[Joan Chittester remains one of the most dynamic and insightful writers on faith and justice today] Today prophets of pietism tell us to "pray for peace" and "pray that God's will be done." And this is certainly important. But they do not demand that we ourselves do something to ensure either. Instead, the professional pietist... Continue Reading →
Meet my friends, Art and Marcia
I have enjoyed the company of this lovely and talented couple in many ways over the last two decades. They have been parishioners at both St. Stephen, Summerland, and St. Saviour, Penticton. Their mission-oriented work in Papua, New Guinea intersects well with my Anglican Communion environmental work; we share some friends in common including the... Continue Reading →
Treecrastinating
A sermon for the congregation of St. Stephen, Summerland by the Very Rev. Ken Gray -- Sunday, May 17, 2026 Today I stand before you without my hearing aids. After several years of good service, my hearing aids now require some repair. Thankfully, they are still under warranty. This means a trip for them back... Continue Reading →
I would love to see this exhibit myself
Driving School' was shot by Fred Herzog in 1959. Photo courtesy Equinox Gallery/Estate of Fred Herzog Brendan Kergin at Vancouver is Awesome.com A Colour Legacy is the name of a recently published book and incoming exhibit celebrating Vancouver's most famous street photographer. Later this month, the show will open in Vancouver with more than 60... Continue Reading →
Call the Midwife — Kindness on full display
Credit: Neal Street Productions/BBC Posted by Michelle Collins on May 12, 2026 via NPR SOME SPOILERS โSometimes, our new beginnings have been yearned for. We have chosen them. Others lie in wait...โ Jennifer Worthโs words (as spoken by Vanessa Redgrave) kick off the season finale. This final episode offers a deeply moving look at what... Continue Reading →
The room next door to faith — Questioning religion is not the same as abandoning it
Article by Peter Choi in the May 2026 issue of The Christian CenturyFirst published on May 6, 2026 When I recently heard Pรกdraig ร Tuama describe himself as being โin the room next door to belief,โ heads nodded across the room. He had named something many people feel but struggle to articulate: the ache of... Continue Reading →
Conscience can be revived โ Everyone has a part to play
By Henry A. Giroux at Truthout Published May 9, 2026 - This article is reprinted with permission under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) - Long . . . But worth a careful read [Henry A Giroux] Under the Trump regime, the United States has entered a dark age in which conscience is not merely ignored... Continue Reading →
The legacy of Rachel Held Evans
A Memory from Jim Palmer on Facebook About eighteen years ago a young woman named Rachel Held Evans contacted me because she was beginning to see Christianity differently and wanted to write about it. She sent me her manuscript, and we worked on her book together. She published four books in total. I got to... Continue Reading →
Another well deserved prize for Maggie Helwig and her homeless community โ Encampment: Resistance, Grace, and an Unhoused Community
A video of her acceptance speech at the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing is here A transcript is below. (Check against delivery.) [Maggie Helwig] This is not my book. This book belongs to a community. I am cognizant that I am in the kind of room which I am not in very often, and... Continue Reading →
New developments in the dark room
Josh Dawson - May 1, 2026 / Castanet // Photo: Castanet Kamloops photographer Jess Beaudin poses for a photo while setting up her exhibit at at the Old Courthouse at 7 Seymour Street West. Sagebrush, chokecherries, shells and salt water are all you need to develop film, thanks to a new process created by Kamloops... Continue Reading →