I have long lasting ties with Scotland’s Iona Community. During the 1990s while ministering at Sooke on Vancouver Island I discovered their music and liturgies. Initially created by John Bell, Graham Maule, and the Wild Goose Worship Group the liturgies were scripturally based, socially relevant, and justice-centred. The music was very well crafted, easy to... Continue Reading →
A few days ago I published a blog describing Pope Leo’s citation of the faithful witness of the Algerian Martyrs during the Algerian civil war between 1994-1996. Mission, the pope insisted, is never “a form of self-display, in opposition of identities, but the gift of self, even to the point of martyrdom, by those who... Continue Reading →
Don’t offer condolences. Act, stop Israel, and hold journalists’ murderers to account. Thank you Jim Hodgson Unwrapping Development for bringing this story to my attention. Eman Hillis, Gaza-based fact-checker, Al Jazeera A year ago, my dear friend and relative, journalist Amna Homaid, was brutally killed, along with her eldest child, Mahdi, 11. She was targeted... Continue Reading →
From Heather Cox Richardson on FacebookAugust 25, 2025 (Monday)Edited for length by KJG This morning, President Donald J. Trump talked to reporters as he signed several executive orders in the Oval Office. [. . .]. At the press opportunity, Trump claimed that he saved Washington, D.C.—where crime was at a 30-year low before he took... Continue Reading →
I first learned of the Algerian martyrs through the movie: Of Gods and Men, a film centered on a true story that happened in the monastery of Tibhirine, Algeria, where nine Cistercian monks lived in harmony with the largely Muslim population of Algeria, until seven of them were kidnapped and assassinated in 1996 during the... Continue Reading →
I continue to appreciate the US political analysis of by James B. Greenberg, a “political ecologist.” Such people don’t just report WHAT is happening; they explain WHY such things are happening and for how long. I have not altered Greenberg’s text in any way but have added emphasis in bold. I have also provided links... Continue Reading →
Posting on David’s Facebook page, Joan Bubbs, David’s wife shared the sad news: “I have signed on to David's Facebook page to share the heartbreaking news that David died yesterday [Sunday], after a short illness. Some of you will also know that David was suffering from severe dementia. The combination of physical and mental deterioration... Continue Reading →
A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen Anglican Church, Summerland BC - Sunday, August 17th, 2025 — The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost - The Very Rev. Ken Gray A woman approached me after a sermon I recently preached in Penticton, quite upset, as I intentionally contrasted the love of the Good Samaritan with the... Continue Reading →
I am always pleased to share posts from friend and activist, Jim Hodgson, who lives just down the road from me in Summerland. Now retired from global justice work with the United Church of Canada Jim has a special passion for human rights respect in the Americas. He is currently working on a major book... Continue Reading →
Source, Facebook They say that a picture is worth 1,000 words. Others suggest that some photographs can influence a generation. Think of Falling Man (The 911 terrorist attack); Napalm Girl (Viet Nam); Hiroshima (The plane that carried the atomic bomb to Hiroshima). Each of these images document a contemporary, now historical event in order to... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 