Almost-six-year-old Labradoodle, Juno, is a famed dog blogger. Follow her here for her thoughts on dog park politics and canine pedigree. I was one of eight or so members of a litter of Labradoodles born at a Kamloops area breeder almost six years ago now. MaPaw and PaPaw came up shortly after we were born... Continue Reading →
Itโs no laughing matter โ Or is it?
Years ago I suggested to a justice-seeking colleague that we should investigate the role of humour in our social and ecological justice advocacy. We can be awfully serious, I said. Off-putting even. She replied that the context โ human rights abuse; the climate crisis; avaricious market hegemony โ didnโt lend itself well to comedic treatment.... Continue Reading →
Godโs love made visible
A sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, July 20, 2025 for the congregation of St. Stephen, Summerland โ The Very Rev. Ken Gray Every once in a while I stumble across some very beautiful language, sometimes poetry, sometimes prose. Itโs good, if after one hearing I want to go back and hear it again,... Continue Reading →
Let us be fearless โ Church as an imagination-shaping force
A Sermon for the congregation of St. Saviour Anglican Church, Penticton BC - Sunday, July 13 2025 โ The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost โ The Very Rev. Ken Gray Mainstream media has not focused on a very special event that occurred a few days ago in New York City; church media certainly has however. the... Continue Reading →
Touched with tenderness โ Two online courses worth your consideration โ An invitation from Sylvia Keesmaat and Brian Walsh
Friends, As we struggle to make sense of all that is going on in our world and communities right now, I have increasingly been remembering familial stories about living with atrocities. Both of my parents were born during the Second World War, and stories about those years shaped my imagination growing up. These were stories... Continue Reading →
Hopeful words from Appalachia, Barbara Kingsolver
[Ken Gray] I have long admired the writing of Barbara Kingsolver. From her debut novels The Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven, her early non-fiction essay collection High Tide in Tucson, her novel The Poisonwood Bible, and most recently the epic Pulitzer and Womenโs prize winning Demon Copperhead I have enjoyed her intelligent and insightful... Continue Reading →
Creekside Django at the Stone Church in Summerland โ A sweet summer musical offering
EVENT DETAILS Thursday night, July 24 @ 7 p.m. -- Creekside, behind the Stone Church in Summerland, 9311 Prairie Valley Rd. -- Admission by donation -- Bring a lawn chair, possibly a sweater or a hat, and a great big smile More information from Ken Gray at 778 220 2631 or reach out through this... Continue Reading →
Definitely not a semi-colonoscopy โ A punctuation protest parade
Given my recent foray into book editing and publishing I have brushed up on punctuation. Using the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), the Wipf and Stock publisher guide, with reference to the classic Elements of Style (Strunk/White), I found both clarity and confusion about how to punctuate my text. Punctuation reduces ambiguity in both pronunciation... Continue Reading →
Kicking back on western maple โ A celebration of fine furniture program graduates
Now fifty years since I graduated from Victoriaโs Oak Bay High School I have fond memories of wood shop class. Lacking an eye for detail coupled with insufficient powers of concentration I particularly loved making bowls on the wood lathe. I likely created more shavings than bowls, but it was wonderful fun. When invited by... Continue Reading →
Travelogue 2 โ What am I doing on my summer vacation?
One word: Photography. My favourite activity when on holiday is taking pictures, no less so then during our extended staycation in Victoria, a five-week adventure that will end this coming weekend. Home feels good, but itโs been a blast in the meantime. I blogged a few photo shoots here. There are too many more to... Continue Reading →