FULL DISCLOSURE: I am not a true-blue Toronto Blue Jays fan. I am a “faux” fan, a “sort-of” fan, one who checks the score online before watching game recordings, one who seeks to avoid what the historic ABC Wide World of Sports called, “the agony of defeat.” I remember watching that poor skier crash down... Continue Reading →
A Black Arm Band for a 250th anniversary
Robert Reich Jun 28, 2026 Friends, For the next seven days, most of America will be engaged in celebrating the birth of our nation 250 years ago. Trump wants to use this occasion for his insatiable ego by putting his name and face everywhere he can. His grandiosity is boundless; his narcissism, loathsome. Others may... Continue Reading →
Ecojustice Pilgrimage — An invitation to pilgrims
The third in a series of Pilgrimages sponsored by the Ecclesiastical Province of BC/Yukon in collaboration with the Parish of Kokanee in the Anglican Diocese of Kootenay From September 14th to 18th 2026 St. Mark’s in Kaslo will host a week-long gathering of pilgrims from across the province for prayer and worship, shared meals, fellowship,... Continue Reading →
Liberation, law and Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten conducting a rehearsal for the opening of the Snape Maltings Concert Hall in June 1967, with Anita Lasker-Wallfisch the second cellist on the right. Photograph: Hans Wild/Britten Pears Arts Three months after Bergen-Belsen was liberated, Britten and Yehudi Menuhin performed there. Survivor and cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch was ‘transfixed’ – as she told the... Continue Reading →
Where do I fit around here? – An Anglican clergy retirement experience
A retired bishop told me recently that “when you retire, the church forgets you.” While blunt, I think they may have a point. Writing in UK Church Times: “Retirement: The Church of England depends on retired clergy, 19 June 2026, Bishop Colin Fletcher argues that “much more needs to be done to nurture clergy retirees.”... Continue Reading →
Oligarchy versus Americans — The contest ramps up
Democrats must take on America's oligarchs. Here's how - By Robert Reich on Substack - Jun 23, 2026 Friends, The last time Americans faced such overwhelming evidence that the monied interests were screwing them over was the Great Crash of 1929 and ensuing Great Depression, resulting in the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, starting in... Continue Reading →
A gift to our friends, Ron and Jennifer
Rachel Ward's journey from Hollywood to regenerative farming - Reposted from Forgotten Facts on Facebook In the spring of 1983, a British actress named Rachel Ward appeared on American television for four nights, playing a character named Meggie Cleary in a miniseries called The Thorn Birds. Around 140 million people watched. For four episodes she... Continue Reading →
Pooling our thoughts — The Algae pool in popular discourse
[Ken Gray] I do wonder how Trump lives with all his failures. Of course, I know. He simply creates more disasters elsewhere hoping we will forget the present trauma. Well we don’t and we won’t. And with the new mess created by his “restoration” of Washington’s reflecting pool we have a marvellous opportunity for a... Continue Reading →
A very personal Dictionary of Quotations
Not everyone has their own personal Dictionary of Quotations, myself included. It is time, however, to rectify that omission. I love hunting down quotations, for sermons, articles, or blogs. So often, others can say things better than I can. So I will use their words, with attribution. I remember buying my first Oxford Dictionary of... Continue Reading →
“We are all one” — A greeting from Marion Newman for Indigenous Peoples Month and Day
[Ken Gray] As I continue my own healing and reconciliation journey both in church and in community I was so pleased to stumble across a Facebook post from critically acclaimed and award-winning mezzo-soprano Marian Newman. As I preside today at an Anglican service here in Summerland honouring Indigenous Peoples Day I will share some of... Continue Reading →