A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen, Summerland on Sunday, November 16th, 2025, the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost by the Very Rev. Ken Gray Early in the Spring of 2002, while rector of this church I received a call from ecojustice colleagues at the Anglican General Synod in Toronto. “Would you be willing to... Continue Reading →
Just for fun, and for a break from the savage political and ecological non-fiction swirling around me right now, I have turned my hand to fiction, and to short stories in particular. Here is my first story. See what you think. Truth disguised Truth be told, sometimes distractions are the main thing. Recently graduated from... Continue Reading →
A sermon for the Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost, November 9th, 2025 for the congregation of St. Stephen, Summerland by the Very Rev. Ken Gray The original title of Norman Lear’s 1971 TV sitcom All in the Family was Those Were the Days which ended up as the show’s theme song. I can imagine J D... Continue Reading →
The report below suggests that in the Church of England at least, a growing number of congregations are moving in a “congregational” direction. This means “low church” where the preaching of the word is prioritized over the sacramental engagement with that Word that is God. Congregationalism also indicates less tolerance for uniformity in practice and... Continue Reading →
Originally posted here Sep 15, 2025 [Charlie Angus] I heard the news about Charlie Kirk's assassination as I was deeply engrossed in Timothy Snyder's book The Road to Unfreedom. At the time, I was pondering Snyder's statement that "blood is the ink of political fiction." Snyder, an expert in the history of fascism, was warning... Continue Reading →
I am often asked to share a song or a poem at variety nights or campfire gatherings. Typically I call up memories of British comedy classics from Flanders and Swan. Over the years I have offered my own version of Hoffnung’s The Bricklayer’s Lament. I really need to broaden my scope to include some Canadian... Continue Reading →
[Ken Gray] As an ordained Canadian settler-descended Anglican who initially welcomed the First Nations version of the New Testament. The language seemed fresh, dynamic, and, well, different than other translations I have always used for preaching and proclamation. In using it sparingly in public worship I thought I was helping the process of healing and... 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 →
Eleanor Farjeon The story of the song Morning Has Broken With thanks to Nostalgic Memories Before Cat Stevens ever sang a note of it, Morning Has Broken was a quiet offering from a woman who saw the sacred in the ordinary. Eleanor Farjeon, born in 1881 London, grew up surrounded by music and poetry. Her... Continue Reading →
UPDATE: No decision yet on some Western Canada concerts including West Kelowna. TYEE article here. Thanks friends from Summerland United Church for the share below. With the support and encouragment of "Christian" churches who should know better, steadily far right ideology is now creeping into Canadian public spaces. Kelowna, BC - Advocacy Canada is expressing... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 