An old bridal tale goes: Something old,something new,something borrowed,something blue . . . In a different tone and context, the good book reminds us: No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. (Mark... Continue Reading →
Meet my friend Jim
My son, Cameron, suggested I reach out to Jim as someone also interested and experienced in justice advocacy, knowledgeable in politics, fervent in faith, and a Toronto Blue Jays baseball fan. The two met years ago at a United Nations climate conference (UNFCCC) in Cancรบn, Mexico. Learning that Jim had retired from global relations work... Continue Reading →
THANKSGIVING SERMON 2025
A sermon for the combined congregations of St. Stephen Anglican Church and Summerland United Church at the Stone Church in Summerland -- Thanksgiving Sunday, October 12, 2025 -- The Very Rev. Ken Gray Itโs a familiar scenario to all of us. We walk into a grocery store, or a car dealership, or into one of... Continue Reading →
A most honourable mention โ Remembering Peter Hamel
โHe stood his ground, he knew what was right, he kept his word, and he kept things honest,โ says Hamel's widow, Margo Hearne. I first met Peter Hamel at a conference in the Diocese of British Columbia (now โIslands and Inletsโ) in 1993. Newly ordained it was an early experience for me of the tempestuous... Continue Reading →
Here is a book worth reading โ A focus on Francis
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 โPreach the gospel at all times, and when absolutely necessary, use wordsโ Attributed to St. Francis, these words embody the thirteenth-century Italian whose greatest honour was to be... Continue Reading →
Meet my friend Ken
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 →
Food for thought, in a time of tariffs โ AKA Farmaggedon in the fields
Charlie Angus / The Resistance -- Trump Delivers Farmaggedon -- Sep 26, 2025 I used to look forward to the first shipments of Iowa sweet corn at the grocery store. It was a sign that BBQ season had arrived in the north. Not this year. When I saw the big bins of MADE IN USA... Continue Reading →
Decisions, decisions, decisions
A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen, Summerland, Canada โ The sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 28, 2025 โ The Very Rev. Ken Gray We heard some months ago Jesusโ declaration of blessing and woe: โBlessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you... Continue Reading →
Is the Wild Goose part of my congregational future?
On Sundays when I do not preach or preside locally I try to include something relevant to โfuture-churchโ themes. While my typical Sunday morning worship experience occurs in traditionally built and appointed historic buildings, utilizing a familiar liturgy with mostly traditional music, I gotta say that I often donโt feel nourished. For many reasons, I... Continue Reading →
Out of the mouth, of primates โ How Climate Change is Rewriting Our Future
https://youtu.be/2creIhQvRLw Political Primate on YoutubeTranscription and highlights, KJG The clock is tickingโand our planet is sounding the alarm louder than ever. From raging wildfires to devastating floods, climate change is no longer a distant threat; itโs a global emergency happening right now. Ah, climate change. Behold the great paradox of our age. Ours is the... Continue Reading →