.

Furthermore, Tote also served on the Board of the 

Canadian Black Scientists Network

 https://blackscientists.ca/ 

Which exists to Elevate, Make Visible, Celebrate and Connect Black Canadians pursuing or possessing advanced degrees in (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine/Health).

He saw his role as supporting and accompanying colleagues amidst the discrimination that exists for minorities.

———

Since Bishop Tote grew up in a disadvantaged environment,

He says’ he can’t be indifferent to the suffering of others.

His perspective as a Black Canadian leader, 

means he has a special concern for those at the margins,

Including indigenous people

And those with low socio-economic standing.

When he was asked about how he felt as being the first black Bishop,

He replied that “it’s more important for the black community than myself

…It could have been someone else: but it just happened to be me…

I’m just doing my job, I’m not any more special than anyone else, …

but I’m here by the grace of God.

…It’s good for the black community and is a moment of lifting up spirits.

…A moment to say “we can accomplish things and do things, 

we are intelligent, and as capable as anyone else”,…

Whoever you are: you can do things!”

Tote continued:

“[My ordination] gives energy to the community to say… all this is possible!

My ordination is not about me, …

but about what it communicates to the African descent community, 

esp. to the children”.

—

So much for this introduction to two inspirational black men.

But how does that tie into our readings this morning?

In our Gospel text we hear from Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, 

where a large crowd had gathered from far and wide, 

from Jerusalem, 

the countryside, and even Gentile cities like Tyre.

People from the centre of power, 

but also people from the edges of society, the forgotten, the foreigners also came to be healed and to listen to what Jesus had to say.

And Jesus’ message was revolutionary:

Blessed are the poor,  the hungry, and those who weep.

Blessed are when people hate you 

and exclude, revile and defame you.

I make a connection here to many of our Black siblings: 

that they are in a particular way blessed 

because they embody, esp. in the White West

The Beatitudes of Jesus.

devalued for the colour of their skin, 

Experiencing racism and colonialism,

even today, underestimated and disadvantaged.

Jesus’ heart is particularly wide open to those at the margins,

He considers those who are hated and excluded 

to be particularly blessed in God’s eyes.

And as followers of Jesus,

We are called to honour, help and pray for

Those historically overlooked and put down.

One group we will pray for today

Is a predominantly black (and multicultural) congregation,

Christ Lifter International Church 

worshiping in our Chapel at this very moment.

Our Hymn of the Day is “We’ve come this far by faith”

Written by Albert Goodson in 1956 for the Fellowship Baptist Church in Chicago,

He toured with the famous Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson 

And was a prominent figure in the development of African American gospel music.

The song has become a bit of an anthem for Black Lutherans.

Hymn 633, I invite you to stand and join in the Refrain.