Another in the series: Stories from Somewhere, by Ken Gray โI will trust, I will trust, I will trust in himโโStuart Townend Walking downhill towards the church on a crisp autumn evening, the retreating western sun infusing fluffy clouds with shades of orange and yellow, I see the lights on in the church. Did I... Continue Reading →
First date
Love is blind? Or is it blue? โAnonymous proverb I want to make a good impression; to get our first date right. We had met in other ways โ by happenstance, at church events, at choir practice, and at community meetings. I had noticed Ronni from a distance. Sheโs attractive, and I sensed interesting. I... Continue Reading →
Success, learning opportunities, and Teflon-coated pans โ A scouting leadership story
[Ken Gray] The Rev. Chris Parsons (Executive Archdeacon of the Anglican Diocese of Kootenay) and I have been clergy colleagues for many years, now in the Diocese of Kootenay, and previously in the Diocese of Islands and Inlets (BC). We each know the peaks and troughs of working in ordained leadership, especially within the Anglican... Continue Reading →
On closer inspection
Another story in the series Stories from Somewhere, by me, Ken Gray Case #1993-642 The blaring ghetto blaster is getting on Janetโs nerves. Joni Mitchell, whose music is a favourite around the police station, seems to be playing on an endless loop. Detachment Sergeant, Duncan Jaimeson, loves his 60s and 70s folk tunes โ Joan... Continue Reading →
Skate Kamloops a huge success
They pulled it off. For the last ten years, Kamloops residents Nancy Bepple, James Gordon, and Steve Gainey, formed and managed Kamloops outdoor Skating Association. Amidst other projects, their goal was to bring an outdoor skating rink to downtown Kamloops. They attended budget meetings; they hosted ball hockey tournaments; they fundraised to help pay for... Continue Reading →
A Hymn of Praise โ For E-Bikes
By Bill McKibben โ This article appears in the January/February 2026 issue of Sojourners Magazine โ Subscribe A no sweat, no hills, planet-loving bicycle seems pretty heavenly to me. THERE ARE A few things that seem like magic to me. One is iceโwhen water freezes, suddenly you can glide across the surface of the earth.... Continue Reading →
Gone Fishinโ
Chapter ten in the series Stories from Somewhere, by me, Ken Gray โMayday*Mayday*Mayday.โ My shouted distress call must have looked silly. There I was, standing in a wobbly west coast dory, shouting into a bank of dense fog that had quickly appeared out of nowhere, covering us in our little skiff. Close to the shore... Continue Reading →
Between the covers
Another in a series of short personal fictional stories about a mystery church with a quirky minister in an unnamed community, though not in a galaxy far away. Enjoy. Between the covers A face stares up at me from a large bowl of Bouillabaisse, a French seafood stew โ the version before me with a... Continue Reading →
Robot dogs? You must be joking โ by Juno
What will they think of next? Canโt people just let dogs be dogs? Oh no. For some folks itโs not enough to just select a breed, find a good breeder, and invite a new dog into a household. Worked for me, so very well, for many years, and still does. No need for imitations; just... Continue Reading →
On the building of organs, and of those who build them
A number of student organists in Victoria during the mid-1970s worked for local organ builder, Hugo Spilker. We loved playing the organ โ I speak here of large instruments placed in downtown churches, many comprising four manuals and a pedal division โ These were not small electronic substitutes which proliferate where I live today in... Continue Reading →