An open letter to Franklin Graham (son of the late Billy Graham) from Dan Hawk, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Ashland Theological Seminary.[Dan Hawk] I write in response to your video message at the recent Rededicate 250 event, and specifically to your use of the Bible to reinforce Right-Wing political talking points.You begin... Continue Reading →
โVoice of the cathedralโ: B.C. church restoring one of Canadaโs largest organs
Organist Mark McDonald stands below Christ Church Cathedralโs organ, Canadaโs largest pipe organ west of the Rockies. (Olivier Laurin/Victoria News) Published 9:00 am Wednesday, May 27, 2026 by Olivier Laurin Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart once called the pipe organ โthe king of instruments.โ Considered by many to be a marvel of music and engineering, the pipe... Continue Reading →
So where should we sit when attending a Blue Jays game in July?
[Ken Gray] As son, Cameron and I have tickets for a Jays game in Toronto in late July, I have all sorts of fears. For one thing, they are playing the Tampa Bay Rays with whom they are frequently on the losing end. The experience of a win in the Rogers Centre is a huge... Continue Reading →
โWater is lifeโ: Syilx Okanagan Nation declares watershed emergency
Reposted from Castanet Snowpack levels in the Okanagan and surrounding regions are catastrophically low this year, which has led to wide-ranging concerns over drought and the health of local watersheds. On Wednesday, the Syilx Okanagan Nation formally declared a watershed emergency across the Okanagan, Nicola, Similkameen, Kettle, Salmon and Bessette watersheds. The Nation says itโs... Continue Reading →
I haven’t done my own work on this yet – I am curious, and very hopeful
Christopher Lamb on CNN Pope Leo XIV says control of artificial intelligence must not remain in the hands โof a fewโ while warning that technology is fueling world conflicts, setting out his proposals in the first major theological document of his pontificate. These include protecting the distinctive โgrandeur of humanityโ amid rapidly changing technology and... Continue Reading →
Clarity on Cowichan, and the long road forward
The text below is a recent summary of a recent meeting concerning the relationship between fee-simple land ownership and BC DRIPA legislation. It was found on Facebook here. Written by Geoff Meggs "Anxiety about the threat to fee simple private property posed by Aboriginal rights is so deep in British Columbia that Green MLA Rob... Continue Reading →
Stephen Colbert’s Tonight Show fades to black TONIGHT
The Trump critic and satirist has also been one of the most thoughtful, funny, and genuinely decent people on television Reposted from Robert Reich May 19, 2026 Friends, Stephen Colbertโs last show is this Thursday evening. CBS refused to renew his contract, and you know exactly why: He mocked and criticized Trump. CBS says itโs... 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 →
Pomp and Circumstance 2026 — Pulling back the curtain on the opening of the UK Parliament
Post by the Reverend Richard Coles โ cleric, broadcaster, writer and former Communard. Off to the State Opening of Parliament today and we went as guests of the Speaker, whom I know from the football at Chorley. (Football) We had smashing seats in the Lordโs Strangersโ Gallery, sitting between Arthur Edwards, doyen of Royal paparazzi,... 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 →