“He stood his ground, he knew what was right, he kept his word, and he kept things honest,” says Hamel's widow, Margo Hearne. I first met Peter Hamel at a conference in the Diocese of British Columbia (now “Islands and Inlets”) in 1993. Newly ordained it was an early experience for me of the tempestuous... Continue Reading →
It seems that most people meet online these days, not just in bars or through family connections or through friends. Norma Hill and I met online, not on a dating site as we are both happily married, though not to each other. One early email exchange is dated November 8, 2023 though our relationship feels... Continue Reading →
I first discovered the Rev. Lucy Winkett when she joined the staff of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London UK in 1997. There for many years, first as a minor canon and later as canon precentor she blazed the way for female clergy through what was then a exclusively male enclave. Years later than me she... Continue Reading →
Like most cities, large and small, the City of Victoria in British Columbia still struggles how best to harmonize the lives of rich and poor, of those who live comfortable lives with those who live at great risk, on the streets or elsewhere in the community. Despite massive amounts of money spent on programs, no... Continue Reading →
Robert Reich on Substack, Oct 06, 2025 Friends, The direction we’re going is either martial law or civil war. Americans from so-called “red” states, with the backing of their Republican governors and legislatures, are on the brink of using lethal force against Americans in so-called “blue” states, whose Democratic governors and legislatures strongly oppose the... Continue Reading →
[Ken Gray] Today I feature a story of how one community frustrated the efforts of ICE agents in one American city. I think it worthwhile to demonstrate particular resistance actions, hopefully to encourage others to implement similar actions elsewhere. The struggle continues; it is nowhere near over. Not at all. Robert Reich received the information... Continue Reading →
The more he rejects Jesus’ teachings, the more MAGA rejoicesSteve Burgess 1 Oct 2025 - The Tyee “Love your enemies,” said Jesus, “and pray for those who persecute you.” “I hate my opponents,” said Donald Trump. Trump’s statement, delivered from the podium at the Arizona memorial for murdered activist Charlie Kirk, makes him anti-Christ. Not... Continue Reading →
A sermon for the congregation of St. Saviour Church, Penticton on Sunday, October 5, 2025 [St. Francis transferred from Oct 4) by the Very Rev. Ken Gray “Preach the gospel at all times, and when absolutely necessary, use words” Attributed to St. Francis, these words embody the thirteenth-century Italian whose greatest honour was to be... Continue Reading →
Moving in to our Summerland home in October of 2022 the first piece of art we broke out of its packing box was a watercolour painted by my friend, Ken Faulks. It Is a lovely plein air painting from the Dewdrop Plateau in Kamloops, our former home. Its size, style, and mood perfectly complement the... Continue Reading →
Prelude to Military DictatorshipThe “enemy within” and the militarization of American politicsJames B. Greenberg on Substack — Oct 01, 2025 I watched the CBS coverage in stunned silence. Trump stood before a room of military officers, invoking “the enemy within” and proposing that American cities be repurposed as training grounds for domestic combat. The words... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 