What's a "Goshen"?

Goshen refers to the land in Egypt where the Hebrews lived before the Exodus (Genesis 45:10). The area of Goshen was in the Nile delta, the only part of Egypt that was well watered over a large area. As such, it was where flocks were grazed. This made it an ideal place for the Hebrews, who were shepherds, to live and thrive in when Joseph brought them into Egypt to escape the famine in his time.

So why name our church after this land? While our records don't tell us the reason, our geography may give us a clue. Goshen Presbyterian Church, as well as Belmont as a whole, exits on a peninsula with rivers on either side of it. Perhaps our founders noted this geographical similarity and chose the name for that reason.

There is, of course, a certain fitting significance to the name "Goshen". Goshen was a fine place for the people of Israel to live, but it wasn't their home. They were exiles even as they prospered and grew in Egypt, waiting for the time God would keep His word and bring them into the promised land. Even so we rejoice that God has put us in such a fine community to minister and serve, but we keep our eyes fixed forward, waiting on the day Jesus will return and keep His promise to reign among us forever.