That's the message from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, marking 1 September as both the start of the Orthodox ecclesiastical year and the Day of Prayer for the Protection of the Natural Environment, an observance the Ecumenical Patriarchate established in 1989 and which now brings Christian communities together worldwide: "a symbol and practical promotion of the unity... Continue Reading →
I walk into a room. Around a table sit three people engaged in lively conversation. I want to join the chatter so I sit down and pay attention to each speaker in turn, even when one talks over the other, excitedly. It’s hard to keep up as the topic shifts quickly from a family story,... Continue Reading →
A Poem on Hope It is hard to have hope. It is harder as you grow old, for hope must not depend on feeling good and there’s the dream of loneliness at absolute midnight. You also have withdrawn belief in the present reality of the future, which surely will surprise us, and hope is harder... Continue Reading →
A reflection from the late John O’Donohue For the First Day of the Season of Creation 2026 Also our first experience of the Feast Day of Creation in the calendar of the Christian Church Listen to John’s beautiful reflection here https://vimeo.com/203378234?fl=pl&fe=cm Video transcript: I'm John O'Donohue. I'm a writer. I live here in the west... Continue Reading →
Chef Ned Bell (left) and Farmer Thomas Tumbach started the Summerland Sauce Project to turn veggies into help - Photo: Summerland Sauce Project Casey Richardson - Aug 29, 2026 / From Castanet A project that bought crops from Okanagan farmers impacted by the Bald Range wildfire and turned them into seasonal sauces and preserves raised... Continue Reading →
Here's the good news. The Bald Range wild fire is now held. Hallelujah. Back home in Summerland most residents have now returned to a new post-evacuation experience of "normal." Though not all; some are still unable to access their homes or work places. Many are negotiating with insurance companies; others continue to wonder about next... Continue Reading →
by James Adair, BROADVIEW, Aug. 6, 2026 [I find the concepts below compelling. As churches often claim they are cocunter-cultural to my eye they simply mirror the capitalist culture that surrounds and feeds them . How often have I preached on the Parable of the shrewd Manager trying to avoid praising the servant who took... Continue Reading →
Friends, I’m very sad to report the death of one of the people I’ve idolized since I was old enough to idolize anyone: Dolly Parton. To me, Dolly Parton represented the very best in America. Her kindness, compassion, laughter, love of life, hardscrabble beginnings, humanity, ambition, and extraordinary talent were what this country is —... Continue Reading →
Few people, if any, name their plants; I am likely the only one. I named my Tropical Green Blood Leaf plant with pink stems Larry for no particular reason. The name felt right at the time. I bought him (gender assigned) from a local greenhouse back in the Spring thinking he could fill an important... Continue Reading →
I have always imagined a “fireside chat” as the place where two people enjoy conversation and libations in front of a roaring fireplace in an English country house. or a remote Canadian cabin. I have enjoyed both over the years, where the conversation included politics of all sorts and stripes, religion, photography, biography, literature, music.... Continue Reading →
